Thomas Aquinas' Trinitarian Theology: A Study in Theological Method

Thomas Aquinas’ work on the Trinity in his Summa Theologiae has for the past century been seen, along with Augustine’s De Trinitate, as representative of a Latin Trinitarian tradition. This tradition is assumed to begin with the one God, the one divine essence as a whole. Only afterwards does it see God as three in Persons. Philosophical concerns—rather than the revelation of God in Christ—are assumed to be the basis for the discussion. According to many modern theologians the immanent life of God in this tradition is thereby separated from the rest of Christian faith and, consequently, has no relevance for the believer.

This book examines Aquinas' Trinitarian theology in light of this criticism. Thomas' account of the Trinity of Persons and the coherence of language about those Persons is not a rational demonstration but an expression of faith seeking understanding. The crucial foundation for this doctrine is Thomas' theory of divine naming. The later chapters examine possible influences upon Thomas including the work of earlier theologians, the speculative grammarians contemporary with him and his own teacher, Albert. Timothy Smith concludes that although Thomas is best understood when read in light of his own intellectual context, one cannot assume that every influence is positive.

Thomas' presentation of Trinitarian doctrine in his Summa Theologiae is an essential text for anyone interested in the great Dominican's theology. One finds here the meeting of a host of philosophical and theological issues. And in the prism of this particular text, the reader will gain a better understanding of the complexity and beauty of scholastic theological method.