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Lenten Talk 4 the Trinity: Athanasius—Augustine 1. Homoousion

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Lenten Talk 4 the Trinity: Athanasius—Augustine 1. Homoousion Lenten Talk 4 The Trinity: Athanasius—Augustine 1. Homoousion Theologians responsible for Trinitarian orthodoxy: Basil of Caesarea (330-379), Gregory of Nazianzus (c.329-390) and Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-c.395), and Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Athanasius (c.296-373) and Hilary of Poitiers (c.310- c.367) realised the gap between the Homoeousians and the Nicene Party was narrow and together they established a rapprochement. Unity was established at the Council of Alexandria (362): ‘one substance (ousia), three persons (hypostases)’. 2. Athanasius and the Homoousion of the Spirit Full recognition was given to the deity of the Spirit. Differing from Alexander, Arius and Eusebius; it was Cyril of Jerusalem that paved the way for orthodoxy. Whilst giving no hint of consubstantiality, Cyril asserted that the Spirit was glorified inseparably from Father and Son. Responding to the Tropici, Athanasius asserted that the Spirit is fully divine and consubstantial with the Father and the Son. The Godhead exists eternally as a Triad of Persons sharing one identical substance. 3. The Cappadocians and the Homoousion of the Spirit They completed Athanasius’ work. Responding to the Macedonians (Pneumatomachians) Basil asserted the deity of the Spirit by pointing to Scripture. Gregory of Nyssa asserted the three shared the same nature and Gregory of Nazianzus boldly stated that the Spirit is consubstantial and therefore is God. The three are distinguished by their origin: the Father is the cause, the other two are caused and the Spirit proceeds out of the Father through the Son who alone is only-begotten (Gregory of Nazianzus). The Son is subordinate to the Father in the production of the Spirit (Gregory of Nyssa), so from this point on Eastern teaching asserted the procession of the Spirit out of the Father through the Son but there is no ‘subordinationism’ because all three share the same substance. 4. The Cappadocians and the Trinity Council of Constantinople (381) affirmed the consubstantiality of the Spirit as well as the Son. Subsequent theology commenced with the three hypostases rather than the one identical substance. Perichoresis or co-inhering is the key element of their doctrine. One substance can be simultaneously present in the three as in the analogy of universals and particulars. More accurately the three are ‘modes of coming to be’ and their oneness remains intact so they have an identical will and never act independently of each other. Tritheism is altogether excluded. 5. The Trinity and the West Ambrose of Milan conceived of three Persons who are one. Victorinus, developed a doctrine of eternal general generation where God is eternally in motion. Essentially triadic, the Godhead possesses the powers of being, living and understanding. Substance, Form and Concept are shared by all three and they have only one substance, will, life and knowledge. Circumincession or mutual indwelling is essential for understanding the three whose unity transcends number. 6. The Contribution of Augustine Gives the Western tradition its mature and final expression. He nowhere attempted to prove the unity in substance because it was a datum of revelation handed on by the Faith to believers. Faith precedes understanding. (1) Contrasting the tradition that begins with the Father, Augustine begins with the divine nature itself which is the Trinity. Unity is set in the foreground; subordinationism is totally excluded so whatever is affirmed of God must equally be affirmed of the three and no single Person is less than the Trinity itself. (2) Distinction in Persons is grounded in their mutual relations in the Godhead. Unhappy with ‘Persons’ because it could be misunderstood as three individuals, he consented to its adoption against Modalism, aware of the inadequacy of human language to articulate what it ultimately cannot. The three are real subsistent relations so unity and plurality are asserted without lapsing into paradox. (3) The Spirit is the mutual love of Father and Son; the consubstantial bond that unites them and is Spirit of both Father and Son alike, and the relation is identical and their operation inseparable. Double procession of the Spirit from Father and Son is emphasized but the Father remains the primordial source. (4) Most original contribution are the analogies drawn from the human soul, which deepens our understanding of the mystery of unity and real distinction. Vestiges of the Trinity exist everywhere so creatures participate in the ideas of God. Everything that exists reflects the Trinity who creates. Man is an image of the Trinity. Yet these analogies have immense limitations because on earth we see but shadows of what in heaven we shall see face to face. .
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