Holy Ghost Fire: The Motor of Civilisation

Fr George Adimike

Fire is, arguably, the most significant discovery of humanity without which human civilisation would have been a mirage. The discovery of fire and its mastery unbounded man’s developmental possibilities. It is such that all scientific and technological development runs on man’s ability to exercise dominion and control over fire.

The preeminent value of fire serves as a compelling foreword to the discourse on the Holy Ghost fire. Many religionists often seem not aware or negligent of the essential role of fire, and more precisely the Holy Ghost fire, in driving civilisation and development. Devoid of any facile assumption, the Holy Ghost, who is the creative power sustains the world, and leads her to survive, thrive and flourish. As the kinetic energy of God, the Holy Ghost is the creative fire of love and motor of civilisation.

In the history of ideas, one early indication of the importance of fire is the Heraclitus’ attribution of it as the primal element in creation. He argued that fire, as it were, is the ultimate urstoff (original material out of which all things came) of reality. Earlier than that, various mythologies of nations had presented fire-god as the foundation of creation.

For instance, Greek mythology had regarded fire as the cause of civilisation and development. Narrative has it that the Titan Prometheus (foresight), credited to have created humanity, stole fire from Zeus, the principal god in the Greek pantheon, and offered it to mortals, which was responsible for civilisation.

In his reaction, Zeus sent Pandora (woman) to Epimetheus (hindsight) for marriage, who then by opening her baggage unleashed evil to the world. Similar stories of theft of fire for the benefit of humans abound in mythologies of various nations and peoples. From such mythologies, we glean the fact that the It underscores the great importance of fire in the ancient world attached a great importance to fire. It was regarded as fundamental to the existence of the world, and even today, the entire developmental system of the world runs on fire. 

Fire goes beyond the physical realm to the metaphysical and spiritual realms. Different religions have different narratives, mysteries and beliefs associated with fire. Cultures and peoples encapsulate their value and significance relative to fire in myths, legends and deities.

The importance of fire is accentuated in Igboland with *Amadioha* , in Yoruba with *Shango* , in Roman mythology with Vulcan, in Greece with Hephaestus, in Celtic mythology with Aed, Brigit and Grannus, in Albania with En, etc. The memory of some of these gods of fire, thunder and lightning still exercises pervasive influence in the religious psyche of the people.

In the Nigerian setting, often does one hear expressions like “thunder fire you”. Such an expression or its Igbo equivalent, ‘ *Amadioha magbuo gi’,* reveals the level of its diffusion in the society. In religion as well as in science-tech, a fire has an overarching influence. It interweaves with our daily life such that without it, survival would be almost impossible.

Such indispensability of fire in daily life has an even greater equivalence in the Christian life of faith. Being a metaphor for God, its importance is crucial to Christianity. From the witness of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, who is the love between the Father and the Son, is the eternal fire that burns love in-between them, which overflows into creative activity. He was the holy fire caused Christ’s incarnate existence and empowered his earthly ministry, and He is the dynamism of Christian discipleship.

He is the creative and consuming fire, which, above all, is the fire of love. He is the Fire described as the breath that gave life to the first man, Adam, the fire that over-shadowed Mary into conception, and that energised the apostles into ecclesial existence and apostolic mission (cf Acts 2:1-4).

He is the fire within every Christian that propels one to God (enthusiasm from the Greek *enthousiasmos* meaning inspired or possessed by a god). This fire pulls together whomever he inhabits and cements into a body this community of believers – the body of Christ and people of God. He is the fire underlying every reality. One could say that Heraclitus was prescient to have underscored fire as the primal element.

Hence, the invocation of the Spirit of the Father as the Holy Ghost fire is partly a celebration of the eternal Fire, who is the power of life, resurrection, and redemption, and the unction for sanctity and love. In an objective sense, the Holy Ghost fire resonates as an exclamation, a cry, an expression of hope, a beckon of a child unto his Father, a stammer of a harassed and confused ward for help. One calls on Him for purification, healing, protection, promotion and surrender.

However, subjectively, Holy Ghost fire can be abused stemming from our unrepentant, vengeful and wickedly disposition, thereby reducing him to an instrument for revenge.  As such, many a Christian instrumentalise him in a way that is pre-Christian, for it is said that old habits never die.

The widespread and pervasive influence of the traditional god of fire and thunder ( *_Shango, Amadioha_* ) that metaphysically embodies the collective will to justice often understood as vengeance plays out practically in some Christian usage of the metaphor Holy Ghost fire. But Christ’s refusal to allow James and John to invoke heavenly fire against the hard-hearted Samaritans should be instructive (cf Lk 9: 53-55).

If love is what it *_was_* to be a Christian, then a true disciple labours to live by the rubric of love, expressed in forgiveness and love of enemies. This oblative love disposition towards our adversaries makes Christianity different, unique and far ahead of other religions.

The invocation of God of love for hateful and vengeful retaliation bespeaks the superficiality and misrepresentation of Christianity by many of our faithful. The God of peace cannot be an alibi for living our unconverted, vindictive, hateful and divisive natural humanity.

Going forward, we underscore that though our salvation is by grace, we are saved for works of love through which we co-operate with the grace of God. Grace, which precedes faith, resonates with and in love. Without love, therefore, our Christianity is empty, and is a mere ritualistic observation or regurgitation of formulas. Faith without good works is dead (cf James 2:14-26). While good works express faith, both are equally necessary for faithful discipleship.

From the objective perspective, Holy Ghost fire is a holy name of God, and it is His creative power, which requires the faith and devotion of all Christians. Yet, on the subjective level, an individual’s relationship to the metaphor can be good or bad. Unfortunately, some weaponise it in a most unchristian way in private or community prayers against real or perceived enemies.

Of those who employ it in this manner, the underlying disposition is the unchristian expression of unforgiveness and unleashing of animus. In this way, they abuse what is holy in their ignorant or mischievous piety. The first step towards recovery is a personal conversion of the individuals involved, so that healed, they can face their challenges with a Christian disposition. 

Since fire underlies creation and civilisation, the Holy Ghost continues to fall afresh on scholars, scientists and all who contribute in one way or another to bringing creation to its purpose. To us all, the Holy Ghost fire is useful so that converted, we can all contribute to building a new civilisation of love. Let the fire of Pentecost blaze anew for purification, healing and progress of the world (cf Lk 12:49). Happy Pentecost Sunday!

Fr George ADIMIKE

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