God as Relatio Subsistens: A Glossary of Terms

Self-Standing Givenness An Intro

Following this intro is a comprehensive list of terms I’m regularly updating to give my theology a robust basis to be learned from. So, if you don’t want to sit through a defense of the SSGO you can skip this intro and scroll down to the bottom and see the glossary of terms. Enjoy! -Robert Moses Dryer

TLDR

In my theological ontology, the distinctions between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not divide or multiply the one divine essence, thus avoiding tritheism. Similarly, the relational modes are eternal and intrinsic to God’s nature, avoiding modalism. Each Person is fully realized in their relational identity while remaining unified in the simple divine essence. By using relations of self-givenness as foundational metaphysical primitives, these relational identities provide the necessary explanatory depth, ensuring dynamic distinctions without relying on static identity claims. I call this ontology the SSGO, or Self-Standing Givenness Ontology. I borrowed the phrasing from Dr. Donald Wallenfang and Jean-Luc Marion, who use terms like “givenness” and “being given” in their phenomenology. However, in the case of Marion at least, there is a sense of metaphysical skepticism and an emphasis on phenomenology rather than systematic metaphysical explanation. My own disposition is biased toward problem-solving, with my specific interest in the interface between divine simplicity and Trinity, which is why I employ Professor Jiri Benovsky’s contributions below, to allow me to take this phrasing naively and attempt to contribute to the more traditional metaphysical demands of Catholic theological metaphysics around the doctrine of God. I hope you enjoy it.

SSGO in Depth

Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) is a theological framework that grounds all of reality in relationality. It harmonizes divine simplicity with the distinctions within the Trinity, presenting a dynamic understanding of God’s essence and existence. SSGO shifts from the essence-existence distinction and emphasizes relationality as the foundational principle for understanding God’s essence.

Conceptual Friction: The Challenge of Traditional Metaphysical Distinctions

Conceptual friction arises when traditional distinctions—like the essence-existence distinction—are applied to explain both unity and distinctions within the Trinity. While useful for contingent beings, these distinctions create complexity when applied to divine realities, especially God’s nature as pure act.

In Thomistic metaphysics, the essence-existence distinction is crucial for explaining created beings. Essence defines what they are, and existence explains that they are. However, for God (Being Itself), applying this distinction creates an artificial separation where none exists. God is unified, with no real distinction between essence and existence.

Applying this distinction to the Trinity risks suggesting a compositional complexity foreign to divine nature. SSGO resolves this issue by grounding divine reality in relationality, avoiding unnecessary metaphysical distinctions suited for contingent beings.

SSGO’s Grounding of Relationality: A Solution

SSGO centers relationality as the grounding principle that reconciles divine simplicity and Trinitarian distinctions. By emphasizing relational self-givenness, SSGO avoids the essence-existence framework and resolves the tension between unity and distinction.

I know I sound like I’m down playing Saint Thomas, and that’s not my intent. Saint Thomas has relational distinctions, relations of origin, and a profoundly powerful way of explaining reality through the essence and existence real distinction. My theological ontology complements and in a sense goes beyond it by introducing elegance and simplicity to his explanatory power: God’s being is realized in eternal relational self-givenness. As the creed says, “God from God.” I take this to mean God is fully given, in the Trinity that is. So my theological ontology bypasses the complexity of applying the essence-existence distinction to divine simplicity and the essence of God talk. While distinctions likes Aquinas’s are useful for creation, SSGO sees relationality as a universal principle, allowing for a dynamic metaphysical vision where God’s essence is expressed through distinct, unified Persons of the Trinity.

A Dynamic Relational Grounding: Avoiding Artificial Dualism

SSGO introduces dynamic relational grounding to avoid treating essence and existence as separable components of being. God’s essence is not an abstract substance but is intrinsically tied to the eternal relations of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These relations of origin are not just distinctions but are key to understanding divine simplicity.

