Distinction of properties in the Trinity

[Christopher Dombrowski]

I'm wondering how is it that we reconcile the fact that there is a distinction of properties between the three persons of the Trinity with the idea that they are supposedly completely one in essence?

How is it that the Father is ungenerate, while the Son is generate, and yet we understand that they are completely one in essence?

And why is it that we do not rather say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of a highly similar substance, differing only in the few properties we know of them to be distinct?

[D. W. Dickens]

I am not qualified to answer except to tell you what I've been told. This is why there is a distinction between talking about the essence and the persons. I am not sure if the word "properties" is the patristically correct one, but God is one which is three. Not one and three or one divided into three, but there is something about God's oneness and threeness which a paradox revealing truth.

I was told by a member of another board (when I was first inquiring) to go and look at the icon of the Trinity (Rublev) and if I prayed and watched that as much of the truth of it as I could comprehend would be revealed.

I can't say that worked, but it did settle my stomach from worrying about it.

[Herman Blaydoe]

I'm wondering how is it that we reconcile the fact that there is a distinction of properties between the three persons of the Trinity with the idea that they are supposedly completely one in essence?

How is it that the Father is ungenerate, while the Son is generate, and yet we understand that they are completely one in essence?

And why is it that we do not rather say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of a highly similar substance, differing only in the few properties we know of them to be distinct?

As I understand it, there is One God but three distinct Persons of one Essence. God the Father is the fountainhead, the source, that is His distinction. God the Son is begotten of the Father, this makes the Son distinct from but not separate from, the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, making Him distinct from the Father and the Son. The difference between being begotten and proceeding are for better minds than mine to specify, but they come from the same source which is the same essence.

And that is about as far as this bear of little brain can take it.

Herman the Pooh