This short series of blog posts has been inspired by the current controversy on eternal subordinationism. This summary has a list of the several parties involved in the debate, and therefore it may be helpful to those who want to study the debate some more. My blog posts do not claim to make contributions to the debate, nor to answer to its central questions. The modest goal of these three blog posts is to briefly see and comment what Augustine, Anselm and Aquinas have to say on the issue. We begin with Augustine.
On the Trinity (De Trinitate). That is the place we want to go. Augustine was not a systematic writer as today we would define it. However, On the Trinity is helpful inasmuch us it is arguably the most systematic Augustinian treatment on God. Here is one of Augustine's arguments to support the equality of the three subsistancies of the Godhead. Gird your loins because this is not exactly Sunday school material.
"There is so great an equality in that Trinity, that not only the Father is not greater than the Son, as regards divinity, but neither are the Father and Son together greater than the Holy Spirit; nor is each individual person, whichever it be of the three, less than the Trinity itself ... In this Trinity two or three persons are not anything greater than one of them; which carnal perception does not receive, for no other reason except because it perceives as it can the true things which are created, but cannot discern the truth itself by which they are created; for if it could, then the very corporeal light would in no way be more clear than this which we have said. For in respect to the substance of truth, since it alone truly is, nothing is greater, unless because it more truly is. But in respect to whatsoever is intelligible and unchangeable, no one thing is more truly than another, since all alike are unchangeably eternal; and that which therein is called great, is not great from any other source than from that by which it truly is. Wherefore, where magnitude itself is truth, whatsoever has more of magnitude must needs have more of truth; whatsoever therefore has not more of truth, has not also more of magnitude. Further, whatsoever has more of truth is certainly more true, just as that is greater which has more of magnitude; therefore in respect to the substance of truth that is more great which is more true. But the Father and the Son together are not more truly than the Father singly, or the Son singly. Both together, therefore, are not anything greater than each of them singly. And since also the Holy Spirit equally is truly, the Father and Son together are not anything greater than He, since neither are they more truly. The Father also and the Holy Spirit together, since they do not surpass the Son in truth (for they are not more truly), do not surpass Him either in magnitude. And so the Son and the Holy Spirit together are just as great as the Father alone, since they are as truly. So also the Trinity itself is as great as each several person therein. For where truth itself is magnitude, that is not more great which is not more true: since in regard to the essence of truth, to be true is the same as to be, and to be is the same as to be great; therefore to be great is the same as to be true. And in regard to it, therefore, what is equally true must needs also be equally great." ~ On the Trinity, 8.1.1-2.
We may call this an "argument from truth." For Augustine, the "level of truth" of a created being establishes its magnitude, that is, the greater the truth the greater the magnitude and the smaller the truth the smaller the magnitude. Now, "in respect to whatsoever is intelligible and unchangeable, no one thing is more truly than another, since all alike are unchangeably eternal," and here he is clearly referring to God. In created things truth determines their magnitude, still their truth is not their magnitude. However, in God "truth itself is magnitude ... in regard to the essence of truth [i.e., God], to be true is the same as to be, and to be is the same as to be great; therefore to be great is the same as to be true." Therefore, considering that no person of the Trinity is more true than another or than two persons together, then they all have the same magnitude and they are all "equally great."
Now, there is more to say. I originally planned to write only one blog post where I discuss Augustine's view on the equality of the persons of the Trinity. Nonetheless, I got a bit carried away reading (again) some sections of his On the Trinity. There are other passages I would like to quote and possibly comment, so wait for them.
Stay tuned. Stay Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis. ✍
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| Augustine facepalming. [From Existential Comics. Used with permission.] |
We may call this an "argument from truth." For Augustine, the "level of truth" of a created being establishes its magnitude, that is, the greater the truth the greater the magnitude and the smaller the truth the smaller the magnitude. Now, "in respect to whatsoever is intelligible and unchangeable, no one thing is more truly than another, since all alike are unchangeably eternal," and here he is clearly referring to God. In created things truth determines their magnitude, still their truth is not their magnitude. However, in God "truth itself is magnitude ... in regard to the essence of truth [i.e., God], to be true is the same as to be, and to be is the same as to be great; therefore to be great is the same as to be true." Therefore, considering that no person of the Trinity is more true than another or than two persons together, then they all have the same magnitude and they are all "equally great."
Now, there is more to say. I originally planned to write only one blog post where I discuss Augustine's view on the equality of the persons of the Trinity. Nonetheless, I got a bit carried away reading (again) some sections of his On the Trinity. There are other passages I would like to quote and possibly comment, so wait for them.
Stay tuned. Stay Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis. ✍
