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The definition of “person?”
Human beings can master things. For example, the mechanic can master the diesel engine, in that through a lifetime of study and experience, he can understand all of the parts which go to the diesel engine as he would know where they belong, how to replace them, and how to get them working together in unison. The mechanic masters the diesel engine because it is a human invention; a man-made construct, for the diesel engine contains a finite quantity of parts in the material principle to which humans are subjected to. Not so for the Holy Trinity, for the Holy Trinity is not a creature or an invention of man, nor is the Holy Trinity subjected to the material principle alone (like material creatures are such as birds, insects, and fish). Furthermore, The Holy Trinity is not of the same genus as human, nor is the Holy Trinity of the same substance as the creature or of the same order as human beings. For if the human could master the Holy Trinity and know all of its mysteries, which is infinite, eternal, and immeasurable, then the Holy Trinity would be a human invention and not Divine. However, this is not the case, and is why no human person can understand the Holy Trinity in its fullness; for if any creature could understand the Holy Trinity in its fullness, then the Holy Trinity would not be God, but a human invention like a diesel engine! However, this is not the case, for the Holy Trinity definitely is God which consists of One (essence) in Three Persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and Three Persons in One (divine), for God is truly One, as the Lord proclaimed to every living creature through His Word (Son). Now, to understand the Holy Trinity in a more accurate way (according to our likeness as creature), and in a way we can understand it through parts (quantity), specific distinctions should be made with their definitions in an effort to define what “person” is, in the language of Saint Thomas Aquinas’ discourse: -Essence: What something is. Found in a particular. -Form: The boundary and shape around the essence of something Also found in a particular. -Universal: Through the whole, consisting of many particulars. -Particular: Things that exist in relation to one another, such as “a bush,” and “a cat.” -Singular: Consists of the universal and particular. -Order: The arrangement or disposition of things in relation to one another. -Genus: A group or class of something consisting of many categories. -Species: Within a genus and a more specific category of many kinds, such as human or bird. -Individual: Same kind, autonomous in number. Many of the same things. Like a pile of stones. -Individualized: Distinctive or more apparent. -Substance: Where the individual is found individualized distinctively. Also found in a genus. -Rational Substance: Substances that act on themselves with dominion over their own actions. -Individual Substance: A thing that is distinct, but not rational. For example; “this rock.” -Hypostases: Known as first substances. Individuals of the genus substance. Like a human who has a body that receives a soul fashioned to it, thus one person, not two. -Subject: The formal perspective of what something is through use of the intellect. Also, a being situated in relation to other things that exist outside itself (everything exists within God because of God), so the term subject pertains to things not of God. -Accident: Potentiality, such as the decisions of the freewill which is not attributed to God. -Nature: The essence of something in matter completed by its form. -Rational Nature: What is proper to a rational substance by its natural inclination. -Person: Individual substance with an added rational nature (rational substance) signified by the singular. For example, “this is Karen,” or “meet my friend Joe,” and “Archangel Michael, defend us in battle!” It is important to note that the Holy Trinity which is divine and God does not consist of subject or accident, for there are no accidents in God, because He is actual being. For humans (and angels), we are being in potentiality, in that we are non-existence that partakes in the giving life and agency of God who is actual existence, and it so happens that He has given humans and angels a freewill as a gift because of election and dominion, so what follows from this is that the decisions of the freewill by their subjects is what becomes an accident and in this way the evil that creatures do (falling short or not adding up to what they were made for) is not attributed to God who made all things good and where nothing is an accident through him, but only in creatures by their freewill who are beings in potentiality as stated earlier. Now, it is also important to remember that God is simple and not consisting of any parts, but for humans, we consist of many parts of the body that wrap around an intellect (a soul or spirit), and this is what we call a composite being in potentiality (in that we have our existence through His actual existence). Finally, the soul of a person belong to its species, and although it may be separate from the body as a part not linked to an organ (quantity), it cannot be classified as a separate individual substance because it belongs to the first substance of the body (hypostases) until the first death (referring to the body which is inevitable), as the second death pertains to the spirit (which is optional), just as a foot cannot be designated as a person because it does not meet the full definition of what is being described. Whether “person” is the same as hypostasis, subsistence, and essence? Depending how these words are being used, language arguments can come into play which draw confusion on the matter. Even more so, those within beliefs