Reason for faith in Trinity

[Dimitris]

Hallo!

In a book of a professor who teaches Orthodox theology in Germany (Anastasios Kallis, for those who know him) I read (translated by me) "The faith in Trinity is not a rational realization, but an experience of a reality, the salvation act of God in His creation." Well, I don't quite understand the difference between the terms "rational realization" and "experience of a reality". For me it means quite the same, but there obviously seems to be an important difference. Maybe someone of you can comment on this issue and explain it to me.

Thanks,
Dimitris

[Father David Moser]

"The faith in Trinity is not a rational realization, but an experience of a reality..."

My paraphrase: The faith in Trinity is not deduced rather it is revealed; it is not a thought or idea, it is an experience."

Fr David Moser

[Dimitris]

I see. So it means faith is not just constructed in theory, but experienced in practice. My problem was, that I understood the word "realization" also in the meaning of "experience". But with your help I understand it better now.

Thank you,
Dimitris

[Kusanagi]

Hallo!

In a book of a professor who teaches Orthodox theology in Germany (Anastasios Kallis, for those who know him) I read (translated by me) "The faith in Trinity is not a rational realization, but an experience of a reality, the salvation act of God in His creation." Well, I don't quite understand the difference between the terms "rational realization" and "experience of a reality". For me it means quite the same, but there obviously seems to be an important difference. Maybe someone of you can comment on this issue and explain it to me.

Thanks,
Dimitris

How i understand it is to rationalise something is using the mind and human and earthly understanding to come to a conclusion which has a limit because if something is not possible then it cannot happen. Experience of a reality is like what St Anthony the Great says:

'Sight itself carries the conviction of these things. But as you prefer to lean upon demonstrative arguments, and as you, having this art, wish us also not to worship God, until after such proof, do you tell first how things in general and specially the recognition of God are accurately known. Is it through demonstrative argument or the working of faith? And which is better, faith which comes through the inworking (of God) or demonstration by arguments?' And when they answered that faith which comes through the inworking was better and was accurate knowledge, Antony said, 'You have answered well, for faith arises from disposition of soul, but dialectic from the skill of its inventors. Wherefore to those who have the inworking through faith, demonstrative argument is needless, or even superfluous. For what we know through faith this you attempt to prove through words, and often you are not even able to express what we understand. So the inworking through faith is better and stronger than your professional arguments.