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Perhaps the most obvious and easiest resolution of the conundrums that Augustine explores is a perichoretic one.

Does the Father have wisdom “in Himself”? Yes, because the Wisdom that is the Son dwells in Him by the Spirit. Does the Father possess His being “in Himself”? Yes, because the Son is the fullness of His deity, and the Son indwells Him through the Spirit. Vice versa: Does the Son have wisdom considered in Himself? Yes, because what is “in Himself” is the fact that the Father dwells in Him in the Spirit, so that His existence “in Himself” is His existence as the Son indwelt by the Father.

And so on.

This allows us to speak of Father and Son distinctly; it also makes it clear that the Father is not Himself except as He has and is indwelt by His Son, nor is the Son Himself except as He has and is indwelt the Father.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 2:13 pm

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Theology - Trinity: Conundrums of Simplicity, 2

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Theology - Trinity: Conundrums of Simplicity, 2

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