This reframes the tension between divine simplicity and Trinitarian distinctions. While Thomas Aquinas explained unity and distinction through relations of origin—where the Persons are distinct by relationships but share the same simple essence—SSGO builds on this by grounding unity and distinctions directly in relational self-givenness. By using relational modes as metaphysical primitives, SSGO treats God as relational through and through, without making an “exception to the rule” where relations only apply at origin. This approach balances transcendence and immanence, providing the explanatory depth that a purely essence-based model might lack.

At this juncture there is a key difference between mine and Aquinas’s framework. Specifically, the difference lies in how relationality is treated as a foundational concept. In Aquinas’s system, relations of origin (e.g., the Father begetting the Son) are essential to distinguishing the Persons without compromising divine simplicity. However, Aquinas’s approach doesn’t fully integrate relationality as the very core of divine essence; it primarily applies relationality to explain distinctions among the Persons. But my view, in contrast, uses relational self-givenness as a metaphysical primitive, embedding relationality as the foundation of both unity and distinction within God’s essence. This shift captures both the unity and diversity of the Trinity continuously, seeing relationality as expressing the divine essence itself rather than merely explaining origins. By grounding divine simplicity in this ever-active relational self-givenness, SSGO aims to close interpretive gaps that might appear in more static or origin-focused frameworks, offering a more dynamic account of God as relation “through and through.”

This approach emphasizes relationality not only as an explanation for personal distinctions but as a complete metaphysical framework that sees God’s very being as relationally constituted, rather than relying on a structural distinction between essence and relation.

Example for Clarity

Consider an oak tree, where essence and existence are distinct. Applying this to God introduces complexity. SSGO shows that such distinctions are unnecessary because God’s essence is actualized in eternal relational self-givenness.

Refined Identity: Moving Beyond Static Labels

Jiri Benovsky, in The Routledge Handbook of Metametaphysics, argues that metaphysical primitives are fundamental starting points for explanation. In SSGO, relational identities function as such primitives for the divine Persons. While identity claims like “the Father is the same as the divine essence” are true, they are insufficient for explaining relational distinctions within the Trinity.

Benovsky emphasizes that primitives do explanatory work without decomposition. In SSGO, the Father’s and Son’s identities are not static labels but relational primitives—realized through eternal acts of self-giving. These relational acts do not require further breakdown and explain the internal structure of the Trinity without relying on static identity claims.

SSGO shares similar concerns and intuitions as Benovsky, particularly the need for articulating how distinctions within the Trinity operate in a continuously relational way. Both approaches recognize that merely asserting identity claims without exploring the active, relational dynamics falls short of deeper metaphysical inquiry. By directly pursuing a relational account of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity, SSGO reduces conceptual friction and successfully explains how relational self-givenness constitutes divine identity. This allows for a richer, more continuous understanding of distinctions within divine simplicity.

SSGO not only deepens the understanding of relational distinctions within the Trinity but also addresses contemporary, often naive reinterpretations of the monarchy of the Father doctrine. Specifically, I do this by providing a framework where consubstantiality and perichoresis can be harmonized and just being a thing in a strong way. Thus, SSGO ensures that non-subordinationist insinuations do not creep into the doctrine of God. This approach respects the co-equality and co-eternity of the Persons, maintaining their real distinctions without compromising their unified essence, offering a more theologically robust and philosophically coherent account of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity dynamic.

Grounding and Relationality as Key to Simplicity and Distinctions

In SSGO, relationality serves as the grounding primitive that explains both divine simplicity and Trinitarian distinctions. Framing the Father, Son, and Spirit’s distinctions as eternal relational modes avoids unnecessary metaphysical decomposition. This approach preserves both elegance and depth in understanding divine realities.

Conclusion: SSGO as a Transcendent Framework

SSGO transcends traditional metaphysical frameworks by grounding reality in relationality. Drawing from Benovsky’s insights, SSGO avoids the pitfalls of identity-based explanations. It offers a framework reconciling divine simplicity with real Trinitarian distinctions. The eternal, non-processual nature of divine relationality grounds both divine and created realities, resolving tensions from traditional metaphysical categories.

