ABSTRACT
Drawing from our experiences as religious peacebuilders, field interviews, and literature on the impact of trauma in conflict, this article seeks to account for the popularity of the Holy Spirit in Colombian displaced communities. Colombia has suffered more than six decades of violent conflict inflicted by multiple armed groups accused of massive human rights abuses. Concurrent with the rise in violence has been a rise in Pentecostalism, particularly amid communities displaced by violence. We explore how the Holy Spirit is understood by displaced communities and the role it plays in fostering healing and empowerment in a situation of existential incertitude. This analysis is offered alongside historical themes in pneumatology, highlighting how Colombians’ experiences of the Spirit both extend and depart from traditional Christian theology. In so doing, we demonstrate how a contextual exploration of the Spirit among the Colombian displaced enriches traditional Christian pneumatology and illuminates paths for peace.
