Difference between revisions of "Holy Trinity"

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{{Orthodoxchristianity}}
 
{{Orthodoxchristianity}}
According to [[Saint]] [[John of Damascus]], from the last paragaph of the section, "On Heresies", in his [http://www.archive.org/details/fathersofthechur009511mbp ''THE FOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE'']:
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The term ''Trinity'' dates back at least to the time of Tertullian.  It combines the concepts of tri- (three) and unity (one), and refers to the three Persons of God who are consubstantial (i.e. of one essence or ''[[homoousios]]'') and coeternal with each other.  There never was a time when any of the Persons of the Trinity did not exist, for God is beyond and before time--though He acts within time, both moving and speaking within history thereby revealing Himself.
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[[Image:Rublev Trinity.jpg|left|thumb|175px|The [[Hospitality of Abraham]], an [[Old Testament]] type of the Holy Trinity.]]
  
:"We believe in Father and Son and Holy Spirit;
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==Explanation of the Trinity==
:one Godhead in three hypostases;
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'''WHAT GOD IS ''NOT'':''' God is ''not'' an impersonal essence nor merely a "higher power." Neither are ''God'' and ''Trinity'' simply singular names for what would otherwise be considered three gods (i.e. terms which would hide polytheism).
:one will, one operation, alike in three persons;
 
:wisdom incorporeal, uncreated, immortal, incomprehensible, without beginning, unmoved, unaffected, without quantity, without quality, ineffable, immutable, unchangeable, uncontained, equal in glory, equal in power, equal in majesty, equal in might, equal in nature, exceedingly substantial, exceedingly good, thrice radiant, thrice bright, thrice brilliant.
 
  
:Light is the Father, Light the Son, Light the Holy Spirit;
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'''WHAT GOD ''IS'':''' 
:Wisdom the Father, Wisdom the Son, Wisdom the Holy Spirit;
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Though the Trinity is a mystery beyond comprehension, two analogies are often used to help explain what ''Trinity'' means. The first references the sun, and the second references man.
:one God and not three Gods;
 
:one Lord the Holy Trinity discovered in three hypostases.
 
  
:Father is the Father, and unbegotten;
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'''The Sun:''' The sun is characterized by three elements.
:Son is the Son, begotten and not unbegotten, for He is from the Father;
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(1) The ball of burning gas is the source of all (like the Father).
:Holy Spirit, not begotten but proceeding, for He is from the Father.
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(2) The light is visible to all (like the Son).
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(3) The heat is felt, but not seen (like the Holy Spirit or Comforter).
  
:There is nothing created, nothing of the first and second order, nothing of lord and servant;
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The sun has never been the sun without its light and heat, and the light and heat cannot exist without their source.  In addition, while they may co-exist, they do not produce each other in and of themselves.  (ex.  You can’t read by the light of a heating pad, nor can you count on getting warm wherever it is bright.)
:but there is unity and trinity - there was, there is, and there shall be forever - which is perceived and adored by faith - by faith, not by inquiry, nor by searching out, nor by visible manifestation:
 
:for the more He is sought out, the more He is unknown, and the more He is investigated, the more He is hidden.
 
  
:And so, let the faithful adore God with a mind that is not overcurious.
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'''Man:'''  It is said that each human has been made in the image of God, and as such each human bears similarities to our Trinitarian Lord and God:
:And believe that He is God in three hypostases, although the manner in which He is so is beyond manner, for God is incomprehensible.
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(1) Man's ''nous'' (i.e. complete mind and heart; including intellect, creativity, feelings, morality, intuition, etc.) is like the Father.
:Do not ask how the Trinity is Trinity, for the Trinity is inscrutable.
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(2) Man's flesh (both tangible and a temple of the Holy Spirit), is akin to the Son who became incarnate and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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(3) Man's life (or breath) is akin the Holy Spirit.
  
:But, if you are curious about God, first tell me of yourself and the things that pertain to you.
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Man (any human) is all three. There is never a time that man has existed (or could exist) without all three.  For a human nous cannot exist without a body and life, a human body does not exist--at least at the start--without a nous and life, and a human life cannot exist without a nous and body.
:How does your soul have existence?
 
:How is your mind set in motion?
 
:How do you produce your mental concepts?
 
:How is it that you are both mortal and immortal?
 
:But, if you are ignorant of these things which are within you, then why do you not shudder at the thought of investigating the sublime things of heaven?
 
  
:Think of the Father as a spring of life begetting the Son like a river and the Holy Spirit like a sea, for the spring and the river and the sea are all one nature.
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'''The benefit and limitation of analogies:'''  Each of these analogies is good at expressing a three-ness and one-ness with no polytheism. However, according to Saint [[Gregory the Theologian]], trying to go further to comprehend ''unbegotten-ness'' (Father), ''begotten-ness'' (Son), or ''procession'' (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity.  Therefore the Church traditionally approaches God in divine mystery (and [[apophatic theology|apophatically]]), content to encounter Him rather than comprehend Him (for it is impossible for the created to comprehend the ineffable Creator).
:Think of the Father as a root, and of the Son as a branch, and of the Spirit as a fruit, for the substance in these three is one.
 
:The Father is a sun with the Son as rays and the Holy Spirit as heat.
 
  
:The Holy Trinity transcends by far every similitude and figure.
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==Image & Likeness Distinguished==
:So, when you hear of an offspring of the Father, do not think of a corporeal offspring.
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It should be noted that while each human being is in the ''image'' of God, humans were also created to be in His ''likeness''. This, however, is where the fall is evident; for, ''His likeness'' refers to ''His goodness'', and to be like Him, a person would need to be good as well. Obviously all have sinned and fall from this aim.
:And when you hear that there is a Word, do not suppose Him to be a corporeal word.
 
