How does the Catholic church distinguish between the human soul and spirit?
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I see questions about the creation of the human soul, and the soul's "infusion" into the body. But the Bible considers a human being to "have" three parts or concepts: spirit, soul, and body. How does the Catholic church regard the relationship between these three concepts?
In the bible we read that God breathed "the breath of life" into Adam, and he "became" a living soul. Elsewhere we read that at death a human's spirit "returns to God, who gave it", and Paul says that the human spirit is "dead" until regeneration takes place.
A good answer will reference official Catholic teaching on the meaning of the bible passages and the nature of (tri-partite?) humans as spirit, body, and soul. If there is no official position on some point, the view of church teachers is requested.
**Bible Passages** from WEB (World English Bible) -- emphasis and [] mine
> (Gen 2:7 [WEB])
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground [**body**], and breathed into his nostrils the breath [**spirit?**] of life; and man became a living **soul**.
> (Eccl 12:7 [WEB])
and the dust [**body**] returns to the earth as it was, and the **spirit** returns to God who gave it.
> (Rom 8:10 [WEB])
If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the **spirit** is alive because of righteousness. [spirit was dead, but now lives?]
Asked by Bit Chaser
(2005 rep)
Feb 15, 2019, 03:27 AM
Last activity: Feb 15, 2019, 12:21 PM
Last activity: Feb 15, 2019, 12:21 PM