Holy Spirit in Christianity

====Pauline epistles====
{{Main article|Holy Spirit in the Pauline epistles}}
[[File:Holy Spirit as Dove (detail).jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|left|[[Stained glass]] representation of the Holy Spirit as a dove, c. 1660]]
The Holy Spirit plays a key role in the [[Pauline epistles]]; and the [[Apostle Paul]]'s pneumatology is closely connected to his theology and [[Christology]], to the point of being almost inseparable from them.<ref name="Paul pages 248-249"/>

The [[First Epistle to the Thessalonians]], which was likely the first of Paul's letters, introduces a characterization of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:6<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/1 Thessalonians#1:6|1:6]]</ref> and 1 Thessalonians 4:8<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/1 Thessalonians#4:8|4:8]]</ref> which is found throughout his epistles.<ref name="Dunn418">''Theology of Paul the Apostle'' by James D. G. Dunn 2003 {{ISBN|0567089584}}, pp. 418–420.</ref> In 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Paul refers to the [[imitation of Christ]] (and himself) and states: "And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit", whose source is identified in 1 Thessalonians 4:8 as "God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you".<ref name=Dunn418 /><ref name="Collins">''A Concise Dictionary of Theology'' by Gerald O'Collins, Edward G. Farrugia 2004 {{ISBN|0567083543}}, p. 115.</ref><ref name="Phyllis">''Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia, Volume 3'' by Phyllis G. Jestice 2004 {{ISBN|1576073556}}, pp. 393–394.</ref>

These two themes of receiving the Spirit "like Christ" and God being the source of the Spirit persist in Pauline letters as the characterization of the relationship of Christians with God.<ref name=Dunn418 /> For Paul the ''[[imitation of Christ]]'' involves readiness to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, as in Romans 8:4 and 8:11: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you."<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/Romans#8:4|Romans 8:4]]</ref><ref name=Collins />

The First Epistle to the Thessalonians also refers to the power of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:5,<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/1 Thessalonians#1:5|1:5]]</ref> a theme also found in other Pauline letters.<ref>''1 & 2 Thessalonians'' by Jon A. Weatherly 1996 {{ISBN|0899006361}}, pp. 42–43.</ref>