Triune Agency, East and West: Uncreated Energies or Created Effects?

The present paper situates the Western and Eastern models of divine agency within their respective ontological frameworks. I show how the Western conception of divine agency as the production of ‘created effects’ is rooted in a particular understanding of the relationship between transcendence and i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Perichoresis
Main Author: Vidu, Adonis (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sciendo, De Gruyter [2020]
In: Perichoresis
Year: 2020, Volume: 18, Issue: 1, Pages: 57-75
IxTheo Classification:KAA Church history
KDA Church denominations
KDF Orthodox Church
NBC Doctrine of God
NBK Soteriology
Further subjects:B Deification
B Trinity
B Divine Action
B Created Effects
B Simplicity
B Uncreated Energies
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Description
Summary:The present paper situates the Western and Eastern models of divine agency within their respective ontological frameworks. I show how the Western conception of divine agency as the production of ‘created effects’ is rooted in a particular understanding of the relationship between transcendence and immanence, but also in a trinitarian ontology which understands God as pure actuality. On the other hand, the Eastern understanding of divine agency through the conceptuality of uncreated energies is similarly rooted in the real distinction between God’s nature and energies. Without trying to critique the Eastern model, I demonstrate one particular strength of the Western approach, namely its ability to distinguish between divine actions, which are inseparable, and divine missions, which are proper to the triune persons. Such a distinction enables us to affirm both the inseparability of triune operations, as well as the possibility of relations to distinct triune persons.
ISSN:2284-7308
Contains:Enthalten in: Perichoresis
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2478/perc-2020-0004