The Psychological Analogy for the Trinity: At Odds with Modernity

Abstract

The dominant role played by the psychological analogy in Trinitarian theology has largely been rejected by twentieth-century theology. This paper reviews the role of the analogy in the work of Aquinas and argues that the analogy embeds certain philosophical positions deeply at odds with modernity and post-modernity. It further suggests that this embedding may in fact be part of its point, if we view the doctrine of the Trinity as culturally transformative.