The Mystery of the Trinity: Trinitarian Experience and Vision in the Biblical and Patristic Tradition
You will earn 1 Point for purchasing this product.by Boris Bobrinskoy
Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel
Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel
Publication Data: Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1999
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: x + 330
Dimensions (l × w × h): 22.8 cm × 15.0 cm × 2.5 cm
ISBN: 0‒88141‒182‒5
by Boris Bobrinskoy
Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel
“This essay on trinitarian theology is the fruit of more than thirty years of teaching at the St Sergius Institute of Orthodox Theology, in Paris. Here I may acknowledge that, perhaps mysteriously, it is this domain of dogmatic theology which has been the closest to my heart, and which, in a general way, has inspired all of my teaching of theology, and my entire pastoral ministry. [...]The biblical part occupies a truly prominent position, and I am happy with this, because it contradicts a certain perspective of Orthodox theology as being allergic to exegesis and biblical theology. This work would like to be a testimony to the joy I have experienced constantly in discovering the continuity and unity of the trinitarian faith of the Orthodox Church, yesterday and today. On the basis of biblical texts, this unity, through ecclesial worship, emerges from the works of the Doctors of the Church, and culminates in modern Orthodox theological thought.”
—“Foreword”
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
1. God is Trinity
2. Trinitarian Theology, Trinitarian Economy
3. Revelation and Knowledge of the Trinitarian Mystery
4. Theological Instruction
1 Biblical Theology
A) The Trinitarian Figures and Intimations of the Old Covenant
1. Biblical Monotheism
2. The Angel of Yahweh in the Old Testament
3. The Word of God and the Spirit of God in the Old Testament
Word and Spirit in the Order of Creation
Word and Spirit in Israel
4. The Wisdom of God in the Old Testament
The Origins of the Theme of Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs
Ecclesiasticus
The Book of the Wisdom of Solomon
Wisdom in the New Testament and in the Christian Tradition
5. The Mystery of God and the Knowledge of God in the Old Testament
6. The Divine Energies: Modes of Revelation, of Presence, of Sanctification
The Human Being in the Image of God’s Attributes
Attributes and Energies
7. Conclusion
B) The Revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament
1. Introduction
The Mystery of Christ
The Scheme Father-Spirit-Christ
Christ Giver of the Spirit
Divine Energies and Divine Names
Energies and Participation in the Divine Life
2. The Revelation of the Trinity in the Gospels
Introduction
The Simultaneous and Reciprocal Revelation of the Father and the Son
Modalities of the Revelation of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit on Jesus Christ
Baptism and the Public Ministry of Jesus
The Prayer of Jesus
From Tabor to Golgotha and the Resurrection
Theological Reflection
The Gift of the Spirit
General Conclusions on the Gospels: the Holy Spirit, Pentecost of the Church
3. The Experience of the Trinitarian Life in the Church of the Apostolic Communities
Introduction
The Preaching of St Peter at Pentecost
Experience and Certainty of the Holy Spirit
Blessed Be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The Trinitarian Doctrine of the Pauline Epistles
The Headwords and Greetings of the Epistles
Preliminary Thanksgivings
So That Christ May Live in Our Hearts Through Faith
God Has Raised Him From the Dead
He Is the Image of the Invisible God
The Spirit of the Son Cries in Our Hearts: Abba, Father!
