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Surname 1 Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Argumentative Essay- the Triune Nature of God According to LaCugna and Boff and its Implication on Pastoral Care Introduction The doctrine of the trinity of God is one of the most foundational teachings in the Christian faith. In western societies, the holy trinity or the Triune God has been one of those doctrines that affirms people as Christians but has seemed largely irrelevant for many believers ( Horrell) . Immanuel Kant, a renowned German philosopher protested that “Taken literally, absolutely nothing worthwhile for the practical life can be made out of the doctrine of the Trinity. 1 Regardless, trinity become the most critical theme in theological discourse by the early 1900s. Nevertheless, the doctrine of the trinity has raised many difficult questions since antiquity. Frequently asked questions include- How can God exist as one and three at the same time? Is Jesus God? If Jesus is God why does the bible record him in several instances praying to God? Is trinity contradictory? Some theology scholars have penned down what it means for God to be three in one. Principally, the doctrine of trinity means God eternally exists as three distinct persons- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In other words, God is three in person but one in essence. 1 Immanuel Kant, Der Streit der Fakultten , PhB 252, in Ronald J. Feenstra and Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., eds., Trinity, Incarnation and Atonement: Philosophical and Theological Essays (Notre Dame: Univ. of Notre Dame, 1989) 4

Surname 2 The three critical truths about the Trinity are: (1) the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons, (2) there is only one God and (3), and each person is fully God. Today, Christian thinkers and scholars are reiterating the importance of the Triune nature of God for our daily lives. In the last 40 years, Catholic and Protestant theologians have produced a wealth of literature about the matter. Particularly distinguished writers include Leonardo Boff, Bertrand de Margerie, Catherine LaCugna, Jürgen Moltmann, Karl Rahner, Bernard Lonergan, T. F. Torrance, Millard Erickson, Eberhard Jüngel, and Colin Gunton. This paper will focus on the perspective of two writers, Leonardo Boff and Catherine LaCugna, and how their respective views are applicable in pastoral care. Catherine LaCugna- God for Us The trinitarian theology of Catherine Mowry LaCugna has inspired many Christian scholars and her understanding of the trinity has been criticized in equal measure for decades. “The doctrine of the Trinity points beyond itself to the mystery of God who is alive and whose ongoing relationship with creation and persons cannot be frozen or fixed in time. God is a ‘walking God’ who accompanies a pilgrim people, according to a providential plan administered (economized) throughout time (LaCugna 10).” 2 This statement is a perfect summary of LaCugna's trinitarian theology and understanding of God as transcendent. In these words, there is no mention of the triune God as the Father, the Son, and the Holy, either in terms of salvation or God's eternal triune personhood. Primarily, the conventional doctrine of the trinity stems from the New Testament, while LaCugna's image of a 'walking God' originates from the Old Testament books. According to Campbell (01), while LaCugna argues about 'the mystery of God,’ both the image of God accompanying pilgrims and the anthropomorphism of the ‘walking God’ metaphor appear reasonably intimate. Overall, 2 LaCugna, Catherine M. God for Us (P 10)

Surname 3 LaCugna's theological writing on the trinity of god uses a range of themes and images to explain the mystery of God's and his relationship with the world and humanity. Her version of the trinity is a way of envisioning the mystery of God and humanity ( Groppe 01) . Her heuristic framework seeks to correct our thought about God and ourselves in relation to God. LaCugna’s theology on the doctrine of the Trinity is majorly documented in her magnum opus - God for Us: The Trinity and Christian Life and other articles she published before the groundbreaking book. In the introduction of God for Us , LaCugna wished for a relevant and life- changing trinity doctrine. She postulates that “the doctrine of the Trinity is ultimately a practical doctrine with radical consequences for Christian life (LaCugna 03)." 3 According to her, the doctrine of the trinity is a special Christian way of speaking about God. In her account, God's relationship with humanity is unblemished. She argues that “the doctrine of the trinity is ultimately…a teaching not about the abstract nature of God, nor about God in isolation from everything other than God, but a teaching about God’s life with us and our life with each other (LaCugna).” In Part I of God for Us entitled ‘The Emergence and Defeat of the Doctrine of the Trinity,’ LaCugna documents the rise and fall of the doctrine of the Trinity in 6 chapters. These chapters discuss about ‘God’s Economy Revealed in Christ and the Holy Spirit (LaCugna),’ Christian prayer, the teaching of Gregory Palamas, Augustinian theology, Cappadocian theology, and Thomas Aquinas’ theology. In Part II of the book entitled, ‘Re-Conceiving the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Light of the Mystery of Salvation,’ LaCugna proposes a reconceived Trinity by advocating for the triumph of the doctrine- a triumph where the unity of theologia (the eternal being of God) and oikonomia (the trinitarian plan of salvation history) is restored. In this part, LaCugna not only draws insight from her earlier writing but also the works of other theologians. 3 LaCugna, Catherine M. God for Us (P 03)

