Saint Bonaventure's Disputed Questions on the Mystery of the Trinity

by Bonaventure, Zachery Hayes

This translation by Zachary Hayes made Bonaventure's study on the Trinity available in English for the first time. A leading Bonaventure scholar and theologian, Zachary Hayes, OFM, in an important, 90-page introduction explicates the Trinitarian thought of the Seraphic Doctor and situates these Questiones disputatae in the history of theology. The distinctiveness of the text lies in the fact that it carries out an analysis of the interrelationship between philosophical metaphysics and trinitarian doctrine with an explicitness and thoroughness seldom if ever found elsewhere.

After locating Bonaventure's thought historically, this book presents a detailed statement of his approach to the major trinitarian questions. A quick glance at the text reveals the fact that it is a highly specialized treatise which makes no pretense of presenting the basic trinitarian issues.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Christianity, Religion

273 pages

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Bonaventure (b. 1221 as John of Fidanza) was an Italian medieval scholastic theologian and philosopher, the eighth Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor. He was a Cardinal Bishop of Albano. He was canonized on 14 April 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV and declared a Doctor of the Church in the year 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. He is known as the "Seraphic Doctor" (Latin: "Doctor Seraphicus"). Many writings believed in the Middle Ages to be his are now collected under the name Pseudo-Bonaventura.

Reviews

[Erick]

This book pretty much concludes my studies on the Trinity for the time being. I have now read Hilary's, Augustine's, Richard of St. Victor's and Bonaventure's books dedicated to the Trinity. Bonaventure's was probably the most exacting intellectually. His work largely centers around difficulties in the doctrine and addresses oppositional points. It is a really good book if one wants to know how to address just about any criticism that could be voiced against the doctrine of the Trinity. There's quite a bit of Aristotelianism in here and that doesn't always make for an overly enjoyable read -indeed, sometimes a downright tedious one. Most of the Aristotelian terminology is difficult when you are 1) not proficient in Aristotle, and 2) not aware of the issues regarding Aristotelian concepts in the middle ages. I have read a fair amount of Plato, but I have not read Aristotle; although, I am familiar with his philosophy. I am more aligned with the Platonism of the Dominican mystics than the Aristotelianism of the Franciscan philosophers. That being said, there are some philosophical concepts that would probably make Aristotle a necessary study for me in the future. But it'll have to wait till after I finish Plotinus.
As it stands, this was a good book to finish my study with. It dealt with oppositional points and that is an excellent supplement to my previous reading. Bonaventure addresses those points succinctly and astutely; and any Christian who wants to be able to handle those critical questions would do well to read this book. Be warned though, it might take some effort to really attune one's apprehension to antiquated concepts.

[Kexuan Yang]

This book is composed of eight questions and all questions (except for the last one) is composed of two articles. The first articles defend a monism that can be found in any mature religious traditions while the second articles articulate a distinctively Christian ontology of love, relations, personhood and community that challenges not only Arianism but also individualism in general (even in secular spheres).

It can be recommended to people of whatever faith since it is a dealing with the perennial problem of one and plurality since Plato's Parmenides. I cannot judge whether Bonaventure gave most of these ideas by himself (I have not read John of Damascus and Richard of St Victor yet) but if he did, this book is a work of supreme genius. Some Aristotle and Augustine are preliminary. Some modern Greek theologians criticise the West for a lack of understanding of personhood but both Bonaventure and Edith Stein have developed a high metaphysics of persons with only limited access to Eastern traditions.

Bonaventure's writings are dense and sometimes of unfathomable depth. My poor understanding is not here to judge whether he is right and this book does require multiple readings. When writing this book Bonaventure was still an academic theologian with a calm, scholastic style. For the time being I will read his later proto-Lutheran roars against Aristotle in his Collations on Hexaemeron and stop reading him for a while.