Tertullian’s theological conception of the Trinity in relation to his ecclesiastical and socio-political trajectories Carel Martinus Pienaar 20229577 Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Magister Artium in Church & Dogma History at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Supervisor: Dr. J. Newby Co-Supervisor: Prof. R. Fick May 2014 Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction - Proposal ........................................................................................................................ 4 1. Title ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 3. Background and problem statement .......................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Problem statement .................................................................................................................................... 7 4. Aim and Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 10 4.1 Aim ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 10 5. Central theoretical argument ................................................................................................................... 11 6. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 11 7. Concept clarification ............................................................................................................................... 12 7.1 Trajectories ............................................................................................................................................. 12 7.2 Motifs ..................................................................................................................................................... 13 7.3 Hermeneutical praxis .............................................................................................................................. 13 8. Chapter division....................................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2 - The historical trajectories evident in Tertullian’s theological conception of the Trinity ................... 15 1. Biographical Sketch ................................................................................................................................. 15 1.1 An enigmatic figure in ecclesiastical history .......................................................................................... 15 1.2 References to Tertullian beyond his own work ...................................................................................... 16 1.3 Various interpretations of Tertullian ....................................................................................................... 19 1.4 What we can deduce from his work ........................................................................................................ 27 1.5 Tertullian’s legacy .................................................................................................................................. 29 2. Historical trajectories evident in Tertullian’s work ................................................................................. 31 2.1 Philosophy .............................................................................................................................................. 32 2.2 Heterodoxy ............................................................................................................................................. 35 2.3 Church paradosis .................................................................................................................................... 36 2.4 Scriptural Corpus .................................................................................................................................... 38 2.5 Socio-political environment .................................................................................................................... 41 3. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 43 Chapter 3 - The chronological development of the first three historical trajectories ............................................ 44 1. Synopsis................................................................................................................................................... 44 2. Philosophy ............................................................................................................................................... 45 2.1 Pre-Socratic ............................................................................................................................................ 46 2.2 Socratic ................................................................................................................................................... 65 2.3 Post-Socratic ........................................................................................................................................... 79 2.4 Concluding remarks ................................................................................................................................ 94 3. Scriptural Corpus ..................................................................................................................................... 94 1 3.1 A clear contrast between the philosophical trajectory and the Scriptural Corpus ................................... 94 3.2 Old Testament authority ......................................................................................................................... 97 3.3 New Testament authority ........................................................................................................................ 98 3.4 Defining texts which culminated in the theological formulation of the Trinity .................................... 105 3.5 Concluding remarks .............................................................................................................................. 108 4. Socio-political Environment .................................................................................................................. 109 4.1 Carthage: history in relation to Rome ................................................................................................... 109 4.2 Society structure ................................................................................................................................... 114 4.3 Religions ............................................................................................................................................... 117 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 119 Chapter 4A – Hermeneutics, motifs and presuppositions of philosophy and the ecclesiastical tradition ........... 123 1. Philosophy: Motifs, presuppositions and hermeneutic .......................................................................... 124 1.1 Motifs & Presuppositions ..................................................................................................................... 124 1.2 Socratic ................................................................................................................................................. 128 1.3 Sophistic ............................................................................................................................................... 139 1.4 Philo ...................................................................................................................................................... 143 2. Ecclesiastic Community: motifs, presuppositions and hermeneutical method ...................................... 146 2.1. Motifs & Presuppositions .................................................................................................................... 146 2.2 Hermeneutical method .......................................................................................................................... 154 2.3 Concluding Remarks ............................................................................................................................ 177 Chapter 4 B - The development of the orthodox and heterodox trajectories ...................................................... 179 1. Ecclesiastical Paradosis ......................................................................................................................... 179 1.1 Apostolic Fathers .................................................................................................................................