Richard’s longest and most theologically sophisticated work is his De trinitate, a book that is best understood as building on the program of the soul’s ascent described in the Twelve Patriarchs and The Mystical Ark. Richard’s De trintiate is known for three aspects. (1) a redefinition of the Boethian definition of person; (2) his argument or ‘‘proof’’ of the Trinity from love in book 3; and (3) his emphasis on a ‘‘social Trinity.’’ These three generalities, while not entirely misleading, must be considered within the work as a whole and as part of Richard’s larger mystical and theological project.
The De trinitate is divided into six books of twelve chapters each. The prologue and the introductory section of the work is largely methodological and essential to locating the work within Richard’s spiritual and epistemological writings (De trin. Prol.-1.10). Within the schema laid out in the Mystical Ark, Richard argues in this methodological discussion that the analysis of the Trinity belongs to the fifth and sixth stages of the soul’s ascent and therefore transcends reason. The second section ofthe work, which concludes book I (De trin. 1.11-1.25), is an exposition of the divine unity. Richard focuses on the supremacy and unity of the Divine nature. Book II is an analysis of the attributes of God. eternal, immutable, Immeasurable, etc. This discussion also considers the attributes of power and wisdom (potentialsapientia), anticipating the discussion of the personal properties in chapter V. After considering the divine unity Richard turns to the plurality of the divine persons in chapter III, offering an ‘‘argument’’ for the necessity of the divine persons grounded in the nature of divine love. Richard’s argument, within the context of the prologue, must be understood as transcending reason in the soul’s ascent to God, and not as an Aristotelian demonstration. The fourth book considers the correlation of the divine unity and plurality as expounded in the terms person and existence - offering in conclusion a redefinition of the concept of person as used in trinitarian discourse (singularem aliquem rationalis existentie, De trin. 4.24). Book V continues the analysis of the Divine persons and their personal properties. This discussion is significant for Richard’s reluctance to follow Hugh in appropriating power, wisdom, and goodness (potentia, sapientia, benignitas) to the Divine persons, given the critique of Abelard’s use of this triadic structure by theologians like Gautier of Mortagne (PL 209, col. 573-590; see also Richard’s De tribus appropriatis personis in trinitate, PL 196, col. 991-994). In the final book, Richard considers the divine processions and locates the distinction of persons in the processions of the Son and the Holy Spirit from the Father.
Richard’s trinitarian theology is significant historically because of his emphasis on, and divergence from, certain aspects of the Augustinian tradition. His influence is evident in the trinitarian theoloGy of Bonaventure and Henry of Ghent and their emphasis on the divine processions. This focus on the divine processions is followed by numerous Franciscan authors in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, including John Duns Scotus who also adopts Richard’s definition of person in trinitarian discourse.
See also: > Boethius > Bonaventure > Henry of Ghent > Hugh of St. Victor > John Duns Scotus > Pseudo-Dionysius, the Areopagite
World History
