15/07/2024
Nicene View A***n View Tertullian’s View
Father and Son are coeternal
God is eternal, Son is created later
The Persons of the Godhead are eternal, but a
Sonship relationship is a
later (temporal) creation
The Son, though a Mediator, is ontologically
equal to the Father
The Son, as a Mediator, is
at a lower grade than the
Father
The Son’s power and
status are equal to the
Father’s, but the Father
has arranged or disposed
the Son into a lower rank
or grade
The Father and Son are
equal in divinity
The Father is superior to
the Son in divinity
The Father and Son are
equal in divinity
Existence of the Son is
due to his inherent unity
with the Father
Existence of the Son occurs
by a decision of the Father
Role of Sonship occurs by
the decision of the Father, but the Person himself eternally exists
The Son is consubstantial with the Father
The Son does not share
fully in the Father’s substance
The Son is consubstantial
with the Father
The single divine substance entails the equality of the three Persons
Separate and distinct substances create a ranking of
the Persons
Single substance entails
ontological equality, but
divine ‘economy’ necessitates ranking of the Persons
The Father is always in
loving unity with the Son
Divine Fatherhood creates
relational distance from the
less divine Son
Fatherhood and Sonship
are not intrinsic to the
Trinity; therefore, some
relational distance is implied
