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Need help with a particular doubt


WinterSunrise

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WinterSunrise

I'm a classical theist not currently subscribed to any religion, but I sincerely seek help with a doubt on Catholicism so that I may convert if I am incorrect to have this doubt.

Please help me to reconcile divine simplicity with the idea of God having three different hypostases (that of Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Am I incorrect in my understanding of hypostasis, in that it is a source of act? Could the divinely simple have three distinct acts? I understand that Catholicism teaches that only the Son acted through the human nature of Christ.

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Ash Wednesday

Welcome to phatmass. I am not qualified to answer the question, but I know we do have some scholars and the like who hopefully will be able to answer your question, just a heads up it gets a little quiet around here at times. 

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WinterSunrise
4 hours ago, Ash Wednesday said:

Welcome to phatmass. I am not qualified to answer the question, but I know we do have some scholars and the like who hopefully will be able to answer your question, just a heads up it gets a little quiet around here at times. 

Thank you for your response. I hope to receive help from these scholars, as I genuinely hope to be convinced so that I may convert.

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On 6/7/2021 at 3:56 AM, WinterSunrise said:

Am I incorrect in my understanding of hypostasis, in that it is a source of act? Could the divinely simple have three distinct acts?

In my opinion, the road of definitions detached from the personhood will not remove your doubts. I cannot answer you using your language of abstract notions so I will answer using mine.

The Holy Trinity is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe, but three distinct Persons. All three Persons are equal in their nature (essence), none of them possess less of more. Thus they are one God, One Who Is (only One Who exists, having the source of life in Himself). Yet, there are three Persons, each has own distinct will, role, personality etc.  Their wills (the source of their acts) though are in perfect harmony with each other. For example, Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself - He, God the Son willed it, God the Father willed it and God the Holy Spirit willed it. They are three distinct Persons and each played own role in Incarnation. 

What I wrote above cannot be understood logically. We all know that three cannot be one. Yet in a case of God they are. How it can be understood? - Only practically/experientially, via reading the Scriptures with open heart asking God to reveal the truth about Himself.

The Gospel is about the relationship between Jesus Christ, His Father and the Holy Spirit and of their relationship with humanity. The Holy Trinity is present and acting there. Christ was praying to His Father and not to Himself; He promised to send the Holy Spirit etc.) . So, if the Gospel's discourse feels true and if the reader has some murky sense of three Persons there then it is the first step towards knowing them. Christians write about their experiences of three distinct Persons of the Holy Trinity not because of the Trinitarian dogmas but because they have those experiences, just like the apostles had the experience of the Holy Spirit, and of Jesus Christ, and of the Father.

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