Trinitarian Vocabulary

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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!
 
I recently picked up the second edition - the deciding factor was after reading the intro and realizing decades had passed between the two editions, and what’s not to like about 20% more material from Muller.
 
Here's a Trinitarian countdown from Thomas Aquinas (adapted from Gerald O'Collins):

5 Notions (identifying marks by which God is known)
  • The Father is (1) unoriginated, (2) generative, (3) breathing (spirating);
  • The Son is (4) generated and (3) breathing;
  • The Spirit is (5) breathed (spirated)

4 Relations
(1) Paternity ↔ (2) Filiation
(3) Active Spiration ↔ (4) Passive Spiration

3 Persons
1. Father; 2. Son; 3. Holy Spirit

2 Processions
1. Generation; 2. Spiration

1 Nature
Deity

0 Proof
This is a doctrine of revelation, not susceptible to human demonstration.



Patterns of Predication in the Nicene Creed

Because God is Triune, we need to understand the different ways in which things can be said of God.

A name or title can be used essentially:
E.g., God (Gen. 1:1).
But also Father (maybe Heb. 12:9; Isa. 9:6).
Or Spirit (John 4:24)

A name or title can used personally:
E.g., Word (John 1:1).
But also God (John 1:1; 1 Cor. 8:4–6).
Or Spirit (1 Tim. 4:1).
And even identifying the Son (1 Tim. 3:16/Rom. 9:5).
Or identifying the Spirit (Acts 5:3,4).

Sometimes God refers to the Trinity; sometimes to the Father specifically; sometimes it identifies Son or Spirit as truly God.

A name or title can be used relatively:
Meaning distinctive relations between the divine Persons and is basically equivalent to personally (Father/Son).
Or meaning in external relation–Creator (Ecc. 12:1) / Savior (Tit. 1:3).

In the Nicene Creed, historians think that originally “Father” may have been understood essentially. Belief in God-the-Father-Almighty-Creator-of-heaven-and-earth over against any inferior creator. But now we say it as:

I believe in God
-the Father Almighty
-and in His Son
-and in the Holy Spirit

Covenant theology can help us understand some of how this works. God enters into covenant, but in the making of the covenant of grace/covenant of redemption the Father acts as representative of the Godhead. Hence the frequent use of God with specific reference to the divine person of the Father.
 
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