Abstract

As a commentator on Boethius's theological treatises, Gilbert of Poitiers elaborated an original ontology which formed the basis for several novel positions regarding the Trinity. In Gilbert's ontology, concrete subsistents (things that are) are distinguished from abstract subsistences (that in them, by which they are). Subsistences may also be accompanied by accidents. In the created world, things that are really distinct are also substantially distinct, e.g. distinct human subsistents have distinct subsistences by virtue of which they are what they are. But this principle does not hold in the Godhead, where the distinct Persons are what they are by virtue of a sing subsistence. Gilbert held that God was distinct from divinity, and the Persons were distinct from the relational Properties which characterised each one of them. Gilbert's novel ideas, like those of Abelard, attracted censure from Bernard and others. Gilbert agrees with Augustine that there is only one substance in the Godhead, (namely God, the divinely great etc), and that the Persons are interconnected as correlatives. However, he holds that divinity, divine greatness etc are distinct from God and the divinely great. The Personal properties are also distinct from the Persons.

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