Ressourcing the Fathers? A Critical Analysis of Catherine Mowry LaCugna's Appropriation of the Trinitarian Theology of the Cappadocian Fathers

Abstract

Abstract: Often as part of the so‐called ‘revival’ in trinitarian theology, the Cappadocian Fathers are ressourced to justify a ‘social’ and ‘relational’ way of thinking about God's triuneness. The goal of this article is to explore this social trinitarian ressourcement of the Cappadocian Fathers by comparing the Cappadocians’ theology to that of Catherine Mowry LaCugna, who claims the Cappadocians articulated a more fully trinitarian theology by emphasizing the plurality of the divine ‘persons’ as ‘relations’. My conclusion is that the ontological and epistemological differences between LaCugna and the Cappadocians, coupled with the opposing purposes of their respective trinitarian theologies, create a discontinuity between the two projects that is too great for LaCugna to ressource the Cappadocians in any positive manner in her own trinitarian theology.