I found your description 'an individual expression of the divine in material form' quite apt. Long time ago now, in a somewhat strange circumstances, someone asked me what I think the soul is. Without thinking I blurted out - what isn't material, isn't reachable via our basic senses; smell, touch, hear, see or touch. I still think that. Modern science can and does explain almost all phenomena known to humans, except one - inner qualiar.