Persons Divine and Human: an Analogical Conception

Abstract

The concept of person underlies every major claim of Christian theology and ethics. Person is presupposed in how we understand relations with one another, with the world, and with God. But elucidating what the concept means has always been difficult, even elusive.1 By drawing out analogies between divine and human persons, some mutual illumination can be obtained; something beyond mystery can be said. This article will begin with the concept of the person that emerged in the Trinitarian and Christological debates, and will end with an analogical conception of human persons in light of the Trinitarian Persons.