Chapter 3 Trinity as Communion: A Liberation Theology Perspective We have already seen above that the understanding mission as missio

Dei is not something abstract. On the contrary, it is very relevant for the life of the people, and, above all, it gives a method on how to do mission. Liberation Theology in a special way, offers deep insights which enable us to understand why mission in a context of oppression and conflict should be identified with the struggle of the people. When we are faced with the reality of oppression mission becomes as Jon Sobrino argues, an activity for the purpose of changing reality! "#$$%&'($). Leonardo *off is the Liberation Theologians who explored Trinity in the deepest and most systematic way. +is ideas help to contextuali,e mission as -od!s activity and help us to answer why the model of mission in .sh /oad is mission as missio Dei. 3.1 Politico-Religious Difficulties for the Living experience of a Trinitarian Faith The Trinitarian understanding of -od has been ta0en very seriously by Liberation Theology. Such seriousness was also recogni,ed by the 1ope!s visit to 1uebla on the occasion of the Latin .merican *ishops assembled there, when he stated that& 2Our -od, in his most intimate mystery, is not a solitude, but a family. 3or he intrinsically contains paternity, filiation, and the essence of the family that is love& this love in the divine family is the +oly Spirit4 "*off, #$$%&5($). +owever, the belief in the Triune -od for the faithful throughout the world is a real struggle. .ccording to Liberation Theology, it is possible to emphasi,e a political and a religious reason for such a struggle. 6n the area of the political we are used to political authoritarianism which is expressed in a heavy concentration of power. The family as well, is fashioned around a old patriarchal figure that does not allow for e7uality in parental bonds. The ideology created by these political phenomena has taught that, 8ust as there is one -od, so there must be one 9ing and one law. 6n the religious sphere, according to liberation theologians, we assist to a similar phenomenon& the centrali,ation of power in the hands of a single person, the 1ontifex :aximus. Similarly, the clericali,ation of the ;hurch led to an accumulation of power in the sole figure of the priest. The result of this, visible in the hierarchical conception of the

5#

;hurch, has favored a unitarian vision of -od. This rigid monotheism is translated in the life of the ;hurch in problems of participation, communion and inclusive relationships and, pastorally is highlighted in the common experience of the faithful who worship a 0ind of separate -od to the exclusion of the other two persons. Thus, there is a religion of -od the 3ather where faithful are mere servants who must conform to the sovereignty design of the 3ather in heaven, there is a religion of the Son, where ;hrist is all, a Teacher, *rother, ;hief, Leader and, finally, there is a religion of the Spirit very popular among the social elite characteri,ed by enthusiasm, creativity to the detriment of any historical dimension. This disintegration of the Trinitarian experience is essentially due to the neglect of the trinitarian dimension of -od& the communion among the divine persons. 3.2 Trinitarian Faith as Root of Social ommitment The 7uestion Liberation Theology tries to answer is& 2What is the relevance of the Trinity for impoverished people<4 6n order to answer this 7uestion Liberation Theology understands the Trinity as a communion. The believing ;hristian therefore, understands the Trinity in faith and tries to mediates the insights that his=her faith provo0es.Secondly, compare the social reality to such a Trinitarian faith and as0s to what extents it contradicts a communion among differences. The commitment to the transformation of society is grounded in the Trinitarian faith, because the Trinity is the prototype of the ideal society, a society where differences are seen as richness and where every human being has life to the full. 3.3 The Father!s T"o #an$s% Son an$ Spirit The Trinity as it has been revealed to us has followed three different routes& the route of history, the route of the Word, and the route of the manifestation of the Spirit in the ;hristian ;ommunities. The Trinity is in fact revealed in the lives of human beings, in religions and in the common history of people. Secondly, the Trinity has been revealed in the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus and, finally, it has been revealed in the