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Surname 4 However, in the last chapter of the book, she draws her reference from The New Testament as the predominant source. Early journal articles of LaCugna also reflect her controversial understanding of the trinity. Her vision for a trinity doctrine that is relevant to the Christian life is expounded in the article “Re-Conceiving the Trinity as the Mystery of Salvation.” 4 In an attempt to develop a connection between the hermeneutics of indirection and trinitarian theology, LaCugna scrutinizes four modes of speech: symbol, parable, analogy, and metaphor in a journal article entitled “Placing Some Trinitarian Locutions.” 5 In another article hailed as “Problems with a Trinitarian Reformulation” 6 LaCugna addresses hitches in the trinitarian doctrine, including the contention that God is tri-personal. In the article, “Philosophers and Theologians on the Trinity” LaCugna engage with philosophers of religion in a new approach. She observes that the area of trinitarian theology has historically generated boundless difficult philosophical and linguistic dilemmas. Finally, in the article “Returning from ‘The Far Country,”’ 7 LaCugna and her colleague identify the overall weakness in trinitarian doctrine, that makes this particular field of theology notorious. On the whole, LaCugna's understanding of the triune nature of God is largely controversial, serving as a paradigm shift in modern-day trinitarian theology. While providing the alternative framework of the principle of inseparability of oikonomia and theologia, LaCugna believed that the traditional structure of the economic and immanent Trinity was plagued with a series of confines ( Groppe 01) . Overall, her works, including her landmark piece, God for Us , are a major contribution to the modern revitalization of the trinity doctrine. It has significant 4 LaCugna, Catherine M. "Re-conceiving the Trinity as the Mystery of Salvation." (P 17) 5 LaCugna, Catherine M. "Placing Some Trinitarian Locutions." (P 17) 6 LaCugna, Catherine M. “Problems with a Trinitarian Reformulation” 7 LaCugna & McDonnell. Returning from ‘The Far Country’ (P 191)

Surname 5 implications on pastoral care because it equips pastors with a desire to revive the teachings on the holy trinity. Leonardo Boff and Social Trinity Boff's perspective of the trinity is closely linked with society. In other words, off uses society to explain his theology about the trinity. Boff is known for social trinity (Ryu 99) just like how Augustine is known for hypostasis or how Karl Rahner is known for God's self- communication. He presents a relationship within the trinity that views the human society as the perfect society of the triune God. Boff is particularly categorical in his worldview that community/society is intrinsically part of three (the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit). In his book, Holy Trinity, perfect community , Boff argues that the three are unity because “only person are intrinsically open to others, exist with others and are one for one another." 8 This communion is the perfect countenance of life and love. Boff's notion of the unity of the three can be drawn from the scriptures in the prayer of Jesus in John 17: 21 to 22- "may they be one in us…that they may be one us we are one.” 9 Jesus, the son, made God the father evident in the world by doing things that people believed only God can do. Therefore, the scripture in John 5:5 10 is accurate when it notes that Jesus made himself God's equal. Correspondingly the actions of Jesus Christ are a revelation of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by the liberation of the people. At the societal level, Boff puts forward that the misunderstanding of the mystery of the trinity is traced to the disunity of society. In the typical human society, the father not only has power and knowledge but also makes decisions in the family and the society at large as defined by the model of paternalism. In other words, when people are inclined to Jesus of Nazareth as their leader, they acknowledge his heroic style of relating with humanity horizontally. Boff 8 Boff, Leonardo. Holy Trinity, perfect community 9 The Bible 10 Bible

Surname 6 dubbed this phenomenon the religion of the Son. Boff maintains that society transposes the ideas of the trinity in many ways. The literal works of Boff also deal with the history of demonstrating the difficulties involved in explaining the question of the symbolization of the trinity as linked to Greek, Judaic, and modern traditions inherited by Christianity. From a historical point of view, Christianity evolved from Judaism, navigated through Greek culture, and finally evolved into a modern/scientific world (Ryu 99). This historical evolution has an implication on the Christian view of the trinity according to Boff. Concerning the unity/integration of the three divine persons which is founded on the essential openness of person to another, Boff argues that all human beings move in a triple dimension: transparence, immanence, and transcendence. The three divine persons reach their origin through transcendence, they meet themselves through immanence (the Son becomes the Father’s revelation), and we seek to unite immanence and transcendence through transparence. On the whole, in his theology of social trinity, Boff declassified the problem of solitary trinity which is associated with the tendency of alienating the communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Boff introduced the dimension of society as an analogical way of exploring the relationship within the triune God. His Trinitarian theology is an accumulation of some theological terms used by those who come before him, although he gives them more explanation. He demonstrates how the trinity is a perfect image of society and the ideality of the church. In other words, he acknowledges that the holy trinity is not a hierarchy of power, but a community of diverse functions and gifts. The bottom line of Boff's social doctrine of the trinity is that the holy trinity is independent of any transcendence. Boff reality is that three divine persons have always existed in the history of humanity.