In SSGO, the relationship between Creator and creation is non-competitive—creation’s dependence on God does not imply any change or new relation in God. This framework captures the eternal, dynamic reality of God’s being without implying process, grounding all distinctions in the eternal relational act of self-givenness.

Key Terms Used Above:

          1.       Relational Self-Givenness

Definition: The eternal act in which God’s essence is fully realized through the mutual, relational self-giving among the divine Persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This act of self-giving is not sequential or processual but is eternally constitutive of each Person’s identity within the one divine essence.

          2.       Conceptual Friction

Definition: The tension that arises when applying traditional metaphysical distinctions, such as the essence-existence distinction, to divine realities. While these distinctions are useful for explaining contingent beings, they can introduce unnecessary conceptual complexity when applied to God, especially when considering God’s pure, unified act of existence. SSGO, through its relational ontological framework, preserves the explanatory power of the essence-existence distinction where appropriate, but introduces elegance by grounding relational distinctions from the outset, simplifying the explanation of divine unity and distinction without requiring this distinction within God.

          3.       Relational Modes

Definition: The unique, eternal ways in which each divine Person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—fully expresses the one divine essence. These modes are relational identities rather than static labels, constituting the personal distinctions within the Trinity without implying process, change, or division in the divine essence.

          4.       Metaphysical Primitives

Definition: Fundamental, irreducible realities that serve as the explanatory foundation for understanding the internal relations within the Trinity. In SSGO, relational modes are primitives that ground both the unity and distinctions within God, providing explanatory depth without further decomposition.

          5.       Grounding Relations

Definition: The metaphysical structure that explains how one reality (like the personal distinctions in the Trinity) is rooted in or dependent on another, more fundamental reality (like relational self-givenness). In SSGO, grounding relations explain the eternal relationality within God without introducing temporal or causal processes.

          6.       Dynamic Simplicity

Definition: The understanding of divine simplicity not as a static unity but as an eternal, non-processual act of relational self-givenness. The simplicity of God is expressed in the full, indivisible oneness of His essence through the distinct relational modes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

          7.       Refined Identity

Definition: A deeper understanding of identity in SSGO, where the identity of the divine Persons is not static but is eternally constituted through their relational acts. The Father’s identity as Father and the Son’s identity as Son are realized through their eternal self-givenness, not as mere labels but as dynamic relational realities.

          8.       Non-Competitive Relation

Definition: The relationship between Creator and creation in SSGO, where creation’s dependence on God does not imply any change or new relation in God. God’s self-givenness remains eternal and immutable, while creatures participate in God’s relational life without affecting or altering His essence.

          9.       Essence-Existence Distinction: Differentiates between what a being is (essence) and that it is (existence). For created beings, these are distinct, while in God they are identical.

Thus the argument can be broken down like such…

Premise 1: Divine Simplicity and Unified Essence 

God is simple and indivisible; His essence is His act of being (actus purus), making Him absolutely unified. This aligns with SSGO’s understanding that God’s essence is fully realized without any internal division. 

Premise 2: Relational Distinctions Do Not Divide the Essence 

In SSGO, relational distinctions among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not divide the one essence. These distinctions are intrinsic relational modes, not separable parts or additional entities. This preserves divine simplicity, avoiding tritheism, which would imply three separate gods. 

Premise 3: Relational Modes Are Eternal and Intrinsic 

The relational modes are eternal and intrinsic to God’s nature. Each Person is a distinct, fully realized identity without being mere roles or aspects. This avoids modalism by affirming real and eternal distinctions between the Persons. 

Premise 4: Relations of Self-Givenness as Metaphysical Primitives 

Relations of self-givenness are metaphysical primitives, fundamental and irreducible realities. These serve as the grounding principles that explain both the unity and distinctions within the divine essence without implying composition or division. 

Intermediate Conclusion 1: SSGO Maintains Divine Simplicity While Affirming Distinctions 

Therefore, SSGO maintains divine simplicity while affirming real, eternal distinctions among the divine Persons. Premises 1, 2, and 3 collectively establish this conclusion. 

