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Whether there is trinity in God?
The number of persons in God is signified by the word “Trinity.” This word “Trinity” also signifies the one essence of three persons which was revealed to the whole world by divine teaching and revelation. Although we can only understand the Holy Trinity to a certain extent as mortal creatures, unbelievers and heretics have attempted throughout the ages to confuse others on the matter through misuse of words, false contradictions (misunderstandings, denial of the truth, or ignorance on their part), while often enough attempting to point would be believers or known believers to one extreme or the other. For example, the atheist could say, “If god made all things good, why is there flesh eating bacteria?” in an attempt to challenge the Divine Goodness of the Holy Trinity, or “The Trinity contradicts itself because the human mind cannot understand it,” in a vain attempt to assert that human beings (who are mortal creatures with finite understandings) are the purveyors and authors of truth and efficient causes and therefore if any human being is not capable of understanding something fully in its completeness, then it cannot possibly exist, while the pantheist says “Although my son died at such a young age, we are sure he returned back to the universe in the form of energy, atoms, and particles - so in this way he returns to the circle of life as in everything before him, and in this way he lives!” in another attempt to attribute the goodness of creation to mere chance and accidental occurrence. In another example, the heretic might say, “God is a woman. This is what she said,” so as to spread confusion, and “The father is the son and the son is the holy spirit,” as in the heresy of modalism which falsely asserts the different modes of God which deny the Three Distinct Persons of God within One Essence (The Godhead). Now, if men could fully understand all of the known mysteries of the Trinity, then God would be a human invention, because what is infinite (God which is the Holy Trinity) cannot be contained within what is finite (the human mind). It’s like trying to empty and dump a lake into a dish bowl! This is why the Church proclaims to the world the Sacred Mysteries which mentions the Incarnation, the Sacraments, and the Holy Trinity not as something that should be received or proven through conventional means as if one was trying to find someone guilty in a court of law through evidence (although there is much evidence which proves God’s existence), but the mystery of all creation and being meant to be received through faith which offers the fullness of worship and truth by way of the gospel message of salvation for all mankind both near and far. Whether the Son is other than the Father? Words to describe the Three Persons in the One Essence of God (Holy Trinity) can be used correctly or misused incorrectly. To avoid heresy and the spreading of confusion, words should be used carefully to avoid error when attempting to describe God. This should be done as if we were walking a tightrope while avoiding falling off either to the right or the left: -Diversity: Word that is linked to the error of Arius who was the author of the arian heresy (believed Christ was made as a creature and not begotten). The word “DISTINCTION” is used instead in order not to take away from the unity of the essence in the Godhead. -Difference: Linked to the error of Arius. The word “DISTINCTION” is used instead in order not to take away from the unity of essence in the Godhead. -Separation: Should be avoided so as not to take away from the simplicity and singleness of the Divine Essence. -Division: Should be avoided so as not to take away from the simplicity and singleness of the Divine Essence. -Disparity: Should be avoided because it removes the quality of what is being described. Implies discrimination and injustice in the Moderni Age and not proper when describing the Holy Trinity. -Alien: Should be avoided because it removes the quality of what is being described. Furthermore, there is a thought pattern in the Moderni Age (brought on by pop culture and faithlessness in general) which believes the Persons of the Holy Trinity are extraterrestrial beings from other planets who colonized earth who maintain continuous contact with parts of the human race. False beliefs such as this negate the divine quality of The Godhead and reduce it down to that of a created being which is simply located in a different part of the universe, thus reducing the quality of what is being described as stated earlier. -Discrepant: Should be avoided because it removes the quality of what is being described. Implies contradiction, but in God, there is no contradiction found because in Him there lies truth to the highest degree. -Singularity: We avoid this word to describe God because of the error of Sabellius who authored the heresy of modalism which believes there is only one person in God who reveals Himself in three different modes (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). -Only: When we say “God’s only Son,” we are correct, because there is no plurality of sons that are from God the Father. However, we do not use the word “only” as an adjective to describe God (without clarifying further) because the persons in God are several. -Confused: What is one and whole is not confused, for there is no unity in confusion. Now, there is unity in God to the highest degree. -Solitary: Should be avoided because what is solitary or alone implies isolation, just as solitary confinement in a prison would mean one person sits in the cell, as the human mind would understand it. Since there are Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, it would be improper to infer that One of Them are isolated from another. Now, the word “Other” identifies the distinction of another person and hypostasis (individual substance of a rational nature or PERSON) when we rightfully proclaim that “the Son is other than the Father.” Whether the exclusive word “alone” should be added to the essential term in God? The word “alone” could be used in both the absolute or relative sense. If this word “alone” were to be used in the absolute sense in reference to God, then it could be mistaken by others that we mean that God as a Person is alone, void of the Person of the Son and the Person of the Holy Spirit. This should be avoided when referring to God. However, if we were to use it in the relative sense like most people do when referring to God in ordinary circumstances (Christians who believe in the Holy Trinity), by other words around the term “God alone,” we would come to the understanding of what an author meant because of its context and purpose. This would be acceptable because it does not deny the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity to which God (Who Is One Essence) revealed to all mankind. Examples: Absolute Sense: “There is no one other than God the Father, for all we need for salvation is God alone.” “God alone is all that is needed.” (no more context to clarify, including no other texts clarifying the author’s positions on the matter) “There is the Father, who is God alone.” “God is not interested in human affairs, for He is up there in the Heavens alone and nobody is with Him.” (something a pagan author might say) “Faith alone, God alone.” (an author who says this who does not believe in the Holy Trinity, such as Jews, Muslims, Mormons, and Jehovah’s Witnesses) Relative Sense: “We need to put our trust in God alone.” “Worship God alone.” “Only God alone can save us now!” “God alone is the truth.” “My faith is in God alone.” (notice, we do not say “My faith is in God, who is alone,” which would not be proper) We could also say that “God, who is seated on His throne in the Heavenly Kingdom, is not alone because He is with the Angels and Saints.” Although this statement is true, as it pertains to the Holy Trinity, it wouldn’t be clear enough to others if the statement was referring to the unity of essence, the denial of the Three Persons within The One Essence, or if it were just a literal statement which was not meant to address the concept of the Holy Trinity. More context would be needed. Whether an exclusive diction can be joined to the personal term? As it pertains to the Holy Trinity, the Son and the Holy Spirit are other Persons of the Father, but not another thing. However, in the way we speak as people in our own languages, the word “alone” can be taken to exclude other people and things. Now, because of this, it is important to understand the context of what is being said in reference to the Holy Trinity along with its valid senses (absolute or relative). It should not always be taken literally because most people do not always speak strictly in the literal sense. Furthermore, knowing the position of the author beforehand also helps with the context of what is being said. For example, if a Catholic Bishop is speaking to a crowd about “God alone,” it can be logically inferred that he is not speaking out against the Holy Trinity as if he were denying both the Son and the Holy Spirit, but that in “God alone,” he is conveying a message pertaining to the faith (because Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity). Finally, when we refer to God as being the only true God, we are referring to the Holy Trinity who is ONE ESSENCE but in THREE PERSONS, even though we may not always mention the Divine Persons or the Divine Essence exclusively.
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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