Best Analogy for the Trinity?

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Judas_Thaddeus

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I’ve heard a few interesting analogies used
to explain the Trinity, a few examples:


  1. *]Saint Patrick used a three leafed clover to explain to the Irish Pagans,
    *]Three matches carrying the same fire,
    *]One Egg: Shell, White, Yoke,
    *]Water being fluid, gas, and solid (though that seems a little Modalistic)

    What other analogies are used to illustrate the Trinity
    and furthermore, which is the best of them all?
    (Oh and by the by, yes I
    do have a good grasp on
    the Trinity, I just thought
    this will be a fun thread)
    ​
 
Judas_Thaddeus said:

  1. *]Water being fluid, gas, and solid (though that seems a little Modalistic)
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  1. I’m fond of getting rid of the modalism by comparing it to the triple point of water, when it’s simultaneously liquid, gaseous and solid. But unfortunately, most little kids don’t get that analogy :rolleyes:

    (By the way, it really should be liquid not fluid from a physics standpoint. Technically speaking, gases are also fluids)
 
Razanir said:
I’m fond of getting rid of the modalism by comparing it to the triple point of water, when it’s simultaneously liquid, gaseous and solid. But unfortunately, most little kids don’t get that analogy :rolleyes:

(By the way, it really should be liquid not fluid from a physics standpoint. Technically speaking, gases are also fluids)
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That’s a great one; 3 leaf clover is in my opinion best for the kids; works well if you also want to discuss a Saint.

Mary.
 
Any 3 dimensional object. A cube for instance. A cube is a cube. It is also the sum of 6 unique sides. It cannot be a cube without one of the sides. It has unique aspects in it’s sides, but it must have all the individuals to have a whole. (credit to CS Lewis)
 
My favorite analogy is the Lover, the Beloved, and the Love between them.
 
I am a catechist so I use all of the examples above for different age groups. My fave as an adult is the Father (Lover), Son (Beloved),and Holy Spirit (Love Personified) .
 
I’ve heard a triangle as an analogy. 3 sides, all equal, but without 3, there is no triangle.

I’ve combined that with the Living Flame of Love (from Juan de la Crux) and the Fire triangle (From wild fire control class) in that the Flame (God) is made up of

Fuel (Father – from which the flame proceeds)
Heat (Son – that we see hear and feel)
Air (Spirit – that cannot be seen but is in all things - the breath of God)

All are needed to make Flame, and there is no flame when one is not present (breaking the fire triangle).

Then I demonstrate it to kids by putting out the fire
  1. cut the wick (no fuel)
  2. heat sink like a screen (no heat)
  3. inverted cup (no air)
And then speak of what happens to a church that focuses on only 1 of the aspects
Father . . Islam or Mormon
Son . . Some protestant faiths
Spirit . . Pentacostals
 
Here are ones that the Church Fathers have used:

Father = fire
Son = light begotten from the fire
Holy Spirit = heat that proceeds from the fire.
There was never a time when the fire had no light or heat.

Another based on St Basil the Great (his words are in quotes)…

Andrew, John, and James are three persons (hypostases) in one essence/substance (ousia) which is man.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons (hypostases) in one essence/substance (ousia) which is God

"Of all nouns the sense of some, which are predicated of subjects plural and numerically various, is more general; as for instance man. When we so say, we employ the noun to indicate the common nature, and do not confine our meaning to any one man in particular who is known by that name. Peter, for instance is no more man, than Andrew, John, or James.
…]
“The same moreover would have been the account that there is in the case of Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and each of the men there mentioned. Transfer, then, to the divine dogmas the same standard of difference which you recognise in the case both of essence and of hypostasis in human affairs, and you will not go wrong. Whatever your thought suggests to you as to the mode of the existence of the Father, you will think also in the case of the Son, and in like manner too of the Holy Ghost.”
 
What’s the Catholic view about God the Father being the “Monarch” and God the Son and God the Spirit being “second” in some fashion? Is that heresy?

I know They are consubstantial and One, but Jesus called God the Father “His God” too…so…just confused and wanted the right Catholic view…
 
As a former musician, some may consider this inappropriate, but Hans von Bulow, a famous German musician of the nineteenth century, spoke of Bach the Father, Beethoven the Son, and Brahms the Holy Spirit of music. Of course, that isn’t really an explanation of the Trinity so much as it is an explanation of the “three B’s”, but it is still very interesting.
 
EIF5A said:
What’s the Catholic view about God the Father being the “Monarch” and God the Son and God the Spirit being “second” in some fashion? Is that heresy?

I know They are consubstantial and One, but Jesus called God the Father “His God” too…so…just confused and wanted the right Catholic view…
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The monarchy of the Father is a Catholic teaching that the Eastern Churches use. 🙂

The Father begot the Son.
The Father sent forth the Holy Spirit.
They have always existed with the Father just as a fire produces heat and light which always exists with the fire.
 
Zekariya said:
The monarchy of the Father is a Catholic teaching that the Eastern Churches use. 🙂

The Father begot the Son.
The Father sent forth the Holy Spirit.
They have always existed with the Father just as a fire produces heat and light which always exists with the fire.
Click to expand...
Then the 3-leaf clover doesn’t symbolize the monarchy of the Father…

I’ve also read of an equilateral triangle where three sides are equal and make up the triangle…but again, the the monarchy of the Father is not present…

The analogy of a person (Father) extending his two arms (Son and Spirit) to welcome someone…but that seems to reduce the Son and the Spirit to less than personhood…

Indeed the most Holy Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension…:hmmm::hypno:
 
My example is from a horror movie. However, it probably wouldn’t be appropriate to post it on here. 😃

I like the three-leaf clover example, though. 🙂

God bless you. :blessyou:

P.S., I read somewhere that one cannot fully understand the Trinity except through divine revelation. 🙂
 
Zekariya said:
Father = fire
Son = light begotten from the fire
Holy Spirit = heat that proceeds from the fire.
There was never a time when the fire had no light or heat.
Click to expand...
This is the best one I’ve hear. I’ll need to remember this one. 😃
 
Originally Posted by Zekariya View Post
Father = fire
Son = light begotten from the fire
Holy Spirit = heat that proceeds from the fire.
There was never a time when the fire had no light or heat.

LOVE THIS…
It sure beats the peanut butter and jelly sandwich analogy that was used in my RCIA class!
 
Judas_Thaddeus said:
I’ve heard a few interesting analogies used
to explain the Trinity, a few examples:


  1. *]Saint Patrick used a three leafed clover to explain to the Irish Pagans,
    *]Three matches carrying the same fire,
    *]One Egg: Shell, White, Yoke,
    *]Water being fluid, gas, and solid (though that seems a little Modalistic)

    What other analogies are used to illustrate the Trinity
    and furthermore, which is the best of them all?
    (Oh and by the by, yes I
    do have a good grasp on
    the Trinity, I just thought
    this will be a fun thread)​
Click to expand...

  1. I like the example of the apple – peel, flesh and core.
 
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