Is It Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit?

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When you are praying do you say Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit?

Which do you chose when you are writting?

Have you changed as you matured?
 
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Exporter:
When you are praying do you say Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit?

Which do you chose when you are writting?

Have you changed as you matured?
Click to expand...
I got to vote for the “Ghost”…

Seems to me if i remember correctly, post Vatican II, at least in my area it turned to Holy Spirit after the council… It may have been Holy Spirit in other places earlier… I am O K with either…
I certainly don’t think the Ghost/Spirit cares one way or the other…

How about “I am”, God, Yahway (spelled wrong)… 3 in one, right?
 
If I’m not mistaken the Holy Ghost/ Holy Spirit issue is one of language. Remember that in Latin, the name of the 3rd Person of the Blessed Trinity is *Spiritus *Sancti. Thus, the proper translation is Holy Spirit. Holy Ghost, if I am correct, came about based on the German translation of *spiritus *as *gheist…*at the time of the first English translations, the language retained much more of it’s Germanic character, hence “Holy Ghost”
 
I go for Holy Spirit…but that could just be because I’m a wierd Californian and haven’t heard anything other than that.
 
First, mtr01 is correct that Ghost came from the German translation of “spirit” – it was simply Anglicized. The interesting question, at least to me, is why “spiritus” in Latin when the Greek is “pneuma” – breath or, in this form – pneumata theuphoriês – divine inspiration.

IMNSHO the correct translation is “Spirit” because it reflects the underlying meaning of “breath” and that is life or spirit.

Deacon Ed
 
My understanding is that both “Spirit” and “Ghost” are, according to strict dictionary definitions, reasonable translations of either the German “Geist” or the Latin “Spiritus”, for example
zeitgeist is commonly rendered “spirit of the time” (not “ghost of the time”). In English these days “ghost” has much more of a connotation of spooky haunted houses and Casper the Friendly Ghost and the disembodied spirits of dead people doomed to roam the earth and moan ominously and scare people. So for many of us moderns, “Holy Spirit” sounds more appropriate for God.
 
Bobby Jim:
My understanding is that both “Spirit” and “Ghost” are, according to strict dictionary definitions, reasonable translations of either the German “Geist” or the Latin “Spiritus”, for example
zeitgeist is commonly rendered “spirit of the time” (not “ghost of the time”). In English these days “ghost” has much more of a connotation of spooky haunted houses and Casper the Friendly Ghost and the disembodied spirits of dead people doomed to roam the earth and moan ominously and scare people. So for many of us moderns, “Holy Spirit” sounds more appropriate for God.
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And since “Lord” is from “loaf-ward” (O.E. hlaford), “Spiritus Domini” would have to be “Ghost of the Loaf-Ward” - which would not convey much meaning at all 🙂​

 
I use Holy Spirit, but think Holy Ghost is acceptable too. My maternal grandfather who returned to the Church a couple years before he passed away would say “Holy Ghost” because he was raised Catholic and that’s what he was used to saying. I saw nothing wrong with that.👍
 
In the official Latin its Spiritus.

Ghost comes by way of Saxon.
Spirit comes by way of Latin.

6 of one or half a dozen ?

Definition: The third member of the Godhead, a personage of spirit.
Also Known As: Comforter, Holy Spirit, Light of Christ, Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of Truth, Still Small Voice, Testifier.
 
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tkdnick:
I go for Holy Spirit…but that could just be because I’m a wierd Californian and haven’t heard anything other than that.
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Hey, California rocks!!!

Okay… it’s a generational thing. Those of us who were around before Vatican II era called Him the Holy Ghost.

Thanks to the person who posted that it’s a language thing… spiritus – gheist –

He’s the same Third Person of the great “I Am!”
 
if I am singing along with American Pie I say Holy Ghost, if I am singing Let the Fire Fall I say Holy Spirit. He knows who he is, I know who he is, he knows when I am talking to him.
 
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puzzleannie:
if I am singing along with American Pie I say Holy Ghost, if I am singing Let the Fire Fall I say Holy Spirit. He knows who he is, I know who he is, he knows when I am talking to him.
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I’ve always said “Holy Spirit!” Or as Rowan Atkinson would say “holy spigot!” Should I have capitalized that?

Hey puzzeannie is the song you are referring to “Let the Fire Fall” the one sung by Crossroads back in the mid 80’s?:bounce: Is that ball bouncing or is it my eyes at 2:32AM?
 
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Exporter:
When you are praying do you say Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit?

Which do you chose when you are writting?

Have you changed as you matured?
Click to expand...
As far as I’m concerned I prefer neither and use both.

Gerry 🙂
 
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puzzleannie:
if I am singing along with American Pie I say Holy Ghost, if I am singing Let the Fire Fall I say Holy Spirit. He knows who he is, I know who he is, he knows when I am talking to him.
Click to expand...
Though I usually say “Holy Spirit”, as I read a prayer in the form of a poem, I noticed that it would not rhyme to say “Holy Spirit” so in that case, only Holy Ghost would do. I’m sure the same will go for songs with similar wording too.
 
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our souls take up your rest;
Come with your grace and heavenly aid
To fill the hearts which you have made.
O Comforter, to you we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above.

I love that hymn! I only say “ghost” in that song; when I pray, it’s “spirit.”
 
Always Spirit for me. I use ‘ghost’ only for the spirits of deceased humans, not for the third member of the Blessed Trinity, since he/she/it has never been a human being 🙂
 
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