Schism and reconciliation in a sixth-century Trinitarian dispute: Damian of Alexandria and Peter of Callinicus on ‘properties, rôles and relations’

Abstract

‘Tritheism’, in the sense of acknowledgement of three divine substances (ousiae), became a problem to the nonconforming Churches of Syria and Egypt during the sixth century. The origin and setting of the problem are briefly discussed and analysed. Damian Pope of Alexandria and Peter Patriarch of Antioch disagreed about the rebuttal of the doctrine and in particular about the claim by Damian that the tradition stemming from the Cappadocian Fathers legitimised the notion of the persons of the Trinity as ‘subsistent relations’. The arguments on both sides are summarised and a resolution is suggested for speculation. The author notes the present relevance of the ancient debate both to current Trinitarian understanding affecting Christian ecclesiology and, also, to the growing discussion between Muslims and Christians about the Trinitarian idea and the doctrine of God that divides the religions, an area in which, the author argues, it is too facile, too indifferent to history, to say without qualification that both affirm the same God.