One of the errors many Christians have concerning their faith is that they confuse the formulations developed to explain and represent the faith with the faith itself. What we need to recognize is that these declarations, however vital and invaluable they can be, are at best approximations or pointers to truths which cannot be put down in words; that is, however well-established they are, however authoritative they are, they are derivative in nature. All such formulations rely upon human language, using (or establishing) words which can mean something in one generation and something else in another, which is why valid word choices can become invalidated over time. When we recognize this, we will then be better equipped to help pass down our faith to the next generation, knowing the limitations of our expressions of the faith. We know we need to do so, which is why creeds like the Nicene Creed are important. But, we must recognize this is only a part of what we need to do; we must pass down more than the creedal statements, we must pass down their interpretation so that when words change meaning, future generations will be able to better ascertain the original intent of our words. Finally, because no matter how invaluable such creeds are, we must always remind those we teach that the faith is greater than what is said in them. This is why we must pass down the apophatic caveat which warns everyone that the transcendent truth can never be comprehended in and through our words.
It is especially important to start all discussions concerning the nature of God, and with it, the Trinity, with that apophatic caveat. We have been revealed the truth of the Trinity, in a variety of ways, but as we try to understand it, we find it is a great mystery which transcends our comprehension. to be sure, we are not satisfied with it being simply a mystery. We want to know more. We want to understand more, which is why our faith is said to be one which seeks understanding. What is important is that when we engage the truths of our faith, we must accept the imperfection of our understanding, that no matter how much we understand, the fullness of the truth has not been comprehended by us. Theologians have understood and taught this throughout most of Christian history. The problem is that many of the faithful have not learned this, and so they take things taught to them in a simple fashion, assuming a literal instead of analogical understanding of creedal statements, leading them to use such declarations as the foundations for new doctrines which “logically” follow the principles they have accepted. They think this is what theology is about, making more an more more derivative doctrines, each made as if they are the logical outcome of the faith. The problem is that in doing this, the great mystery is lost. That mystery cannot be engaged as if we are constructing a philosophy, with every element being able to be simply derived by our exploration of the faith. This is why great theologians like St.Hilary of Poitiers, warned us against doing this:
A firm faith rejects the captious and useless questions of philosophy, nor does truth become the victim of falsehood by yielding to the fallacies of human absurdities. It does not confine God within the terms of ordinary understanding, nor does it judge Christ, in whom dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily, according to the elements of the world, so that, while there is in Him the infinity of the eternal power, the power of eternal infinity surpasses the comprehension of the earthly mind.[1]
Leonardo Boff, therefore, is right in his examination of the Trinity by emphasizing the mystery which lies behind all such formulations:
Faced with the ineffable Mystery, theology suffers from the acknowledged inadequacy of our human concepts and expressions. Applied to the Trinity, our terminology can have only analogical and indicative meaning; our words hide more than they reveal, however much what is revealed corresponds to the reality of the divinity.[2]
To be sure, our faith, our acceptance of the transcendent truth, and the mystery which lies behind all attempts to theologize, allow us to properly engage that truth, to seek a better understanding of it, and with it, establish ways we can discuss it. Indeed, because of the awe we experience when we encounter the great mystery of God, we will not be able to remain silent. We will speak of the wonder, and share our experience with others, while praising God. “Indeed, dearly beloved, the greatness of God’s work surpasses and completely transcends the powers of human eloquence. What makes it so difficult to speak, however, also forbids us to remain silent.” [3] We must speak, and in speaking we will share with each other our understanding, allowing us to learn from each other in a way which helps everyone attain a better understanding and apprehension of the truth. But, again, as we do so, we must not become too attached to the expressions we use; we must always remember the mystery of the faith always contains transcendent elements which lie beyond all theological discourse, let alone our understanding. If we do not protect the mystery, if we think we can sometime come to an end to our pursuit of God and our apprehension of the truth, we will find our faith will slowly diminish, because the awe that comes from the mystery will be lost:
Awe, wonder and amazement are not passing emotions but source of never-ending joy and surprise. They are insights into the divine, and whatever surpasses our limited capacities of understanding. Mystery is, indeed, an inexhaustible abundance of life which we cannot express or possess. To be accepted, understood, and celebrated, mystery must first be protected from scrutiny; then and only then can it be discovered in its inner reality and become a presence, an object of wonder and amazement.[4]
When we do not do this, not only does God become confined in an image we have created, and thus, turned into an idol, we end up making God so mundane we begin to wonder, “Is that it?” Ultimately, we will find the truth itself is banal. This is why we must always remember, whatever we have experienced, however great our understanding, we have and never will comprehend the mystery which is presented by our faith. When we ask, “Is that it?,” we must also answer, no. There is infinitely more for us to experience, to engage, to learn, than what we have apprehended; our journey into the mystery of God is a never-ending journey, but only if we stop ourselves by trying to impose limits on God through the conventions and formulations we make to explain God. They are to help us, they point the way, and so they are important as the serve as the foundation for our faith journey, but we must make sure, they serve as the beginning and not the end of it.
[1] St. Hilary of Poitiers, The Trinity. Trans. Stephen McKenna, CSSR (New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1954), 14.
[2] Leonardo Boff, Trinity and Society. Trans Paul Burns (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1988; second printing, 1997), 7.
[3] St Leo the Great, Sermons. Trans. Jane Patricia Freeland CSJB and Agnes Josephine Conway SSJ (Washington, DC: CUA Press, 1996), 121 [Sermon 29].
[4] Archbishop Joseph Raya, The Abundance of Love: The Incarnation and Byzantine Tradition (Combermere, ON: Madonna House Publications, 1989; 3rd ed.: 2016), 67.
Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!
N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In