CCS Systematic Theology

Perichoresis

FIRST A REVIEW . . . WHO IS GOD?

How do we get from God to us,

How do we get from God to us,

though?though?

Perichoresis

• The doctrine of the Trinity. The word is derived from the Greek “peri-choresis” which translates as, “peri” meaning around, “choresis” meaning to dance (the same root as choreography). The relationship between the Persons of the Trinity was described, by early Christians, as an eternal Holy Dance of each Person in the Trinity around and within the Others. (wordnik)

Perichoresis

• “The term perichoresis means 'mutually inhering' or 'mutually indwelling'; and as the Apostle John wrote, God is love.”

• Archive 2006-12-01

Perichoresis

• “The term perichoresis, circumincessio, immanentia, was meant to express the peculiarity of the relations of the Three Divine Persons or Subsistences -- their Indwelling in each other, the fact that, while they are distinct they yet are in one another, the Coinherence which implies their equal and identical”

• NPNF2-09. Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus

Perichoresis

• “Moreover, I realized -- experienced, even -- at long last, that "the Body of Christ" is a good deal more than a figure of speech; it is an appalling truth and mystery, uniting us beyond our knowing with one another, and uniting us with an ever greater mystery, the perichoresis ( "circling dance") of the Holy Trinity Who is our One God.”

• The Huffington Post: Scott Cairns: Recovering the Body of Christ

Perichoresis

• See also:– Gregory of Nyssa – The Great Catechism XXIV-XXV

(24-25)– Jurgen Moltmann, God in Creation

The Great Catechism XXIV-XXVThat Deity should be born in our nature, ought not reasonably to present any strangeness to the minds of those who do not take too narrow a view of things. For who, when he takes a survey of the universe, is so simple as not to believe that there is Deity in everything, penetrating it, embracing it, and seated in it? For all things depend on Him Who is, nor can there be anything which has not its being in Him Who is. If, therefore, all things are in Him, and He in all things, why are they scandalized at the plan of Revelation when it teaches that God was born among men, that same God Whom we are convinced is even now not outside mankind?

The Great Catechism XXIV-XXVThat Deity should be born in our nature, ought not reasonably to present any strangeness to the minds of those who do not take too narrow a view of things. For who, when he takes a survey of the universe, is so simple as not to believe that there is Deity in everything, penetrating it, embracing it, and seated in it? For all things depend on Him Who is, nor can there be anything which has not its being in Him Who is. If, therefore, all things are in Him, and He in all things, why are they scandalized at the plan of Revelation when it teaches that God was born among men, that same God Whom we are convinced is even now not outside mankind?

Hebrews 11:3Creatio Ex Nihilo

Fiat CreationismBut . . .

Acts 17:27-28“ . . . though He is not far from each one of us;

for in Him we live and move and exist . . . “

WE GET FROM HIM TO US . . .In that He never left usIn that He never left us

AS GOD IS . . . SO ARE WE.

S Sp

F

GOD

IS

Is No

tIS IS

Is NotIs Not

(Around) (To Dance)

All creatures, so all Unified – alike as God’s Creation

All creatures, distinct but working together – each with

a place

Heb. 11:3; Acts 17:25-28Constitution/Function

Body of Christ

Marriage & Parenting

AS GOD IS . . . SO ARE WE.

CCS Systematic Theology

Perichoresis