Premise 5: Avoidance of Tritheism and Modalism 

By not dividing the essence (avoiding tritheism) and not reducing the Persons to mere roles or aspects (avoiding modalism), SSGO aligns with orthodox Trinitarian doctrine. 

Premise 6: Providing Explanatory Depth Through Metaphysical Primitives 

The use of relations of self-givenness as metaphysical primitives provides a robust framework that explains the Trinity, offering necessary explanatory depth. 

Final Conclusion: SSGO Successfully Reconciles Divine Simplicity with Trinitarian Distinctions 

SSGO reconciles divine simplicity with Trinitarian distinctions. It presents a model where each Person in the Trinity is fully distinct yet relationally grounded in the one simple essence, thus offering both theological coherence and philosophical robustness. 

Addressing Potential Objections 

1. Concern About Composition in God 

Objection: Relational distinctions could imply composition. 

Response: In SSGO, distinctions are intrinsic modes of the one essence’s self-actualization, not additional parts, thus preserving simplicity. 

2. Complexity vs. Simplicity 

Objection: Metaphysical primitives could introduce complexity. 

Response: The primitives explain divine simplicity without adding complexity. They clarify how relationality is fundamental to God’s essence. 

3. Eternal Relations and Change 

Objection: Dynamic relational distinctions might imply change. 

Response: The relational modes are eternal and unchanging, constituting the Persons without implying any temporal process.

Thus, SSGO effectively reconciles divine simplicity with real distinctions in the Trinity, avoiding both tritheism and modalism while offering a compelling metaphysical framework that deepens our understanding of God’s nature.

Terms (roughly) in alphabetical order:

A Deeply Informed Catholicism: A text-based tradition that embodies the rich theological, doctrinal, and spiritual heritage of the Catholic Church as represented by foundational texts such as the Denzinger, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the writings of the Doctors of the Church, and the Bible. This tradition seeks to present Catholic thought in its fullest context, integrating scriptural, magisterial, and theological insights in a coherent and systematic manner. It aims to ensure that theological reflections are deeply rooted in the historical and doctrinal continuity of the Church, emphasizing fidelity to the authentic teachings as preserved through these authoritative texts.

Action (theory within RE Theory)

Action: The principle that explains the intentional and relational activities of God within the Relational Essence (RE) Theory. In this framework, God’s actions are understood as intrinsically intentional, directly stemming from His divine nature and essence. These actions are fundamentally relational, reflecting God’s intrinsic relational nature within the Trinity (Relatio Subsistens). God’s actions are purposeful and directed towards specific ends, emphasizing a teleological orientation within the relational framework. The RE Theory maintains that God’s actions are not emanationist but are dynamic engagements with creation that preserve divine immutability and simplicity. This understanding integrates both temporal changes and the eternal relational presence of God, highlighting the interplay between God’s eternal nature and His engagement with the temporal processes of creation. The principle of action in the RE Theory underscores the purposeful, intentional, and relational nature of God’s interactions with the created order, ensuring a coherent and theologically sound explanation of divine activity.

Active Participation in SSGO:

• Active participation involves conscious, self-giving engagement in relationships. This mode applies to exocentric beings, like humans, who actively participate by giving of themselves in relationships.
• Active participation is essential for identity formation in beings capable of self-awareness, as they shape their identity through acts of love, dialogue, and reciprocal engagement.

Actualization

Actualization: The process by which potentialities within entities are realized or brought into being. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, actualization refers to the dynamic unfolding of inherent potentials through relational interactions. This concept emphasizes that the realization of potential states is fundamentally relational and occurs within the framework of divine providence and relational dynamics. Actualization involves the transition from a state of possibility to a state of reality, guided by the interconnectedness of all entities and their relational engagements. It also serves as a conceptual mechanism for dynamism, highlighting the continuous and evolving nature of relational processes.

Act of self-actualization

The process by which an entity realizes or fulfills its own potential independently, without reliance on external factors. In the context of theology, it refers to how each divine Person fully actualizes the divine essence in a self-sufficient manner. This concept emphasizes the self-sufficiency of the divine Persons, highlighting that their existence and actions are rooted entirely within themselves, without any external influence. (Term in the SSGO.)

