JD
Puritan Board Freshman
Can anyone reccomend some good resources centering on the correct vocabulary to use when speaking about the persons of the trinity, specifically their distinctions? How have theologians used different terms and where do those terms originate?
What is the difference between an attribute and a property? Do the persons of the Trinity have attributes distinct from the attributes of the God? Obviously they each being fully God fully have all of His attributes. And I understand how we can use the phrase relative property to distinguish between the Father's begetting, Son's being begotten, and Spirit's procession. Are there other properties which distinguish the Persons?
What is the difference between attribute, quality, characteristic, and property? The Athanasian Creed says "what quality the Father has, the Son has" etc. The Belgic Confession says "...one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties namely..." and "each has a distinct subsistence distinguished by characteristics." WLC 9 says "...these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties." Q10 identifies these properties as the begetting, being begotten, and proceeding.
Calvin (Vol 1 Ch 13) doesn't seem altogether concerned with vocabulary so long as we acknowledge that the Three are One and yet each Person is distinct according to their relative properties.
I plan to pick up Barrett's Simply Trinity soon - perusing old threads makes that seem a good starting point.
Thanks in advance!
What is the difference between an attribute and a property? Do the persons of the Trinity have attributes distinct from the attributes of the God? Obviously they each being fully God fully have all of His attributes. And I understand how we can use the phrase relative property to distinguish between the Father's begetting, Son's being begotten, and Spirit's procession. Are there other properties which distinguish the Persons?
What is the difference between attribute, quality, characteristic, and property? The Athanasian Creed says "what quality the Father has, the Son has" etc. The Belgic Confession says "...one God, who is one single essence, in whom there are three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties namely..." and "each has a distinct subsistence distinguished by characteristics." WLC 9 says "...these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties." Q10 identifies these properties as the begetting, being begotten, and proceeding.
Calvin (Vol 1 Ch 13) doesn't seem altogether concerned with vocabulary so long as we acknowledge that the Three are One and yet each Person is distinct according to their relative properties.
I plan to pick up Barrett's Simply Trinity soon - perusing old threads makes that seem a good starting point.
Thanks in advance!