The doctrine of divine simplicity is a largely neglected and even denied doctrine today. Often th... more The doctrine of divine simplicity is a largely neglected and even denied doctrine today. Often this doctrine is regarded as abstract, impractical, and speculative. In particular, many assert that simplicity is incompatible with the doctrine of Trinity. 1 This paper focuses on the doctrinal intersection of the simplicity and Trinity. The thesis of this paper is that the doctrine of divine simplicity is not an obstacle but a safeguard of the doctrine of Trinity. Before entering into the argument, the basic definitions of the doctrines are needed. By simplicity, it means that there is no composition in God. As Francis Turretin affirmed, God is not only free from all composition and division, but also incapable of composition and divisibility. 2 By Trinity, it means that in the one only and most simple essence of God there are three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so distinguished from each other by incommunicable properties while remain and exist in each other mutually.
The doctrine of divine simplicity is a largely neglected and even denied doctrine today. Often th... more The doctrine of divine simplicity is a largely neglected and even denied doctrine today. Often this doctrine is regarded as abstract, impractical, and speculative. In particular, many assert that simplicity is incompatible with the doctrine of Trinity. 1 This paper focuses on the doctrinal intersection of the simplicity and Trinity. The thesis of this paper is that the doctrine of divine simplicity is not an obstacle but a safeguard of the doctrine of Trinity. Before entering into the argument, the basic definitions of the doctrines are needed. By simplicity, it means that there is no composition in God. As Francis Turretin affirmed, God is not only free from all composition and division, but also incapable of composition and divisibility. 2 By Trinity, it means that in the one only and most simple essence of God there are three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so distinguished from each other by incommunicable properties while remain and exist in each other mutually.
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