Perichoresis (Mutual Indwelling)
Three divine persons dwelling in one another without blur or confusion
Perichoresis, or mutual indwelling, describes how the three divine persons of the Trinity interpenetrate and indwell one another without confusion. John of Damascus applied the term to the Trinity, while Maximus had earlier used it of Christ's natures. The image guards both the distinction of the persons and the unity of the one God, each fully sharing the divine life of the others.
How it traveled
- JohnEphesus · c. 100 CEexplains
- Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)Alexandria · c. 373 CEexplains
- De Spiritu SanctoCaesarea (Cappadocia) · c. 379 CEexplains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · c. 390 CEexplains
- Against EunomiusNyssa · c. 395 CEexplains
- On the Holy SpiritMilan · c. 397 CEexplains
- Exposition of the Christian FaithMilan · c. 397 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- On the Holy TrinityHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox FaithDamascus · c. 749 CEexplains
- MonologiumCanterbury · c. 1109 CEexplains
- Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43])Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Book First. of the Knowledge of God the CreatorGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Discourse III. ———————————— Chapter XXIII.—Texts Explained; Seventhly, John xiv. 10 Introduction. The doctrine of the coinherence. The Father and the Son Each whole and perfect God. They are in Each
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
The Greek runs thus:—καὶ τὴν ἐν ἀλλήλαις περιχώρησιν ἔχουσι δίχα πάσης συναλοιφῆς καὶ συμφύρσεως. The term περιχώρησις, circumincessio, immanentia, was meant to express the peculiarity of the relation
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Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
In accordance with §1, note 10, Thomassin observes that by the mutual coinherence or indwelling of the Three Blessed Persons is meant ‘not a commingling as of material liquids, nor as of soul with bod
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Book First. of the Knowledge of God the Creator · John Calvin
17. On the other hand, the Scriptures demonstrate that there is some distinction between the Father and the Word, the Word and the Spirit; but the magnitude of the mystery reminds us of the great reve
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The Father and the Son and their Spirit exist equally the one in the other. IT is a most interesting consideration that the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit of both, exist in one For the Father e
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On the Holy Trinity · Augustine of Hippo
7. And even if there are some bodies which cannot be wholly separated and divided, yet they would not be bodies unless they consisted of their own proper parts. A part then is predicated relatively to
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
All things are far apart from God, not in place but in nature. In our case, thoughtfulness, and wisdom, and counsel come to pass and go away as states of being. Not so in the case of God: for with Him
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
Therefore, in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ, seeing that we recognise that He has two natures but only one subsistence compounded of both, when we contemplate His natures we speak of His divinity
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On the Holy Trinity · Augustine of Hippo
18. Since, then, these three, memory, understanding, will, are not three lives, but one life; nor three minds, but one mind; it follows certainly that neither are they three substances, but one substa
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John · John Chrysostom
“What then? Is it through the power of the Father that no man plucketh them away, and hast thou no strength, but art too weak to guard them?” By no means. And in order that thou mayest learn that the
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Treatise on The Most Holy Trinity (QQ[27-43]) · Thomas Aquinas
Objection 1: It would seem that the Son and the Father are not in each other. For the Philosopher (Phys. iv, text. 23) gives eight modes of one thing existing in another, according to none of which is
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Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
11. They fall into the same folly with the Arians; for Arians also say that He was created for us, that He might create us, as if God waited till our creation for His issue, as the one party say, or H
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
In the first Book of his Contra Arianos Athanasius refers to Christ’s word in St. John xiv. 28. He remarks that He does not say “the Father is better (κρείσσων) than I,” lest it should be inferred tha
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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo
17. Behold, says some one, the Son has been sent; and the Father is greater, because He sent. Withdraw from the flesh; the old man suggests oldness in time. Let the ancient, the perpetual, the eternal
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A Treatise on Faith and the Creed · Augustine of Hippo
Non unus esset Pater et Filius, sed unum essent = how the Father and the Son were not one in person, but were one in essence. 1 Cor. xi. 3 In reference probably to John viii. 25, where the Vulgate g
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With regard to his attempting to show that we say the Only-begotten God is ungenerate, it is as though he should say that we actually define the Father to be begotten: for either statement is of the s
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De Spiritu Sancto · Basil of Caesarea
Chapter XXV. That Scripture uses the words “in” or “by,” ἐν, cf. note on p. 3, in place of “with.” Wherein also it is proved that the word “and” has the same force as “with.” 58. It is, however, ask
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John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith · John of Damascus
All Scripture, then, is given by inspiration of God and is also assuredly profitableFor every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be openedask thy
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Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
Letter XI. (a.d. 389.) To Nebridius Augustin Sends Greeting. 1. When the question, which has long been brought before me by you with something even 2. Hear, therefore, the view which I hold concer
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It proceeds as a whole from the Father, and as a whole from the Son, and yet does not exist except as one love. IT should be carefully considered whether there are two loves, one proceeding from the
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