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Surname 7 The Place of the Triune God in Pastoral Care Drawing on LaCugna and Boff, an understanding of the Triune nature of God is an important resource in the practice of pastoral care. Understanding the importance of trinitarian theology defines the focus/attitude of the pastoral ministry in terms of worship. In other words, the holy trinity or the triune nature of God plays a significant role in pastoral care. As argued by LaCugna, the triune God is not a simple old theological cliché without any existential implication in people's daily lives as many people and pastors in local churches may think. Doing ministry in the church and being a minister of the gospel has everything to do with the holy trinity. Put differently, the triune nature of God is relevant to Christian ministry and holy living (Charles 02). Overall, the Holy Trinity is not a textbook case that should be talked about in the classrooms; it has a significant impact on the ministry and life of the Church. The place of the Holy Trinity in pastoral ministry/care is non-negotiable. Pastors need to believe and understand the triune nature of God because it is not only the essence of pastoral ministry but also fundamental to the Christian Faith. Through the Holy Trinity, we understand the redemptive work of God (Charles 02). Therefore, if pastors believe in redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Trinity should be their theological rationale and ground for pastoral ministry . From a practical point of view, the triune nature of god has profound implications in pastoral care, in terms of how we think about and how it affects Christian life. For example, Trinity stresses on the importance of love and relationships in various settings. Everything from human communication to the nature of time suggests that the trinity (the Father, Son, and Spirit) dwell in love and harmony, representing a model for human life. For this reason, pastors advocate for peace, love, and harmony in their congregation and

Surname 8 community at large. They teach Christians to open their lives hospitably to others and show love as a model for the ethic of companionship, hospitality, invitation, and welcome, centered on a common table. Similarly, in a hospital setting when a chaplain or pastor visits a patient, they believe they are bringing the trinitarian presence of God. It is three people: patient, pastor, and God. Also, these visits bring God- as trans-creator, Jesus as brother or sister and the spirit who works in between these and they form a community. On the whole, the presence of the Triune God is resourceful in the practice of pastoral ministry in the local church because it is not only the foundation of biblical preaching, but also the center of sacraments in the Church, and the source of inspiration in pastoral care.

Surname 9 Notes Immanuel Kant, Der Streit der Fakultten , PhB 252, in Ronald J. Feenstra and Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., eds., Trinity, Incarnation and Atonement: Philosophical and Theological Essays (Notre Dame: Univ. of Notre Dame, 1989) 4 2. LaCugna, Catherine M. God for Us (P 10) 3 LaCugna, Catherine M. God for Us (P 03) 4 LaCugna, Catherine M. "Re-conceiving the Trinity as the Mystery of Salvation." (P 17) 5 LaCugna, Catherine M. "Placing Some Trinitarian Locutions." (P 17) 6 LaCugna, Catherine M. “Problems with a Trinitarian Reformulation” 7 LaCugna & McDonnell. Returning from ‘The Far Country’ (P 191) 8 Boff, Leonardo. Holy Trinity, perfect community 9 The Bible 10 Bible

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Surname 10 Works Cited Boff, Leonardo. Holy Trinity, perfect community . Orbis Books, 2000. Campbell, Margaret. A Study of the Trinitarian Theology of Catherine Mowry LaCugna with Particular Reference to Her Understanding of God as Transcendent . Diss. 2017. Charles, Dumerzier. “The Holy Trinity in Pastoral Ministry." Didache - Didache: Faithful Teaching , 2004, didache.nazarene.org/index.php/filedownload/regional-theology- conferences/us-canada-theo-conf-2004/630-uscan04-06a-response-charles/file. Accessed 28 Nov. 2021. Groppe, Elizabeth T. "Catherine Mowry LaCugna's contribution to trinitarian theology." Theological Studies 63.4 (2002): 730-763. Horrell, J. Scott. "The Self-Giving Triune God, the Imago Dei and the Nature of the Local Church: An Ontology of Mission." Paper delivered, Evangelical Theological Society Annual Convention. Santa Clara, Cal . 2004. LaCugna, Catherine M. "Philosophers and Theologians on the Trinity." Modern Theology 2.3 (1986): 169-181. LaCugna, Catherine M. God for Us: The Trinity and Christian Life . San Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco (1991): 321. Ryu, Jaesung. "Leonardo Boff and the Social Trinity." (2018).

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