Trinity Illustration

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COPLAND_3 said:
I have done a page on the Trinity. It is an example from St. Augustine that I have loved to use for some time now. I think it helps us to see how God is One in nature but 3 Persons. Here is the link.

litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Trinity
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You said:

“The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is One God, but three Persons, one nature in three modes.”

“Modes” would be an incorrect term (and a subsequent heresy–Modalism). I don’t think you meant to convey a heretical view because the rest of your article seems orthodox (especially Augustine’s analogy). I believe a better term would “subsistence.”

Prayers and petitions,
Alexius:cool:
 
Alexius,

I can see where “modes” would cause someone to question. But I only meant that there is One God working 3 ministries/modes at one time, whereas Modalism sees One God and only one mode exist at one time. But I will revise my article and use a term that will not be as questionable.

Thank you!
 
Under “Cup of Water” you say:
All the same water, but different characteristics; and the same Divine Nature in the Trinity, but 3 different attributes.
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Re underlined:
that would be inaccurate. All three Persons have the fullness of ALL the Divine attributes - eg. omnipresence, all-powerful, all-knowing, etc.

From “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma”
The Divine Attributes are really identical among themselves and with the Divine Essence. (De fide.)
The reason lies in the absolute simplicity of God. The acceptance of a real distinction (distinctio realis) would lead to acceptance of a composition in God, and with that to a dissolution of the Godhead. In the year 1148, a Synod of Rheims, in the presence of Pope Eugene III, condemned…the doctrine of Gilbert of Poitiers, who, according to his opponents, posited a real distinction…the Divine Persons and Their properties, and,…between the *Divine Essence *and the Divine Attributes.

In God there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Each of the Three Persons possesses the one (numerical) Divine Essence. (De fide.)

(Italics for “Divine Essence” and all underlining are mine and not in the book.)
Nita
 
Always with the limitations of language to say things, even harder to say them where everyone is happy, language changes over years. Many people for instance cannot hear persons without thinking separate persons.

It’s sometimes helpful to go back into the history of the word. A persona was what the mask an actor wore in a Roman play was called. The actor would often play more than one character simply holding up the appropriate persona to change character. So to say persons is really speaking like the masks of the actor. The same actor is behind each persona. The major difference between the personas of God and of the actor is God is all three at once. Not one at a time like an actor.

JJ
 
Jolly Joe
Always with the limitations of language to say things, even harder to say them where everyone is happy, language changes over years. Many people for instance cannot hear persons without thinking separate persons.
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No kidding! It is extremely hard to express a truth while trying to make it simple and be meticulously accurate at the same time. But that is why I wanted to post it on the site so that it would be scrutinized so I can make adjustments as needed.
 
Ron Conte,

I am looking forward to reading your article, I just looked at the link and it looks very professional. As soon as I get time later I will read it. Thanks!
 
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