5>

manifestation of the Spirit to the ;hristian communities. 6n all these ways of revelation all the persons of the Trinity were involved? nevertheless, the starting point of every reflection is Jesus, because +e revealed who -od is. 6t is in Jesus that Liberation Theologians find the revelation of the Trinitarian mystery. Jesus, first of all, revealed the Father. We read in the @ew Testament that Jesus referred to -od as a 3ather. +e used above all the expression .bba, especially in +is personal prayer "L0 5&>#A>>? B&#'? '&#>? ##&#AB? :0 #C&5>AC>). Jesus! experience of -od was not confined to a mere doctrine but was commitment to the 9ingdom and practice of liberation in favor of the poor and the outcasts. Jesus! relationship with the 3ather reveals a certain distinction and a deep intimacy at the same time. Distinction is revealed in those passages where Jesus prays, as0s and prostrates in -od!s presence and, intimacy is shown in +is name for -od& .bba. 6n Jesus is also revealed the Son not so much because he referred to +imself in this way but because he acted as the Son of -od. +e made -od visible in +is mercy and goodness. The revelation in the occasion of Jesus! baptism is also important. .s a matter of fact, in this occasion the divine testimony is explicit. John!s theology expresses the fact that Jesus and -od are one thing "#%&5%? #E&>#). 3inally, the central point of the Son is during the paschal mystery in which the Trinity is revealed as a community, with the Son delivering himself up out of love and loyalty to the 3ather and the 3ather responds to the Son by raising him from the dead. The fullness of Jesus! new life shows the presence of the Spirit, an expression of the new life of communion among the divine persons. 3inally, in Jesus is revealed the #ol& Spirit. This revelation is an ongoing process in Jesus! life. +e is the permanent vehicle of the Spirit. 6t is the Spirit who enables Jesus to perform wonders and deeds of liberation. This power is in Jesus but at the same time is distinct from Jesus& the Spirit and the Son have the same nature of life, communion and love, but are distinct divine persons. 3.' #uman Reason an$ Trinitarian (&ster& 1raxis plays a pivotal role in liberation theology. 3aith and doctrine come only after life, experience and celebration. This is also what occurred to the first ;hristians& they begun to express their Trinitarian faith with doxologies, sacraments and professions of faith and

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only afterward they reflected upon what they had celebrated and lived. The first 7uestion to arise was& how can we reconcile the strong monotheism of the +ebrew Scriptures with the faith in the Trinity< 6t is in answering to this 0ind of 7uestion that the first heresies arose. The ;hristian community re8ected three forms of representation of the Trinitarian mystery& :odalism, Subordinationism and Tritheism. :odalism taught that there can be only one -od who appears under three different modes, which are a 0ind of mas0 with which the same -od is presented as 3ather, Son and +oly Spirit. Subordinationism affirmed that only the 3ather is fully -od and the Son and the +oly Spirit are subordinate to the 3ather and they are not -od. Tritheism saw the three persons as independent and autonomous of one another therefore, at the end there are three gods. The ;hristian community tried to answer to these heresies through ecumenical councils. The principal ones are those of @icea "5>B), ;onstantinople "5(#), ;halcedon "CB#) and, much later, the 3ourth Lateran "#>#>) and 3lorence "#C5#A#CCE). The theological reflection developed through these councils helped to build up a technical language which could obviate mista0en understanding of the Trinitarian faith. The result obtained by this technical language was a most rigorous theological understanding but a big loss in term of faith experience. 3.'.1 Technical language concerning the Trinit& We have now to consider some of the technical words expressed by the ;hurch!s theological reflection. A )ature * +ssence * Su,stance & They denote the unitive factor in -od which is identical in each of the divine persons. The nature = essence or substance is one and uni7ue. A Person or #&postasis& 6t refers to the distinguish element of -od and denotes each of the respective persons. Fach person is thus distinct in itself but always in relation and in openness to the others. A Procession% 6t describes the manner and order in which one person proceeds from another. 6n the Trinity there is not causality? rather it is a technical word which denotes communion in a certain logical but real order of understanding. The Son and the +oly Spirit are not less eternal, infinite or almighty than the 3ather. There are two 0inds of