The Lord Is Spirit
The Personal Relationship of Christ to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in the Early Community
Life According to the Spirit
Communion in the Spirit
The Gifts of the Spirit
Texts and Trinitarian Formulas in the New Testament
Appendix. The Icon of the Trinity
The Hospitality of Abraham
Christological and Trinitarian Vision
Rublev’s Trinity
The Actuality of the Icon
2 Liturgical and Sacramental Theology
1. Theology and Liturgy
2. Worship and Sacraments
The Christology of Ecclesial Worship
Liturgical Hymnography
The Liturgical Cycles
The Sacraments
3. Worship and Trinity
The Trinitarian Context of Worship
St Gregory of Nazianzus, Minstrel of the Trinity
The Development of a Trinitarian Piety
The Christological Dimension of Worship
The Pneumatological Dimension of Worship
The Father
4. Baptism and Trinity
General Observations
Faith in the Holy Trinity and the Baptismal Rite
5. Eucharist and Trinity
Preliminary Observations: Eucharistic Ecclesiology
The Eucharist and Trinitarian Worship
The Eschatological Perspective of the Eucharist
The Ecclesial Permanence of Pentecost
The Kingdom of the Father
Come, Lord Jesus
The Celebration of the Word
The Trinitarian Locus of the Name of Jesus
Word and Eucharist
The Prayer of Christ and of the Holy Spirit
The Trinitarian Structure of the Eucharistic Prayer
Eucharistic Communion and Trinitarian Communion
Conclusion
3 Trinitarian Theology in the Fathers and in the Councils
1. Introduction
2. The Ante-Nicene Period
Generalities
The Theology of the Logos in the Apologists
The Trinitarian Vision of St of Lyons
Origen’s Doctrine and Trinitarian Mysticism
The Origenist Ambiguities
The Knowledge of the Father Through the Word
Monarchianism and Modalism
3. The Trinitarian Conflicts of the Fourth Century
Arianism
The Council of Nicaea and the Homoousios
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria
The Arian Controversy Between the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople
St Hilary of Poitiers
The Trinitarian Theology of St Basil the Great
The Holy Spirit in St Basil
Conclusion: the Consequences of the Theological Elaboration of St Basil
St Gregory the Theologian, Minstrel of the Trinity
An Assessment of the Trinitarian Work of the Cappadocians
The Council of Constantinople (381)
St John Chrysostom
St Cyril of Alexandria
Christological Conflicts and Trinity
4 Doctrinal Synthesis
1. The Hypostatic Properties of the Divine Persons
Generalities
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit
2. The Filioque Controversy
History of the Question
The Procession of the Spirit in the Fathers
The Latins and the Alexandrians
St Maximus the Confessor
St John of Damascus
Patriarch Photius (820-891)
St Gregory of Cyprus (1241-1290)
St Gregory Palamas (1296-1359)
St Mark of Ephesus (1392-1444)
The Filioque and Modern Orthodox Theology
3. Doctrinal Synthesis: the Procession of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Tradition
From the Father Alone
A Language Appropriate to the Spirit
The Spirit, Eternal Radiance of the Father and the Son
Christology and the Procession of the Holy Spirit in the West and in the East
The Positive Aspects and the Inadequacies of Filioquism
Omissions and Inadequacies of Filioquism
4. The Mystery of the Trinity and Negative and Positive Theologies
The Trinitarian Thought-Process of Theology
A Biblical Reminder
In the Fathers
The Asset of the Patristic Tradition
Some Personal Reflections by Way of Conclusion
Select Bibliography
Index
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: x + 330
Dimensions (l × w × h): 22.8 cm × 15.0 cm × 2.5 cm
ISBN: 0‒88141‒182‒5
by Boris Bobrinskoy
Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel
“This essay on trinitarian theology is the fruit of more than thirty years of teaching at the St Sergius Institute of Orthodox Theology, in Paris. Here I may acknowledge that, perhaps mysteriously, it is this domain of dogmatic theology which has been the closest to my heart, and which, in a general way, has inspired all of my teaching of theology, and my entire pastoral ministry. [...]The biblical part occupies a truly prominent position, and I am happy with this, because it contradicts a certain perspective of Orthodox theology as being allergic to exegesis and biblical theology. This work would like to be a testimony to the joy I have experienced constantly in discovering the continuity and unity of the trinitarian faith of the Orthodox Church, yesterday and today. On the basis of biblical texts, this unity, through ecclesial worship, emerges from the works of the Doctors of the Church, and culminates in modern Orthodox theological thought.”
—“Foreword”
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
1. God is Trinity
2. Trinitarian Theology, Trinitarian Economy
3. Revelation and Knowledge of the Trinitarian Mystery
4. Theological Instruction
1 Biblical Theology
A) The Trinitarian Figures and Intimations of the Old Covenant
1. Biblical Monotheism
2. The Angel of Yahweh in the Old Testament
3. The Word of God and the Spirit of God in the Old Testament
Word and Spirit in the Order of Creation
Word and Spirit in Israel
4. The Wisdom of God in the Old Testament
The Origins of the Theme of Wisdom
The Book of Proverbs
Ecclesiasticus
The Book of the Wisdom of Solomon
Wisdom in the New Testament and in the Christian Tradition
5. The Mystery of God and the Knowledge of God in the Old Testament
6. The Divine Energies: Modes of Revelation, of Presence, of Sanctification
The Human Being in the Image of God’s Attributes
Attributes and Energies
7. Conclusion
B) The Revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament
1. Introduction
The Mystery of Christ
The Scheme Father-Spirit-Christ
Christ Giver of the Spirit
Divine Energies and Divine Names
Energies and Participation in the Divine Life
2. The Revelation of the Trinity in the Gospels
Introduction
The Simultaneous and Reciprocal Revelation of the Father and the Son
Modalities of the Revelation of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit on Jesus Christ
Baptism and the Public Ministry of Jesus
The Prayer of Jesus
From Tabor to Golgotha and the Resurrection
Theological Reflection
The Gift of the Spirit
General Conclusions on the Gospels: the Holy Spirit, Pentecost of the Church
3. The Experience of the Trinitarian Life in the Church of the Apostolic Communities
Introduction
The Preaching of St Peter at Pentecost
Experience and Certainty of the Holy Spirit
Blessed Be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The Trinitarian Doctrine of the Pauline Epistles
The Headwords and Greetings of the Epistles
Preliminary Thanksgivings
So That Christ May Live in Our Hearts Through Faith
God Has Raised Him From the Dead
He Is the Image of the Invisible God
The Spirit of the Son Cries in Our Hearts: Abba, Father!
