A
Augustine
Guest
What exactly does “person” mean when explaining the Triune God as one God and three persons?
TIA
TIA
This is the meaning of a human person not a divine person.Person is defined as “an individual substance of a rational nature.”
Frank Sheed simplifies it this way: it answers the question, “Who is it?” As others have explained, the Trinity is “Three Who’s in one What”.
This is incorrect… God is One in Three Divine Persons… They are all divine, Jesus was human and divine and the Holy Spirit is a spirit, not a Human person.This is the meaning of a human person not a divine person.
St. Thomas clarified Boethius’s definition by replying that:This is the meaning of a human person not a divine person.
(ST I.29.4)In God the individual–i.e. distinct and incommunicable substance–includes the idea of relation, as above explained.
(ST I.30.1)The definition of “person” includes “substance,” not as meaning the essence, but the “suppositum” which is made clear by the addition of the term “individual.” To signify the substance thus understood, the Greeks use the name “hypostasis.” So, as we say, “Three persons,” they say “Three hypostases.” We are not, however, accustomed to say Three substances, lest we be understood to mean three essences or natures, by reason of the equivocal signification of the term.
That says the same thing I’m saying.“[Distinct and incommunicable subsisting relation] of? the [divine] nature.”
But then we share one nature, man, yet there are billions of us, persons. Doesn’t sound right…There can only be one divine nature, one God. There are three Persons (Father, Son, Spirit) who each totally possess the one divine Nature without subdividing it.Code:*Person* answers the question:* Who?* *Nature* answers the question: *What?*
I'm sorry to pose such basic questions, but I'm trying to understand such mystery of our Faith a bit better.
As humans, we are one person (me)(or you) possessing one human nature. Each of us has his own human nature, associated with only one person.But then we share one nature, man, yet there are billions of us, persons. Doesn’t sound right…
This is the Western definition, not the Eastern. In Eastern theology, the Divine Persons are not simply relations. JoeA divine person is a real relation as subsistent in the divine nature.
Thanks, I wasn’t aware of that. What’s the Eastern definition of a Divine Person?This is the Western definition, not the Eastern. In Eastern theology, the Divine Persons are not simply relations. Joe
Good question; I’ll do my best with it, given that I’m by no means an expert on Eastern theology. First, I doubt there is a hard-and-fast definition of a Divine Person in Eastern theology; Eastern theology puts much less stock in precise definitions than the western church, believing, rightly IMO, that at a certain level of precision such definitions become inherently misleading. The general approach, I believe, is to start from the datum of revelation that God is both One and Three. The Oneness is expressed in the term ousia, usually translated “substance” or “essence”, and the Threeness in the term hypostases, “persons”. There is real distinction between the terms, with ousia being somewhat analogous to the “what” of something, and hypostases with the “who”. Beyond that, I don’t know if things get much more defined, but Eastern theology is clear that the Divine Persons cannot be reduced to their respective relations. This is the most basic difference underlying the filioque controversy. If you want to delve into this, I would suggest Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. JoeThanks, I wasn’t aware of that. What’s the Eastern definition of a Divine Person?
Thanks, but as with all attempts at understanding God’s internal workings, I’m sure that if and when we reach the beatific vision we’ll find that the words were totally inadequate. (Of course, the eastern churches keep trying to tell us that, but we have to try to put our understandings into words.)Wow, Jim! Congratulations for your answer, for now I understand the Trinity.
God bless.
Not sure but when Saint Patrick was trying to explain the Trinity to the druids here in Ireland, he bent down and picked up a little 3 leafed Shamrock, and that’s as far as i’ll go with my understanding of Trinity.What exactly does “person” mean when explaining the Triune God as one God and three persons?
TIA
I disagree, Jesus was human and divine… fully human and fully divine. What is a nature?Also, Jesus is a divine person (not a human person) with two natures; divine & human.
SarahSmile said:I disagree, Jesus was human and divine… fully human and fully divine. What is a nature?
** To say that he wasn’t human is like saying that he didn’t go through all that pain, for us!**