Abstract

This study investigated the reasons for Thomas Aquinas's option to treat God's existence, attributes, and operations before the distinction of persons. The internal evolution of his trinitarian theory was subjected to genetic investigation, in light of his systematic-historical context. This was situated within a dialectical exploration of the principles and method of his theology compared to recent criticisms. ;The principles and method of Aquinas differ from some of his more influential recent critics, especially Karl Rahner. These differences are traceable to dialectically opposed horizons. Aquinas's principles and method can only be fully understood and evaluated in light of his account of knowing. ;Aquinas refined the instruments of analysis appropriate to his conception of theological understanding by elaborating a 'twofold mode of truth' transposing the theoretical distinction of natural and supernatural. He explored the systematic implications of this theorem by distinguishing predications about divine unity from predications about the mystery of the Trinity. He also developed the analogy for the Trinity received from Augustine. ;In his mature works, Aquinas transcended the framework of self-diffusion for conceiving the divine processions. This line of thought presupposed the constitution of the first divine person prior to the act of generation, implied some deficiency in the divine goodness, conceived the processions as instances of production, and could not explain a properly immanent procession. Thus it could not satisfy Aquinas's criteria for theological adequacy. ;In his mature synthesis, Aquinas started from the divine unity and overcame the problem of the conceptual priority of the first divine person by deploying two systematic, inverse conceptual orders. Using the analogy of intelligible emanation, he conceived immanent divine processions where principle and term are related on the basis of conscious, intelligible dependence rather than production. This had implications for understanding the creative and redemptive work of the Triune God