Act of subsistence

The state or act of existing independently and self-sufficiently. In theological terms, it describes how a divine Person exists as a distinct reality within the Godhead, possessing existence in and of itself without dependency. It underscores the individuality of each Person in the Trinity, affirming that each one subsists uniquely yet without dividing the divine essence. (Term in the SSGO.)

Actus purus

A Latin term meaning “pure act.” It denotes God as fully actualized, possessing no potentiality or change. God is understood as pure actuality, embodying the fullness of being without any imperfection or limitation. This term is central to classical theism, emphasizing God’s unchanging and eternal nature, which is fully realized and lacks any unrealized potential. When you hear people talk about divine simplicity being about having no parts this is the sense they mean, or should mean. The idea of God having no parts is a metaphysical take, not merely a mereological take.

Actualistic-like Worldview

Actualistic-like Worldview: A perspective within Catholic thought that interprets metaphysics through a synthesis of Aristotelianism, Neoplatonism, and other philosophical traditions, emphasizing the actuality of being and substance. This worldview characterizes the Catholic tradition’s approach to understanding reality, where metaphysical concepts are filtered and harmonized through a focus on actual existence and relational dynamics. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, this worldview maintains a substance-based ontology while integrating the dynamic and interconnected nature of relational interactions, reflecting the Church’s historical propensity to balance abstract potentialities with the concrete actuality of relational being.

In contradistinction, the RE Theory re-appropriates and reinterprets this traditional actualistic-like worldview by shifting the focus from substance to relationality as the foundational concept of reality. While the actualistic-like worldview centers on the actuality of being and substance, the RE Theory emphasizes the primacy of relational dynamics, viewing entities as fundamentally constituted by their relationships. This reinterpretation seeks to provide a more nuanced and dynamic understanding of existence, where relationality itself is the essence of all being. The RE Theory thus offers a relational ontology that moves beyond the potential static substance-based metaphysics, proposing a framework where the interconnectedness and ongoing interactions between entities are the core reality.

Analogy

Analogy in classical Catholic theology is a mode of predication that acknowledges both similarity and an ever greater dissimilarity between God and creation. It contrasts with univocal terms (which convey identical meaning in all contexts) and plurivocal terms (which convey completely different meanings). Analogical language allows finite terms to speak truly of God while preserving His transcendence. In semiotics, analogy signifies a relational likeness where signs reference God analogously, pointing to a truth that can be approached but never fully captured, emphasizing the infinite distance between Creator and creature. If Analogy is intended to be used in an ontological sense (which should be avoided), then see Analogia Entis below.

Analogical Framework

Analogical Framework: A conceptual approach that uses analogy to explain the relationships and interactions between divine and created realities. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, an analogical framework helps to bridge the gap between the infinite nature of God and the finite nature of creation. This framework posits that while divine relational dynamics are unique and perfect, created beings participate in these dynamics in an analogous way. The use of analogy allows for meaningful and coherent discourse about the similarities and differences between divine and created relationality, enhancing our understanding of both.

Analogia Entis

Analogia Entis: The analogy of being, a philosophical concept articulated by Erich Przywara, that describes the relationship between God and creation based on their similarity and dissimilarity, and in the case of God there’s always an ever greater dissimilarity. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, Analogia Entis is used to articulate how created beings reflect the relational nature of God in an analogous manner. This concept suggests that while there is a fundamental distinction between the Creator and creation, there is also a real participation of created beings in the relational essence of God. The analogy of being helps to explain how finite entities can partake in the infinite relational dynamics of the divine while maintaining their own distinct existence.

Causal Relations

Causal Relations: The interactions between entities that involve cause-and-effect dynamics. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, causal relations emphasize how different entities influence each other through their relational engagements. These relations are integral to understanding how changes occur within creation and how divine action interacts with the created order. Causal relations are seen as specific instances of relational dynamics where the effect of one entity’s action on another is highlighted, illustrating the interconnected and interdependent nature of all reality.

