Trinity Analogies that End Up as Heresies
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25)
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Studying the Trinity poses difficulty to us Catholics. Truly, it is a Mystery. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. However, many of our faithful, and even priests, attempted to “simplify” the Mystery of the Trinity and made it “easier to understand” by using MODELS AND ANALOGIES, giving birth to modern-day heresies/fallacies about the Trinity. Here are some of them:
- ANALOGY OF ROLES. “A person can have multiple roles — a man may be a Father, a husband, and a laborer, but still the same person. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
The problem with this is that it leads to the view that God is a Trinity simply because He relates differently to us at different times. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different “modes”. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit.
THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit also exist eternally and concurrently.
2. ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. “H₂O may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still H₂O. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.
THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really DISTINCT from one another: “He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son.” (CCC 254)
3. PART OF A WHOLE. “An egg has a shell, white, and yolk, but these three are part of an egg” or “Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao — but the same Philippines. In the same way, there is a God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, the Father Himself is not God, nor is the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit, but combining the three, there is one God. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM.
THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the three are all equally one God. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. “Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature.” (Lateran Council IV)
4. MULTIPLICATION ANALOGY. “For the Trinity, instead of using the formula 1+1+1, we use 1x1x1. Basic mathematics tells us that 1x1x1 = 1.”
The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself.
THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity — Father, Son, and Spirit — was there. The Son was begotten by the Father IN ETERNITY, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1–3).
FOR CENTURIES, the Church had fought against heresies on the Trinity. The Church should not forget that these heresies still exist in the present day and is even being taught by some priests and catechists.
THE DISTINCTION AND UNITY of the Trinity is not for us to fully understand because it is a supernatural mystery. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US:
1. There is one GOD in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
2. Each PERSON is distinct from one another
3. Each PERSON is entirely God
It may not appear to agree with common sense. But common sense is “intuition based on day-to-day experience”. Humans as we are, we cannot fully understand how the three divine Persons, though really distinct from one another, are one and the same God. For sure, our everyday experience does not include using our “finite” minds to understand the “infinite”!
ALL HAIL ADORED TRINITY:
ALL PRAISE ETERNAL UNITY:
O GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON,
AND GOD THE SPIRIT, EVER ONE!
NOTA BENE:
The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. This is a general rule when we study this Mystery using our human weakness since it is absolutely impossible for our human minds to comprehend the Divine. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. However, in some instances, the use of carefully chosen analogies may be of help for some of our brethren in learning the teachings of the Church. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. In using analogies, we need to acknowledge the demerits and limitations of the said analogy. What portion of the analogy holds true with Church Teaching? What portion is erroneous? When we use analogies, we need to indicate these things so as to not lead to heresies
