Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J.F.

Buch: The Trinune God: Systematics

Titel: The Triune God: Systematics

Stichwort: Divinarum Personarum; Trinität, göttliche Hervorgänge (processio) - intellektuelle Emanation 2; psychologische Analogie, tertium comparationis: i. E.; Unterschied: kausale - i. E.;

Kurzinhalt: The divine processions are to be conceived through a likeness to intellectual emanation if this is the only way to conceive them. But there is no other way to conceive them. Therefore ...

Textausschnitt: Meaning of the Assertion

769c The question is whether in the psychological analogy the central element or tertium comparationis is intellectual emanation. This question presupposes (1) everything that has been revealed by God, proposed by the church, and accepted by faith; (2) everything that is generally dealt with in the treatise on God as one concerning the knowability of God and the meaning of the mysteries; (3) everything that is established in the treatise on the triune God in the way of analysis, that is, through deduction from what are prior, better known, more manifest with respect to the faithful. As all these are presumed to be known or to have been determined from other sources, they need not be repeated here. (Fs)

769d The present question, therefore, is placed as the starting point of the way of synthesis, that is to say, as that which must be understood first so that everything else can be understood. (Fs)

771a Besides, since the aim of the way of synthesis is understanding, and since understanding belongs to the first operation of the intellect, the question is about conception. (Fs)

Also, we cannot determine here whether the conception that is proposed is really the first in the way of synthesis; this is determined later, if in fact we get to the end of this way without finding anything else to be first. (Fs)

The Argument

771b The divine processions are to be conceived through a likeness to intellectual emanation if this is the only way to conceive them. But there is no other way to conceive them. Therefore, the divine processions are to be conceived through a likeness to intellectual emanation. (Fs) (notabene)

771c With the antecedents of the way of synthesis being presupposed, the major premise is evident. Since processions exist (DB 86, DS 150, ND 12), they ought to be conceived, at least by theologians. But in this life they cannot be conceived except mediately and through a likeness; for they are really identical with the divine essence (DB 391), and in this life the divine essence is known only mediately and through a likeness (DB 530, 1659; DS 1000-1001, 2841; ND 314; Summa theologiae, 1, q. 12). However, since conception is consequent upon understanding and since the mysteries can be understood imperfectly and analogically (DB 1796, DS 3016, ND 132), the processions also can be conceived analogically or through a likeness. See the brief question [below], p. 785. (Fs) (notabene)

771d The minor premise is to be proved in two parts: first, that the divine processions can be conceived through a likeness to intellectual emanation, and second, that they cannot be conceived through a likeness to any other emanation whatsoever. (Fs)

The first part of the minor is proved as follows:
A divine procession is conceived when there is posited in God that from which there follow the reality of the emanation, the consubstantiality of that which emanates, and our imperfect understanding of both of these taken together. (Fs)

But when intellectual emanation is posited in God, there follow the reality of the emanation, the consubstantiality of that which emanates, and our imperfect understanding of both of these taken together. (Fs)

Therefore, when intellectual emanation is posited in God, a divine procession is conceived. (Fs)

771e The major premise of this syllogism is clear from our analysis of the fundamental problem. For we are seeking an imperfect understanding of the fact that both the Son and the Holy Spirit are from themselves and not from themselves. In concluding to the reality of an emanation, we arrive at the conception of the Son and of the Spirit as not being from themselves; in concluding to the consubstantiality of that which emanates, we arrive at the conception of the Son and of the Spirit as being from themselves; and lastly, inasmuch as both of these elements taken together are but imperfectly understood by us, we arrive at that obscure conception that the [First] Vatican Council mentions (DB 1796, DS 3016, ND 132). (Fs)

773a The minor premise of this syllogism is proven in three parts. First, once an intellectual emanation is posited in God, the reality of the emanation follows. For because it is posited, not only in our mind, but in God himself, it follows that that emanation is in reality, as real being and not just conceptual being. Besides, from the positing of intellectual emanation in God, it follows that that emanation really is in God, not only intentionally as an object known by God but also naturally on the side of God's consciousness, which, in virtue of understanding, utters a true word, and in virtue of understanding and uttering a true word, spirates love. (Fs)

773b Second, from the positing of intellectual emanation in God, the consubstantiality of that which emanates follows. For that which emanates is either finite or infinite. If it is finite, it is a creature, it is outside God, it is not within the divine consciousness, and so no intellectual emanation is posited. But if it is infinite, then, since the infinite is unique, it is God. (Fs)
773c Third, there is an imperfect understanding of divine procession inasmuch as causal emanation is excluded and intellectual emanation is affirmed. (Fs)

For because a divine procession is not a causal emanation, that which proceeds in God has no cause and therefore is from itself. Besides, since nothing is the cause of itself, God is truly said to be from the same God to the extent that causal emanation is excluded. (Fs)

However, because a divine procession is an intellectual emanation, that which proceeds in God has an intellectual principle from which it proceeds, and so it is not from itself; and yet it proceeds within the divine consciousness, and therefore it is infinite, it is God, and, since the formality of a cause has been excluded, it is from itself. (Fs) (notabene)

773d Besides, these very differences clearly show how great is the difference between intellectual emanation and causal emanation. Intellectual emanation is the principle of sufficient reason within intellectual consciousness itself; causal emanation is the same principle insofar as there can be a participation and remote imitation of it apart from an intellectual consciousness that is actually understanding.1 (Fs) (notabene Fußnote)