Winnicott's Object Relations Theory and the Work of the Holy Spirit

Abstract

While various studies have focused on the practical working of the Holy Spirit in counseling and therapy and the impact of the Holy Spirit on personality growth and development, few studies have offered sustained theoretical reflections of how the work of the Holy Spirit might be understood psychologically. This article uses the object relations psychology of D.W. Winnicott to redress this need. It argues that Winnicott's developmental psychology, especially his concepts of “transitional objects” and “object usage” provide useful lenses for psychological reflections on the work of the Holy Spirit.