Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J.F.

Buch: The Trinune God: Systematics

Titel: The Triune God: Systematics

Stichwort: Exkurs: Unterschied zw.: Hervorgang (processio) des Wortes - der Liebe -> vom Standpunkt des "Empfängers" aus

Kurzinhalt: For this reason, we cannot accept without some distinction the thesis and argumentation of J. Brinktrine that 'within God there is only a virtual, not a real, distinction between generation and spiration.

Textausschnitt: Excursus

237e The processions are conceptually distinct from, but really identical with, the relations. (Fs)

The processions and relations are conceptually distinct, for to conceive the origin of one from another is not the same as to conceive the order of one to another; a father, for example, does not originate from his son, but he does have an order to his son. (Fs)
The processions and relations are really identical, for when there is a procession without any motion, the procession itself is nothing in reality except a relation; this is manifest also in creation, in which there is no motion; see Summa theologian, 1, q. 45, a. 2, ad 2m, and a. 3. (Fs)

239a Nonetheless, since two relations follow upon each procession, one may further ask with which relation the procession is really identical. The answer demands a distinction. If a procession is conceived as an origination, it clearly follows that the origination, and therefore the procession, is really in that which is originated; and in this case the procession is really identical with filiation and with passive spiration. But if a procession is conceived as an action, we must make a further distinction: if the action is conceived as being in or from the agent, the procession is really identical with the real relation of the agent; but if the action is conceived as being in the recipient, the procession is really identical with that which is originated, that is, with filiation and passive spiration. (Fs)

239b The importance of this question can be seen if one asks whether in God the procession of word and the procession of love are really distinct. For if the procession is understood as an origin or an action in the recipient, the answer must be yes, since filiation and passive spiration are really distinct. But if the procession is understood as an action in or from the agent, the answer must be no, since, as we will show later, paternity and active spiration are not really distinct. For this reason, we cannot accept without some distinction the thesis and argumentation of J. Brinktrine that 'within God there is only a virtual, not a real, distinction between generation and spiration.'3 (Fs)