:And when you hear of the Spirit of God, do not think of wind and breath.
 
:Rather, hold your persuasion with a simple faith alone.
 
:For the concept of the Creator is arrived at by analogy from His creatures.
 
  
:Be persuaded, moreover, that the incarnate dispensation of the Son of God was begotten ineffably and without seed of the blessed Virgin, believing Him to be without confusion and without change both God and man, who for your sake worked all the dispensation.
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==The Trinity Explained in the Creed==
  
:And to Him by good works give worship and adoration, and venerate and revere the most holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary as true Mother of God, and all the saints as His attendants.
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The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is to be found in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].
  
:Doing thus, you will be a right worshiper of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, of the one Godhead, to whom be glory and honor and adoration forever and ever. Amen."
 
  
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[[Category:Theology]]
  
Orthodox Christians worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the '''Holy Trinity''', the one [[God]].  Following the [[Holy Scriptures]] and the [[Church Fathers]], the Church believes that the Trinity is three divine persons (''[[hypostasis|hypostases]]'') who share one essence (''[[ousia]]'').  It is paradoxical to believe thus, but that is how God has revealed himself.  All three persons are consubstantial with each other, that is, they are of one essence (''[[homoousios]]'') and coeternal.  There never was a time when any of the persons of the Trinity did not exist.  God is beyond and before time and yet acts within time, moving and speaking within history.
 
[[Image:Rublev Trinity.jpg|left|thumb|175px|The [[Hospitality of Abraham]], an [[Old Testament]] type of the Holy Trinity.]]
 
God is not an impersonal essence or mere "higher power," but rather each of the divine persons relates to mankind personally.  Neither is God a simple name for three gods (i.e., polytheism), but rather the Orthodox faith is monotheist and yet [[Triadology|Trinitarian]].  The God of the Orthodox Christian Church is the God of [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]], the '''I AM''' who revealed himself to [[Moses]] in the burning bush.
 
 
The source and unity of the Holy Trinity is the Father, from whom the Son is begotten and also from whom the Spirit proceeds.  Thus, the Father is both the ground of unity of the Trinity and also of distinction.  To try to comprehend unbegottenness (Father), begottenness (Son), or procession (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity, says the holy [[Gregory the Theologian]], and so the Church approaches God in divine mystery, approaching God [[apophatic theology|apophatically]], being content to encounter God personally and yet realize the inadequacy of the human mind to comprehend Him.
 
 
The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is to be found in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].
 
 
[[Category:Theology]]
 
  
 
[[el:Αγία Τριάδα]]
 
[[el:Αγία Τριάδα]]
 
[[es:Santísima Trinidad]]
 
[[es:Santísima Trinidad]]
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[[mk:Пресвета Троица]]
 
[[ro:Sfânta Treime]]
 
[[ro:Sfânta Treime]]

Revision as of 01:42, November 17, 2022

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The term Trinity dates back at least to the time of Tertullian. It combines the concepts of tri- (three) and unity (one), and refers to the three Persons of God who are consubstantial (i.e. of one essence or homoousios) and coeternal with each other. There never was a time when any of the Persons of the Trinity did not exist, for God is beyond and before time--though He acts within time, both moving and speaking within history thereby revealing Himself.

The Hospitality of Abraham, an Old Testament type of the Holy Trinity.

Explanation of the Trinity

WHAT GOD IS NOT: God is not an impersonal essence nor merely a "higher power." Neither are God and Trinity simply singular names for what would otherwise be considered three gods (i.e. terms which would hide polytheism).

WHAT GOD IS: Though the Trinity is a mystery beyond comprehension, two analogies are often used to help explain what Trinity means. The first references the sun, and the second references man.

The Sun: The sun is characterized by three elements. (1) The ball of burning gas is the source of all (like the Father). (2) The light is visible to all (like the Son). (3) The heat is felt, but not seen (like the Holy Spirit or Comforter).

The sun has never been the sun without its light and heat, and the light and heat cannot exist without their source. In addition, while they may co-exist, they do not produce each other in and of themselves. (ex. You can’t read by the light of a heating pad, nor can you count on getting warm wherever it is bright.)

Man: It is said that each human has been made in the image of God, and as such each human bears similarities to our Trinitarian Lord and God: (1) Man's nous (i.e. complete mind and heart; including intellect, creativity, feelings, morality, intuition, etc.) is like the Father. (2) Man's flesh (both tangible and a temple of the Holy Spirit), is akin to the Son who became incarnate and was filled with the Holy Spirit. (3) Man's life (or breath) is akin the Holy Spirit.

Man (any human) is all three. There is never a time that man has existed (or could exist) without all three. For a human nous cannot exist without a body and life, a human body does not exist--at least at the start--without a nous and life, and a human life cannot exist without a nous and body.

The benefit and limitation of analogies: Each of these analogies is good at expressing a three-ness and one-ness with no polytheism. However, according to Saint Gregory the Theologian, trying to go further to comprehend unbegotten-ness (Father), begotten-ness (Son), or procession (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity. Therefore the Church traditionally approaches God in divine mystery (and apophatically), content to encounter Him rather than comprehend Him (for it is impossible for the created to comprehend the ineffable Creator).

Image & Likeness Distinguished

It should be noted that while each human being is in the image of God, humans were also created to be in His likeness. This, however, is where the fall is evident; for, His likeness refers to His goodness, and to be like Him, a person would need to be good as well. Obviously all have sinned and fall from this aim.

The Trinity Explained in the Creed

The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is to be found in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.