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menology of Spirit (1807/1977). Hegel presents mans can experience their god-like-ness and
God’s redemptive rhythm of incarnation, cru- God’s human-like-ness through reconciliation
cifixion, and resurrection throughout history, with God, and God becomes available to all
which later inspired the late 20th century re- people through the presence of Spirit. Hegel
lational theory of intersubjectivity. We reflect presents this narrative as a story of “infinite love
upon Hegel, the mother/child relationship, and that arises from infinite anguish [that] creates
the movements of the Holy Spirit in therapeutic a unique and unsurpassable intersubjectivi-
work. Returning to Rachel, we demonstrate the ty….” (Hodgson, 2005, p. 182). Intersubjectivi-
presence of a relational God in the redemptive ty theory (the relating of two equal subjects) is
work we call psychotherapy. originally based on Hegel’s conception of Spirit
which he draws from Trinity – Father, Son, and
Theological Perspectives on the Leading of Holy Spirit. The Spirit intersubjectively con-
the Holy Spirit nects a person relationally to God and to one’s
Overview neighbor who is intersubjectively related to
Christians embrace the Judaic Scriptures which God and neighbor in the Spirit. Intersubjecti-
attest to humans created in the image of God. ve relating is achieved through surrender to the
The Judaic account of human failure and God’s crucified God and risen Son whose suffering is
actions to restore a people for Himself progres- the model for “… shared suffering, creat[ing] a
ses to the New Testament narrative of the salvific new kind of human relationship in which one
actions of Jesus Christ in His incarnation, cru- finds oneself only by losing oneself for the sake
cifixion, and resurrection, and the pouring out of the other…. Love in the fullest sense is com-
of God’s Spirit on all of humanity. The New Te- passion, suffering with and on behalf of ano-
stament witness relates the descent of the Holy ther. It is grounded in the divine compassion.”
Spirit to indwell men and women who become (Hodgson, 2005, p. 183). The outpouring of the
God’s temple. The Spirit inhabits the “here and Spirit also becomes the introduction of the ex-
now” in the Christian’s experiences of the fel- perience of mutuality and equality among all
lowship of Christ’s sufferings, and the power of peoples. “Subjectivity has given up all external
His resurrection (Phil. 3:10). The Spirit of God distinctions in this infinite value, distinctions of
transforms God’s people, setting them free from mastery, power, position, even sex and wealth.
bondage to sin, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, Before God all humans are equal…. Herein lies
there is freedom,” (2 Cor. 3:17). the possibility and the root of truly universal ju-
stice and the actualization of freedom” (Hegel,
G. F. W. Hegel 1807/1977), (Hodgson, 2005, pp. 182-183).
Though Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit
(1807/1977) has been widely viewed as a phi- Clinical Presuppositions and the Leading of
losophical masterpiece, much less known is the the Holy spirit
theological substrate that derives from his Pro- A psychotherapy that recognizes the spiritual
testant theological training at Tubingen. Peter force that propels toward health and renewal is
Hodgson’s (2005) translation of Hegel’s works not altogether different from its more secular
rediscovers Hegel’s reliance on Jesus’ incarnati- counterpart. What does distinguish the former,
on, crucifixion, and resurrection as the historic is a basis for hope that lies beyond our mere
movement that initiates the coming of the Spirit technical skills or our theoretical persuasions.
to reside with us and cause progress in human Such hope was captured by theologian Jurgen
history. Moltmann in these words: “…. The spell of the
God, the transcendent Other, became human dogma of hopelessness…is broken where he
and died on a cross; God in Christ resurrected who raises the dead is recognized to be God
and He is no longer “Other.” For Hegel, the sen- (Moltmann, 1993, p. 31-32).
ding of the Spirit, the third person of the Tri- This manifest hope elucidates for us five clinical
nity, was achieved precisely through the death recognitions of a Spirit-led, intersubjective, re-
and resurrection of the God-man Jesus. Hu- lational perspective:

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