Die Liebe als ein Gleichnis der Dreifaltigkeit

Platonische Motive in Augustins De trinitate VIII

Book VIII of Augustine’s De trinitate is a transition from the biblical and peripatetic preparation (trin. I-VII) to his analysis of the image of God in the human mind (trin. IX-XIV) and the contemplation of the Holy Trinity found thanks to this image (trin. XV). Making this transition, Augustine dr...

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Bibliographic Details
Author:Lenka Karfíková
Published: S.n., s.l., 2021
Volume:71
Pages:181-213
Language:German
Periodical:Augustiniana
Number:2
ISSN:0004-8003
Format:Article
Topic:- Works > De Trinitate > Trin. VIII
- Doctrine > Man > [Doctrine de la connaissance] > [Connaissance de soi. Le cogito] > [Homme - Dieu]
- Doctrine > Man > [Image de Dieu]
- Doctrine > From man to God > [Morale] > [Charité. Amitié] > [Charité/amour du prochain] > Love
- Doctrine > God. Trinity > Trinity
- Doctrine > God. Trinity > Trinity > [Études d'ensemble (relations)] > [Trinité : thèmes]
Status:Active
Description
Summary:Book VIII of Augustine’s De trinitate is a transition from the biblical and peripatetic preparation (trin. I-VII) to his analysis of the image of God in the human mind (trin. IX-XIV) and the contemplation of the Holy Trinity found thanks to this image (trin. XV). Making this transition, Augustine draws his inspiration from both the Bible and the Platonic tradition to accomplish his ascent to God as the Truth (trin. VIII,1,2-2,3), the Good (trin. VIII,3,4-5), and, finally, Love (trin. VIII,4,6-10,14). As in the Platonic tradition, the search for the Truth and the Good would not be possible without any preceding knowledge of it, which Augustine understands as the ‘impressed notion’ of the Good (trin. VIII,3,4). However, it is not enough, in Augustine’s eyes, to know the intelligible form of the Good; what is needed is to attach oneself to it in love. Even here, we can recognize the Neoplatonic structure of the ‘conversion’ of the derived hypostases to their origin. Finally, the hypostasizing of love as the third element in Augustine’s trinity of the lover, beloved, and love itself (trin. VIII,10,14) finds its analogy in the Platonic Eros as a demonic force. What is not to be found in Plato, but is mentioned by Plotinus (enn. VI,8[39],15,1), is self-referential love, the love of love itself, which is very important in Augustine’s analysis. For him this very point seems to open the way not only to the Trinity in God but, at the same time, to the consubstantiality of the three hypostases, where, again, Wisdom (the Son) precedes Love (the Holy Spirit).

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