Cappadocian Fathers: Defending the Trinity

The Cappadocian fathers were Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nizianzus. They formulated the doctrine of the Trinity by accepting Nicea‟s formula of Athanasius “homoousios” and also accepted the three distinct persons that are “hypostaseis” (of Father, Son and Holy Spirit), at the same time THREE in ONE. The Cappadocian fathers established “usia” as a Greek equivalent to the Latin word “substantia” by giving precise meaning to the term “ousias” as in talking about the trinity. Basil paves the way for the council of Constantinople 381 A.D, where it formulated the orthodox doctrine of the trinity. Basil was the first to fix the accepted formula for the trinity, i.e. one substance (ousia or substantia) and three persons (hypostaseis).

One of the most profound truths of the Christians faith is the doctrine of the trinity. It separates Christianity from all other world religions. The bible teaches that God is one (Deut. 6:4). From NT it is clear that this “one God consist of three persons, father, Son and Holy Spirit. (e.g. During the baptism of Jesus Christ, three of them were demonstrated). The church has affirmed this doctrine of the trinity as orthodox.

The ancient church of the 3rd and 4th centuries was fallen with false teaching that challenge the deity of Jesus and Holy Spirit. (Arius denied the deity of Jesus, Macedonus, and the disciple of Arius denied the deity of the Holy Spirit) in the teaching of Arius and Macedonus the Son and Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father.

The orthodox doctrine of the trinity was a product of a series of debates and councils. In this debate the collaboration of three friends, the three Cappadocian, Basil of Caesarea (330-379 A.D), Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389 AD) and Gregory of Nyssa (330-389 AD) who gave/produce victory over many of these heresies. Until modern liberalism (9th century) their works provided the definitive framework for the doctrine of “Trinity”. All these leaders were from the Eastern Church.

Basil of Caesarea (330-379): 

Basil was born into a wealthy Christian family in what would be in a place modern turkey. He was well educated in a Greece (Athenian philosophy). He was appointed bishop of Caesarea. He influences much in the development of monasticism.

Gregory of Nyssa: 

Basil's brother Gregory of Nyssa was a teacher of rhetoric and was appointed bishop of Nyssa. While Arianism was emerging in the eastern empire, he was deposed and sent in exile for five years (Arius sided with the enemies of Christians, the heathen and the Jews).

Gregory of Nizianzus: 

These two brothers, Basil and Gregory of Nyssa had a friend Gregory of Nizianzus, was educated in Alexandria University where he met Basil. Each was philosophical, mystical of monasteries, but they share a deep commitment to orthodox Nicene Christianity.

Their contribution: Each defended the member /persons of the Trinity as “co-essential” “co-eternal” and co-equal”. Perhaps Basil made the most significant contribution in formulating an orthodox view of the trinity. The heretical teachers of the early Church depicture/ picture son as subordinate to the father, when it came to the Holy Spirit there was very little discussion at all, other than in the case of Macedonus, Arius disciple, at the council of Constantinople. When we think about Trinitarian God basil says, we must all separate the term essence (ousias) and person (hypostaseis). They are not synonymous.

Essence: is what makes God, God. Here the attribute such as omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence are involved.

Persons: is a term that defines the distinction, within one essence. Thus we can correctly say God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit, while maintaining that they are one and inseparable in “being”.

Thus Basil differentiated between essence and person, but Gregory of Nizianzus agreeing with his friend basil about the difference between “essence” and person” Gregory shows that the difference between the three persons is „relational‟. This relationship is maintained as the eternal father, eternal the son, eternal spirit that is there has been eternally love, communion and the relationship between the persons of “one essence” that constitutes the trinity.

Basil's brother Gregory of Nyssa also shows that the difference between the members of the Godhead is not one of essence or substance. The difference can be grounded on the inner relations and functions of each (the function of son is different from the father, from son and the holy spirit). Therefore, the subordination of the son to the father, or subordinate of the Holy Spirit to the son is simply unacceptable and considered as heretical. Thus the Trinity is “one God of three persons” whose difference is relational and functional and no difference in “essence”.

We do not believe in three Gods or three modes of God, but we have one God. Eph 1:14 illustrates this fact quite well, i.e., the father chooses, the son redeems and holy spirit seals. Also 2 Cor. 13;14; 1 Peter 1:2, each member of the Godhead is intimately involved in the drama act of salvation. Thus the three Cappadocians were raised by God to protect the church from false teaching. Their teachings won the day at the council of Constantinople in 381 A.D where the forces of heretical teachings were defeated.