5C

procession in the Trinity& the generation of the Son and the handing over of the +oly Spirit. The procession of the Son is explained as the perfect 0nowledge of the 3ather by himself who generates another image of himself. Whereas, the procession of the Spirit is the concrete result of the contemplation of the 3ather and the Son of each other. A Relations% This term refers to the connections among the divine persons. The 3ather, in relation to the Son, has parenthood? the Son, in relation to the 3ather, has filiation? 3ather and Son, in relation to the +oly Spirit, have active spiration? the +oly Spirit, in relation to the 3ather and the Son, has passive spiration. These relations distinguish the persons from one another. A Perichoresis or ircuminsession% These words denote the radical coexistence, cohabitation and interpenetration of the three divine persons with one another. 6n the Trinity there is not any hierarchy or superiority but only circulation of love. The Trinity is a communion of e7uals. A (ission% :ission is the presence of the divine person in the concrete history of creation. 6t is a selfAcommunication of -od. There are basically two missions& that of the Son, who became incarnate in order to divini,e human beings, and that of the Spirit who dwells in us in order to unify all things and to lead all creation to the /eign of the Trinity. A -mmanent Trinit&% 6t is the Trinity considered in itself, in its eternity and perichoretic communion among the 3ather, the Son and the +oly Spirit. A +conomic Trinit&% the Trinity as selfArevealed in human history and as acting so that we might share in the Trinitarian life With these terms in mind it is possible to describe the different approaches which theology has been developing in regard to the Trinity. 3.'.2 S&stemati.ations of Trinitarian Theolog& The various approaches to the Trinity did not happen in a vacuum but they have been influenced by the different contexts in which they arose. 6n the -ree0 world, first of all, the predominant approach was in relation to the person of the 3ather who is the source and the origin of all divinity. This was essentially due to the -ree0 emphasis on monotheism and the absolute monarchy of -od. On the contrary, the Latin world

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approached the Trinity with a strong emphasis on the single divine nature. The one -od, according to the Latin was an absolutely perfect spirit. :odern theologians, finally, begin with the relations among the divine persons. -od, according to this approach is 3ather, Son and +oly Spirit, in perichoresis among themselves. The persons are three but always in relation among them? they are three persons in one communion. 6t is this 0ind of approach, a approach that is inspiration and good news for impoverished people, that inspires Liberation Theology. 3./ 0 Li,erative onception of the Trinit& The ultimate foundation of ;hristians! commitment to liberation can be found in the Trinity understood as mystery of communion among distinct persons. The fact that the Trinity is a communion of persons has huge implications for impoverished people. *ut what does it mean to say that -od is a communion< The Scriptures proclaim this everlasting communion saying that -od is one -od and S=he is the -od of life. Life is a mystery of spontaneity, a process of giving and receiving. Life implies 2presence4 in the sense of intensification of existence. Life is communication in itself because a living being spea0s for him=herself and, every human being, forces others to ta0e position in his=her regard. Therefore, every life is a call to establish relationships with others and in this way we can understand life as communion. Life is not to be 0ept for him=herself but is for the others. Something similar occurs in the Trinity. Fach person is for the others and in the others. ;ommunion is the only human word capable of expressing such a relationship. +ence, life is the essence of -od. .nd life is communion given and received. This 0ind of communion is Love. ;ommunion and Love are the essence of -od the Trinity. -od therefore, can be described as a communion. ;ommunion is not merely a thing but a relationship between things. 6n order to be in communion is necessary to be present to one another. This is not a simple physical presence. 6n order to ma0e communion or to 2commune4 one has to face another. ;ommuning implies presenting oneself to another and at the same time offering welcome. .nother important characteristic is reciprocity. ;ommunion implies a movement of two individuals. ;ommunion cannot come from one side alone. /eciprocity implies two presences

