[Grammar] as led by the Holy Spirit

[kadioguy]

(On a poster)

VBS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit. It is a fun-filled, spiritual adventure that provides concentrated Bible study and encourages real-life application.

(*1: VBS means "Vacation Bible School".)
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1. Does the green part refer to the whole red part?

2. Does "as" here mean "in the way that someone says or that something happens, or in the condition something is in"? (Like it is in "as promised" or "as agreed".)
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(source)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

(On a poster)

VBS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit. It is a fun-filled, spiritual adventure that provides concentrated Bible study and encourages real-life application.

(*1: VBS means "Vacation Bible School".)
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1. Does the green part refer to the whole red part?

It refers to "Jesus Christ."

2. Does "as" here mean "in the way that someone says or that something happens,

Yes.

or in the condition something is in"? (Like it is in "as promised" or "as agreed".

No.

[STRIKE])[/STRIKE]

Now you know!

 

[jutfrank]

I'll give a different answer:

1) No. It refers only to Jesus Christ.
2) The latter is closer. You could understand it to mean that this is an idea of Christ as led by the Holy Spirit, i.e., not any other version of Christ, nor Christ in any other condition.

Don't spend too much time thinking about this. It isn't a great example to work with.

 

[Phaedrus]

VBS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit.

I interpret the green part as meaning "as [the children are] led [to respond to Jesus Christ] by the Holy Spirit."

Here is a down-to-earth variation which illustrates my parsing:

The training course is designed to lead employees to know and respond to customers as directed by their store manager.

 

[tedmc]

I would change concentrated to intensive, and encourages real-life applications to encourages applications to real life.

 

[tedmc]

I interpret the green part as meaning "as [the children are] led [to respond to Jesus Christ] by the Holy Spirit."

Here is a down-to-earth variation which illustrates my parsing:

The training course is designed to lead employees to know and respond to customers as directed by their store manager.

I think it would have been clearer with a comma after Jesus Christ and customers in both cases.

 

[Tdol]

Some Protestant denominations regard the Holy Spirit as the helmsman of the faith. (Not a Christian)

 

[Phaedrus]

I think it would have been clearer with a comma after Jesus Christ and customers in both cases.

A comma is possible in both cases, but the meaning would also change:

(1a) BS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ, as led by the Holy Spirit.
(2a) The training course is designed to lead employees to know and respond to customers, as directed by their store manager.

The end of (1a) indicates that children are led by the Holy Spirit to know and respond to Jesus Christ. The end of (2a) indicates, similarly, that employees are directed by their store manager to know and respond to customers.

(1b) BS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit.
(2b) The training course is designed to lead employees to know and respond to customers as directed by their store manager.

The end of (1b) indicates that children are led by the Holy Spirit to know and respond to Jesus Christ in a certain manner (perhaps in different ways at different times). The end of (2b) indicates, similarly, that employees are directed by their store manager to know and respond to customers in a certain manner.

Below is the revision I would make, for clarity's sake, to both sentences. I am changing using the active voice rather than the passive voice in the "as"-clause and adding "to do so" following "led" and "directed," respectively:

(1b-revised) BS (*1) is designed to lead children to know and respond to Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit leads them to do so.
(2b-revised) The training course is designed to lead employees to know and respond to customers as their store manager directs them to do so.