The Lord Is Spirit
The Personal Relationship of Christ to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in the Early Community
Life According to the Spirit
Communion in the Spirit
The Gifts of the Spirit
Texts and Trinitarian Formulas in the New Testament
Appendix. The Icon of the Trinity
The Hospitality of Abraham
Christological and Trinitarian Vision
Rublev’s Trinity
The Actuality of the Icon
2 Liturgical and Sacramental Theology
1. Theology and Liturgy
2. Worship and Sacraments
The Christology of Ecclesial Worship
Liturgical Hymnography
The Liturgical Cycles
The Sacraments
3. Worship and Trinity
The Trinitarian Context of Worship
St Gregory of Nazianzus, Minstrel of the Trinity
The Development of a Trinitarian Piety
The Christological Dimension of Worship
The Pneumatological Dimension of Worship
The Father
4. Baptism and Trinity
General Observations
Faith in the Holy Trinity and the Baptismal Rite
5. Eucharist and Trinity
Preliminary Observations: Eucharistic Ecclesiology
The Eucharist and Trinitarian Worship
The Eschatological Perspective of the Eucharist
The Ecclesial Permanence of Pentecost
The Kingdom of the Father
Come, Lord Jesus
The Celebration of the Word
The Trinitarian Locus of the Name of Jesus
Word and Eucharist
The Prayer of Christ and of the Holy Spirit
The Trinitarian Structure of the Eucharistic Prayer
Eucharistic Communion and Trinitarian Communion
Conclusion
3 Trinitarian Theology in the Fathers and in the Councils
1. Introduction
2. The Ante-Nicene Period
Generalities
The Theology of the Logos in the Apologists
The Trinitarian Vision of St of Lyons
Origen’s Doctrine and Trinitarian Mysticism
The Origenist Ambiguities
The Knowledge of the Father Through the Word
Monarchianism and Modalism
3. The Trinitarian Conflicts of the Fourth Century
Arianism
The Council of Nicaea and the Homoousios
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria
The Arian Controversy Between the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople
St Hilary of Poitiers
The Trinitarian Theology of St Basil the Great
The Holy Spirit in St Basil
Conclusion: the Consequences of the Theological Elaboration of St Basil
St Gregory the Theologian, Minstrel of the Trinity
An Assessment of the Trinitarian Work of the Cappadocians
The Council of Constantinople (381)
St John Chrysostom
St Cyril of Alexandria
Christological Conflicts and Trinity
4 Doctrinal Synthesis
1. The Hypostatic Properties of the Divine Persons
Generalities
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit
2. The Filioque Controversy
History of the Question
The Procession of the Spirit in the Fathers
The Latins and the Alexandrians
St Maximus the Confessor
St John of Damascus
Patriarch Photius (820-891)
St Gregory of Cyprus (1241-1290)
St Gregory Palamas (1296-1359)
St Mark of Ephesus (1392-1444)
The Filioque and Modern Orthodox Theology
3. Doctrinal Synthesis: the Procession of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Tradition
From the Father Alone
A Language Appropriate to the Spirit
The Spirit, Eternal Radiance of the Father and the Son
Christology and the Procession of the Holy Spirit in the West and in the East
The Positive Aspects and the Inadequacies of Filioquism
Omissions and Inadequacies of Filioquism
4. The Mystery of the Trinity and Negative and Positive Theologies
The Trinitarian Thought-Process of Theology
A Biblical Reminder
In the Fathers
The Asset of the Patristic Tradition
Some Personal Reflections by Way of Conclusion
Select Bibliography
Index
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