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relating to each other. The third important characteristic is immediacy. When communion is real two persons want to encounter each other without any mediation. +ence, communion implies intimacy, transparency, and convergence. 3inally, the product of relationships of communion is community. ;ommunity spirit implies utopia, a living together that is already a form a new society without class distinction, formalities and oppression. 6n -od we find the presence and the wholeness of these values. -od is absolute openness, supreme presence, total intimacy, eternal transcendence and infinite communion. -od!s pro8ect for humanity see0s to reflect -od!s way of being. Trinity see0s to be reflected in history, through people sharing their goods in common, building up egalitarian relationships and sharing what they are and what they have. Life and ;ommunion are expressed theologically with 1erichoresis. 1erichoresis denotes first of all the action of involvement of each person with the other two. Fach of the persons allows the others and itself to penetrate and to be penetrated. This is the natural life of the Trinity and it happens because of their love. Thus, each of the persons is eternally in a relation of love with the others. The effect of this eternal interpenetration is that each person lives and dwells in each of the others. We can thus understand the Trinity as a mystery of inclusion as the ;ouncil of 3lorence "#CC#) has taught& 2The Father is "holl& in the Son an$ "holl& in the #ol& Spirit. The Son is "holl& in the Father an$ in the #ol& Spirit. The #ol& Spirit is "holl& in the Father an$ in the Son. )one prece$es another in eternit&1 excee$ it in greatness1 or surpasses it in po"er4. The point that clearly emerges from this conciliar statement is that the divine perichoresis precludes any relation of power or subordination among the three persons but all are e7ually eternal and infinite. 3.2. Trinitarian ommunion as ritic of an$ -nspiration for #uman Societ& The inner life of the Trinity produces a critical attitude to personhood, community, society and the ;hurch. On the personal level the dynamics of the Trinitarian life are opposed to the dominant culture which stresses the predominance of the individual. Gnderstanding human beings as created in the image of the Trinity presupposes the consideration of relationships.

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+uman beings are always in relation to others moreover, only through being with others people are enabled to build their own identities. *eing in relationship with others does not exclude the fact of being in relationship with creation, society and history. +uman beings therefore, are not called to be alienated from the conflicts and process of social transformation. On the other hand, they are called to build human society and humani,ing relationships. The Trinitarian dynamism moves also criti7ues to community. 6n this sense community should consider itself not as a closed and reconciled world in itself but on the contrary, it has to place itself within a greater whole. 2;ommunitarianism4 is a degeneration of ;ommunity and not a reproduction of Trinitarian dynamism in history. *oth models of society, capitalism and communism, do not ta0e into consideration the real needs of human beings and have degenerated in terrible aberrations. ;oncerning the social sphere, Trinity is source of inspiration rather than an obstacle. Trinity highlights society as it should be, it is a hori,on where ;hristians can cultivate utopia. . society inspirited by Trinity is a society that cannot tolerate class differentiation, domination and marginalisation. On the contrary, a society rooted in the Trinitarian model it is an inclusive society where e7ual opportunities are granted to all and everyone finds the possibility of expression hi=herself. . society inspired by the Trinity is a society that ta0es into consideration democracy, not so much as a definite social structure but as the principle underlying and providing inspiration for social models. 6t is a basic democracy which guarantees participation and e7uality among everybody. *ecause participation is not granted to the ma8ority of people, it has become urgent a process of liberation started by the oppressed themselves, a process which could bring participation and communion among people, above all the oppressed. Trinitarian communion can also be critical concerning the organi,ation of the ;hurch. The ;hurch is a theological and mystical mystery? nevertheless, this mystery ta0es a historical shape moulded also to particular conceptions of the world. 3rom this point of view, the representation of church unity lends to a vision that comes from preATrinitarian or aATrinitarian monotheism. .s a matter of fact, the structure of the ;hurch is based on a single church body, a single head, a single ;hrist and a single -od. This model 8ustify itself affirming that the celestial monarchy is the foundation for earthly monarchy. The

