RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
My daughter asked me what a "soul" was? What's the best way to explain this? Roughly the same for "spirit."
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My daughter asked me what a "soul" was? What's the best way to explain this? Roughly the same for "spirit."
My daughter asked me what a "soul" was? What's the best way to explain this? Roughly the same for "spirit."
Are they the same thing?When my son asked that question when about six years old, I told him thing that makes you you is your soul, your spirit. You cannot take it out of you and touch it, but you know it is there because you know you are you. That seemed to settle his question at the time.
About a week or so later:
"Dad, my soul hurts."
"Mine does, too, sometimes, son."
Kids!
My daughter asked me what a "soul" was? What's the best way to explain this? Roughly the same for "spirit."
I think that the soul would be the mind of man, the part that is self aware, material aspect, while the spirit is that immaterial aspect that communes and fellowships with God, and is now on until activated again in the new birth experience.This is a tough question to answer without a bit of forethought. First, you have to decide whether or not "soul" and "spirit" are the same. I say they are. Second, you have to decide whether "soul" is simply one's mind and emotions and desires, as secularists would say, or whether it is something spiritual that relates to God. I say the human soul is spiritual.
So to a child, I would say something like this: "Your soul is a part of you that you can't see or touch. Your soul will live forever, and with your soul you either love or hate God."
Then I might follow up by explaining that we express love or hate for God with our bodies too, and that one day believers' bodies will be resurrected and rejoined with our souls to live with God forever as well. The unity of body and soul is a bigger theme in the Bible than is the difference between them, and sometimes this gets missed when children are taught.
I think that the soul would be the mind of man, the part that is self aware, material aspect, while the spirit is that immaterial aspect that communes and fellowships with God, and is now on until activated again in the new birth experience.
Are they the same thing?
I think that the soul would be the mind of man, the part that is self aware, material aspect, while the spirit is that immaterial aspect that communes and fellowships with God, and is now on until activated again in the new birth experience.
I do not think the trichotomous view of man (body, soul, spirit) versus the dichotomous (body and soul) is the right way to think about the issue at hand. See the attached.
I agree with Patrick that it would simply cause confusion for the child to bring up dichotomy vs. trichotomy. I would just work with the child on soul. Along with the paper Patrick shared, I would also advise this sermon by Arden Hodgins of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church, which gives a pretty good quick overview of the implications of trichotomy, and deals with the exegetical concerns briefly as well.
Excellent answer. My 3 year old daughter has been asking where God is. I explain he is everywhere, but we can't see him. "But where's his body?" He doesn't have a body. "But where's his mouth?" He doesn't have a mouth, he is a spirit.Does she have a favorite doll? Ask her, "How, are you and your doll the same?". Help her answer (two legs, two arms, a head, a body, etc.), and then ask, "How are you different?", (ability to speak, breath, love, hate, think, etc.). Then tell her that this is how God made you. He put something in you that you can't see or touch but it makes you special. It's one of the ways that God made you like him. You can't see or touch God because he is a spirit, but you know he loves you and takes care of you. Of course this could lead to more questions, but that's life with a five year old.
reading through that article, I was struck by how much my former Pentecostal learning seemed to be keyed into this concept of there being a higher spiritual level, as in the infamous dividing up the rheuma and Logos of the bible itself. Looks like I will have to modify another viewpoint of mine once again.I do not think the trichotomous view of man (body, soul, spirit) versus the dichotomous (body and soul) is the right way to think about the issue at hand. See the attached.
That's easy. Just explain that because we are finite beings we cannot comprehend an infinite God, so the Holy Spirit condescends to our, comparatively, infantile understanding by using anthropomorphic language to describe God's providential disposition toward us. I guarantee she won't ask any more questions.Excellent answer. My 3 year old daughter has been asking where God is. I explain he is everywhere, but we can't see him. "But where's his body?" He doesn't have a body. "But where's his mouth?" He doesn't have a mouth, he is a spirit.
The illustration you gave will help a lot! What makes it difficult is our language for thanking God for providing us food "with his hands", etc. Any help?