Religion and Ethics and Health BBS: For many they are just words and often used interchangably

Religion and Ethics and Health BBS
[ Post a Response | Religion and Ethics and Health BBS ]

For many they are just words and often used interchangably

Posted by trish on April 4, 2026, 8:05 am, in reply to "That's a useful differentiation, even to us non-believers!"

I happen to LOVE etymology.

Forgive this quick overview

Soul (Vital Principle)

Old English sāwol and Proto-Germanic *saiwalō, generally referring to the "spiritual and emotional part of a person," "animate existence," or "life". It was used to describe the non-physical essence of a living being, often representing the total person (body and breath) rather than just an immortal, separate spirit.

Spirit

The original meaning of the word spirit is "breath" or "breathing," derived from the Latin spiritus. It refers to the vital principle or "breath of life" that animates humans and animals. This Latin root signifies both respiration and wind, emphasizing the invisible, essential force that gives life.

By the 1400s the term also applied to ghosts, angels, and demons.