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sacred power, according to this model, finds its 8ustification in a hierarchy which, de facto, does not exist. 6n this model the authority adopts a paternalistic approach& it does everything for the faithful but very little "ith the faithful of the 1eople of -od. Trinity helps the ;hurch to understand that there should be an ecclesial 0oinonia. The ;hurch, according to the Trinitarian dynamic is a community of the faithful in communion with the 3ather, through the incarnate Son, in the +oly Spirit, and in communion with each other and with their leaders. 6t should be a ;hurch which welcomes and respects the gift of differences as gift of the +oly Spirit itself. The Trinitarian vision produces a vision of the ;hurch that is more collegiality and communion than hierarchy and power. 3.3 4n$erstan$ing the Trinit& from the Perspective of the Struggle of the 5ppresse$ Gnderstanding the Trinity as a communion of persons is the root of every ;hristian commitment for social transformation, because Trinity is the prototype of what a society should be. 6f this is the starting point and the principle towards which every oppressed community should loo0 at we should as0 why people, especially impoverished people, struggle around the world. 6s there any lin0 with the Trinitarian dynamics< .nd, ultimately, where the struggle of the oppressed is grounded< Ta0ing in analysis the struggle of 0,ahlali 6ase(7on$olo "shac0 dwellers movement) in .sh /oad shac0 dwellers community, 6 want to highlights several things which correspond to the Trinitarian dynamics. 3irst of all, shac0 dwellers become aware of their dignity and their ontological goodness. There is a time, a day, an occasion when they recogni,e that they are not created in order to suffer the way they suffer, in which they recogni,e that they do not deserve to live such harsh life. This process of awareness, if seen through theological categories, can be understood as the awareness of their divini,ation. The Son was sent into the world in order to divini,e human beings? moreover, the goal of the Trinity is to draw every human being to itself so that everyone may participate in its inner life. Therefore, the discovery of our own dignity is rooted in the divini,ation gained by the Son and by the Trinitarian dynamic.

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.nother important point of comparison is that 0,ahlali 6asem7on$olo is not struggling for power but to create a new society. 6n other words, power is not the goal of their struggle? they do not want to overthrow the government rather they challenge the government to recogni,e that South .frica belongs to every citi,en. They are struggling to create a community of e7ual and to abolish hierarchical relationship. The critic of power is a very strong component in the struggle of the shac0 dwellers, and their relationships, processes of participation and decisions are molded upon this critic. 6n the process of struggle they are already building up such new 0ind of relationships. 6t is the process of 4m.a,ala.o "Struggle) which enables them to create what they are longing for& e7uality, participation and dignity. Fven the repression of the state and police become a mean through which the notAyet is already built and, in this way, the 0ingdom becomes historical. This process has been described magisterially by John +olloway& @el processo di lottareAcontro si formano rela,ioni che non sono l!immagine speculare delle rela,ioni di potere contro cui si dirige la lotta& rela,ioni di fratellan,a, di solidarieta!, d!amore, rela,ioni che prefigurano il tipo di societa! per cui stiamo lottando! ">%%C&>%'). The model of Trinity as communion therefore, can be seen as the ground where the struggle of impoverished people is rooted. :oreover, the communion model can uphold and sustain the utopia of a new form of society. 6 also believe that the communion model challenges the ;hurch and her praxis. Why the ;hurch should be involved in the struggle of impoverished people< *osch affirms that the preferential option for the poor helps above all the ;hurch to ;hurch& it was not a case of the poor needing the ;hurch, but of the ;hurch needing the poor H if it wished to stay close to its poor Lord! "#$$#&C5'). 6s the Trinity a model which pushes the church to be identified with the 4m.a,ala.o8 We have seen that Jesus revealed -od. +e is the central person, in order to understand the Trinity. Jesus revealed a -od full of compassion for poor, marginali,ed and oppressed. Jesus revealed a -od who made a clear option for the outcasts of every time. 6n my understanding the Trinity is not impartial and universal. On the contrary, through incarnation, the Trinity opted for the poor. Therefore, the ;hurch in order to remain faithful to the -od revealed by the Son is called to renew her option for the poor. 6n this

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sense the poor are not only the beneficiaries but the moving principle of her actions. .ccording to me, a ;hurch identified with the struggle of the poor and inspired by the Trinitarian communion should do two things. 3irst of all she should strive to ma0e impoverished people aware of the righteousness of their struggle pointing out at the Trinitarian dynamics. :ost of the time, poor people are not aware of the lin0 between their praxis and the being of -od. The ;hurch has therefore the tas0 to carry out her mission and proclaiming the good news. This good news is a deep one& impoverished people are building what -od dreams for human beings and, more radically, they are building a society molded on what -od is. Secondly, the ;hurch should create spaces for critical reflection, spaces where poor people can meet and reflect about -od!s presence in their concrete situations. .lso these spaces should be places of communion among e7uals, where real participation is lived out. These spaces should be witness of -od!s presence among the people, a presence of communion, e7uality and 2new creation4.

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