other than Christian along with heretical sects have used such words for their own purposes to spread confusion and heresy for their inward causes. For example, the Mormons who believe they can become God and divine do not acknowledge (by faith) the essence of the Holy Trinity, for they believe The Only Begotten Son (Filiation and Christ Jesus) of God the Father (Paternity and Unbegotten) is a mere creature (the Arian heresy) and not divine. In this way, they profess a different essence, thus falling short in accepting the truth of the divine essence which is One in Three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). For those who cling to these errors - how can they worship and be at peace in the spirit in Heaven with God forever, if they themselves believe they are to be on the same level as Him? For God does not have competitors, nor are those who subscribe to the non-Christian belief of Mormonism could ever stand in the presence of a High King if they too believed they would be such a thing so as to compete with Him! It is as if a stranger on the street walked into the White House and expected to be listened to, revered, and honored as the President who already reigns in the office! Now, the twofold and threefold senses of hypostasis, subsistence, and essence within their own context adds to the confusion (brought forth by heretics) and are used for the purposes of the self-condemned to lead many souls to perdition. Finally, it should be said that hypostasis, subsistence, and essence are the essential principles of what makes up a person in creatures and in God, but they must be used in a correct manner in the proper sense and context. For more clarity upon this matter, I would suggest reading the text in Saint Thomas Aquinas’ own words while in a state of grace with a humble and faithful disposition. See: Summa Theologiae I, Q. 29, A. 2 https://www.newadvent.org/summa/1029.htm Whether the word “person” should be said of God? The dignity of man and angelic beings are held in high regard because of the rational nature of their substances (personhood). Now, the Lord Who is God of man and angel along with everything in being has the dignity of the divine nature which excels all dignities of creatures, matter, and form which is also most perfect than all other natures; so in this way, the word “person” ultimately and pre-eminently belongs to God to the highest degree - He Who Is the Source of Everything. Heretics and neo-pagans (enemies of God) in the Moderni Age have used confusing language to deny the one essence of God with its Three Persons while often tricking those who are misinformed about God into professing several essences, or even seeking to promote creatures as divine, as we see with those who worship the demons as false gods (to their own destruction). Now, because of this, It is most perfect, right, and accurate to use the word of “person” when pertaining to God, for He is the First Intellect, the Highest Intelligence, and the sum of everything that is good and righteous, for there is no knowledge, happening, or becoming that He is not aware of while at the same time there is nothing which can subject Him to anything because everything is subjected to Him (literally, not metaphorically). So, if the creature (human and angel) is afforded the dignity of personhood by those who mention them, all the more for The First Person who created all of them into existence who is deserving of the highest dignity and honor by all creation which is subjected to Him! Whether this word “person” signifies relation? The distinction of the Three Persons in the Godhead (Holy Trinity) is made by the relation of origin. In so far as we are speaking of a person and what we know of a person, a relation is identified to another person as it pertains to the one person being mentioned. For example, one could say “the police officer arrested him?” Arrested who? The criminal. In another way, it can be said, “The doctor prescribed the medication to her before she was discharged.” Who was discharged? The patient. Now, we know the Son is the Son of the Father because He comes forth by way of Filiation, for He is truly begotten of the Father, and is the Word Made Flesh, as the Word of God boldly proclaims. We also recognize the distinction of the Father from the Son by way of Paternity, for the Father is truly unbegotten, as He alone is the First Principle. Furthermore, we know the Holy Spirit by way of its Spiration from the Father and the Son, for whoever denies the Father and the Son cannot receive the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Truth and is also a movement of Love which proceeds unto creatures who receive this gift, for the Three in One and One in Three are One Essence and not merely just modes of God. The divine essence subsists within itself and its personhood signifies their relations to one another by their real relations. Another way to understand this; it could be said that we know what is cold because of what hot feels like, thus our minds can identify that hot and cold are not the same, but two different things (because of their relations to one another which are real relations). In the same way, we can say that we know there is a daughter to a mother because of the real relationship that exists between the two, for this distinction distinguishes the two as separate persons (plurality) and not as a single person (singular).
I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.
Commentary regarding Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae derived from: ST part (I), Q. 27-49 from newadvent.org with permission. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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mr. scott lowry, op
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