Theological Term of the Week: Ontological Trinity

ontological Trinity 
The Trinity in itself, or the three persons as they relate to one another without regard to creation.1 Also called the essential or the immanent Trinity.

• From the Athanasian Creed:

      The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.
      The Son was neither made nor created;
      he was begotten from the Father alone.
      The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;
      he proceeds from the Father and the Son.

• From the Westminster Larger Catechism:
  

  Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead? 

  A. There be three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: these three are one true, eternal God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; although distinguished by their personal properties. 

  Q. 10. What are the personal properties of the three persons in the Godhead? 

  A. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, and to the Son to be begotten of the Father, and to the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son, from all eternity. 

Learn more:

1. R. C. Sproul: What’s the Difference between the Ontological and the Economic Trinity? 
2. Fred Sanders: What Are the Economic and Immanent Trinities? (video)

Related terms:

• economic Trinity
• essence
• Trinity

Filed under Trinity

1 From Robert Letham’s Systematic Theology, page 945.

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Sunday's Hymn: Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

For him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown his head;
His Name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
With ev’ry morning sacrifice.

People and realms of ev’ry tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his Name.

Blessings abound where’er he reigns;
The pris’ner leaps to lose his chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.

Let ev’ry creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King,
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen.

 —Isaac Watts

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• A Sovereign Protector I Have at The Happy Wonderer 

Sunday's Hymn: Lead Me, Lord

Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness, 
make thy way plain before my face. 
For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, 
that makest me dwell in safety.

Teach me, Lord, teach me truly how to live,
that I may come to know thee,
and in thy presence serve thee with gladness,
and sing songs of praise to thy glory.

—Samuel S. Wesley

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah at The Happy Wonderer