We discuss the philosophical and theological reasonings about the greatest mystery of our Faith, The Holy Trinity.
Listen online [here]!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High School Youth Group – Spring 2021 – The Dogma
of the Trinity
March 14th - Session 14 – A
“Proof” of the Trinity
“Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” -Deuteronomy 6:4
I. Calendar: Classes continue
until May 2nd. No class on March 28th, April 4th,
and 11th. Students encouraged to join for parish stations on March
28th (Palm Sunday) and to make confession on April 11th
(Divine Mercy Sunday).
Note: The class originally
scheduled for April 11th will be moved to March 21st –
Poems on the Trinity.
II. Review of Introduction to the
Trinity
A. Trinity: Three persons in one God.
B. Person answers “who?” – Nature
answers “what?”
C. The word “Trinity” is not in
the Bible, but was developed in the early Church.
III. Can the Mystery of the Trinity
be known by natural reason alone?
St Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologica I, q. 32, a. 1
“Hilary says (De Trin. i),
"Let no man think to reach the sacred mystery of generation by his own
mind." And Ambrose says (De Fide ii, 5), "It is impossible to know
the secret of generation. The mind fails, the voice is silent." But the
trinity of the divine persons is distinguished by origin of generation and
procession (I:30:2. Since, therefore, man cannot know, and with his
understanding grasp that for which no necessary reason can be given, it follows
that the trinity of persons cannot be known by reason.”
And again,
“It is impossible to attain to
the knowledge of the Trinity by natural reason. For, as above explained (I:12:4
and I:12:12), man cannot obtain the knowledge of God by natural reason except
from creatures. Now creatures lead us to the knowledge of God, as effects do to
their cause. Accordingly, by natural reason we can know of God that only which
of necessity belongs to Him as the principle of things, and we have cited this
fundamental principle in treating of God as above (I:12:12). Now, the creative
power of God is common to the whole Trinity; and hence it belongs to the unity
of the essence, and not to the distinction of the persons. Therefore, by natural
reason we can know what belongs to the unity of the essence, but not what
belongs to the distinction of the persons.”
Finally,
“Therefore, we must not attempt
to prove what is of faith, except by authority alone, to those who receive the
authority; while as regards others it suffices to prove that what faith teaches
is not impossible.”
IV. A “Proof” of the Trinity
A. This is not a strict “proof”
but rather an explanation or the hint of an explanation.
B. In man, there is both intellect (knowing) and
will (loving). If man can know and love, surely God must know and love.
Therefore, even before/apart from any created things, in God alone there is
knowledge and love. This knowledge and love must not be creatures, since we are
speaking of God in himself apart from creation. Therefore, this knowledge and
love must be divine persons together with God. Hence, we have the Father (God),
the Son (the knowledge/word of God), and the Holy Spirit (the will/love of God).
And all three are yet one God.
C. God must surely know himself.
When he knows himself, he forms a perfect idea of himself. However, if this
idea of himself is truly perfect, then it cannot be a mere creature (like our
ideas) but must be divine (like God himself). Also, because God knows himself
without any creation, then this knowledge of himself must not be a part of
creation but must be truly divine. However, if this knowledge/idea of himself
is divine, then it must be a true person (for an inanimate object or flighty
daydream clearly cannot be divine). But,
if this knowledge which God has of himself is a true person, then it must be a
divine person who likewise knows and loves.
Now, God must not only know himself, but also love himself and love his
perfect image/knowledge of himself.
Further, this love cannot be a mere creature (because we are thinking of
God in himself apart from creation), but must be divine. Again, this means that
this love must be a person. And so, we have the Father (God), the Son (the
knowledge of God), and the Holy Spirit (the love of God).
V. How we speak of God
5 Notions: The Father is the
unbegotten (1), the Father of the Son (2), and the common source of the Holy
Spirit (3); The Son is the begotten of the Father (4) and the common source of
the Holy Spirit (3 again); The Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds from the
Father and the Son (5).
4 Relations: The Father is the
Father of the Son (1), and the common source of the Holy Spirit (2); The Son is
begotten of the Father (3) and the common source of the Holy Spirit (2 again);
the Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds from the Father and the Son (4).
3 Persons: The Father is the
Father of the Son (1); the Son is the begotten of the Father (2); the Holy
Spirit is the one who proceeds from the Father and the Son (3).
2 Processions: The Son is the
begotten of the Father (1) and the Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds from the
Father and the Son (2).
1 God: God knows himself and the
Father begets the Son, God loves himself and the Father and the Son breathe
forth the Holy Spirit.
