Mistero di Dio RA0401

To help students: Achieve a firm grasp of the Church’s understanding of the Mystery of the Triune God; be adequately informed on the topic and competent in its regard; deepen their personal relation with God through a livelier faith in the Trinitarian Mystery, leading to a life more consciously and deliberately lived out in communion with each of the three Divine Persons; articulate the Divine Life that is within, communicating it joyfully, and with ease, to others.

1. The mystery of God one and three from a biblical, patristic, medieval and contemporary perspective: distinction and interconnectedness. 2. The renewed interest in Trinitarian doctrine on account of its perceived relevance to issues facing the Church today. 3. The progressive revelation of God in the Old and the New Testaments, with emphasis placed on the pivotal role of the God revealed by Jesus Christ. 4. The development of Trinitarian dogma in the writings of the Fathers and the early Councils. 5. Medieval theologies of the Trinity: Richard of St. Victor, Aquinas, Scotus, van Ruusbroec. 6. Reflection on the East-West dispute over the Filioque. 7. The work of more recent theologians: Rahner, von Balthasar, Congar, Galot, Durrwell, LaCugna. 8. The relationship between the economy of salvation and the internal life of God both in its historical and its contemporary dimensions. 9. Reflection both on each Divine Person individually and on the essence and attributes of God as such. 10. The kind of language to describe God, the processions, the relations, the mystery of God’s self-giving and the communion God has established with man. 11. The missiological, ecumenical and inter-religious implications of Trinitarian Theology throughout, and in the light of the diversity of contemporary contexts. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students are expected to: Gain a deeper awareness of God’s Absolute Oneness by entering more consciously and deeply into a lively relation with each of the three Divine Persons; growth both intellectually and spiritually, becoming more consciously aware of the Divine Life within and around them.

Textbook: O’Collins, Gerald. 2014. The Tri-personal God: Understanding and Interpreting the Trinity. Mahwah: Paulist Press. Congar, Yves. 2001. I Believe in the Holy Spirit. New York: Crossroad Publishing; Emery, Gilles. 2008. Trinity in Aquinas. Naples: Sapientia Press; Hill, Edmund. 2003. The Mystery of the Trinity. Eugene: Wipf and Stock; Kasper, Walter. 1984. The God of Jesus Christ. London: SCM Press; Ladaria, Luis. 2009. Living and True God: The Mystery of the Trinity. Miami: Convivium Press; Letham, Robert. 2004. The Holy Trinity in Scripture, History, Theology and Worship. Phillipsburg: P& R Publishing; McDonnell, Kilian. 2003. The Other Hand of God: The Holy Spirit as the Universal Touch and Goal. Collegeville: Liturgical Press; O’Donnell, John. 1992. The Mystery of the Triune God. London: Sheed & Ward; von Balthasar, Hans Urs. 2000. Credo: Meditations on the Apostles’ Creed. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.