Causality

Causality: The principle that explains the relationship between causes and their effects. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, causality is understood as a relational process where the interactions between entities lead to changes and developments within the created order. This concept highlights that causality is not merely a mechanical or linear process but is deeply embedded in the relational framework that connects all entities. Divine causality is viewed as relational, where God’s will and actions bring about relational changes without compromising divine immutability or simplicity.

The RE Theory reinterprets causality through its relational ontology, emphasizing dynamic interactions and relational processes. Here are the key components of causality within the RE Theory. Relational Cause: Causality is seen as the outcome of relational interactions between entities. This includes both the divine relational influence and the interactions among created beings. Divine Relationality: God’s relational essence (Relatio Subsistens) is the ultimate source of all relational dynamics, meaning that God’s causality is inherently relational and interwoven with the fabric of creation. Temporal and Eternal Dynamics: The RE Theory considers both temporal changes and the eternal relational presence of God, suggesting that causality operates within both time-bound and timeless contexts.

The RE Theory’s relational causality provides a nuanced and comprehensive explanation of how entities influence each other. By focusing on relational dynamics, it captures the interconnected and interdependent nature of causal interactions. The incorporation of divine relationality ensures that causality is not seen as purely mechanical but as part of a greater, purposeful relational framework. This aligns well with the theological perspective that sees God’s interaction with creation as deeply relational. The relational approach is adaptable to different contexts, allowing for a dynamic understanding of how causes and effects unfold. This is particularly relevant in complex systems where interactions are not linear.

While Aristotle’s material and formal causes focus on the substance and form, the RE Theory integrates these aspects into the broader context of relational interactions. The material and formal aspects are seen as part of the relational web. The RE Theory expands on Aristotle’s efficient cause by emphasizing the relational nature of causality. It views the agent of change not just as an isolated entity but as part of an interconnected relational network. The RE Theory aligns well with Aristotle’s final cause by incorporating the purpose and goals of relational interactions. The teleological aspect is preserved and integrated into the relational framework.

The RE Theory maintains philosophical coherence by providing a clear and structured relational framework for understanding causality. It avoids the pitfalls of reductionism by emphasizing the complexity and interdependence of relational dynamics. Theologically, it aligns with the notion of divine simplicity and the relational nature of God, ensuring that the explanation of causality does not contradict core theological principles.

Causality (in SSGO):

In SSGO a full theory of causality is fleshed out. This model of causality emphasizes relational causality, where entities actualize their being through dynamic self-giving relationships. This contrasts with static or hierarchical causality models by highlighting that causality is not linear or isolated but reciprocal and participatory. All beings co-create their purpose and identity in relation to one another and the divine. God’s causality, as pure act, sustains all reality, ensuring that relational actualization is the means by which truth and being are fully realized. This model integrates divine and created realities seamlessly through relational participation. For the full theory visit this page here:

Causal Relations: Causal relations involve the cause-and-effect dynamics within creation, governed by divine providence. In classical theism, God is understood as the ultimate efficient cause (the source and sustainer of all that exists) and the final cause (the ultimate purpose and end toward which all creation is directed). These relations highlight God’s sovereignty and active involvement in the world while maintaining His immutable nature, as God’s causal actions do not imply any change within His essence.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Catechism of the Catholic Church: The official compendium of Catholic doctrine that systematically presents the teachings of the Church. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, the Catechism serves as an authoritative source that grounds the theological aspects of the theory. It provides doctrinal clarity and support for concepts such as the Trinity, divine simplicity, and relationality. The RE Theory aligns its metaphysical and theological claims with the teachings found in the Catechism to ensure coherence with orthodox Catholic beliefs.

Church Doctors

Church Doctors: Eminent theologians and saints whose teachings are considered authoritative and foundational within the Catholic Church. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, the insights of Church Doctors like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas are integral to developing and supporting the theory. Their works provide deep theological and philosophical reflections that help articulate the relational nature of God and creation. The RE Theory draws upon their writings to ensure that its concepts are deeply rooted in the tradition and wisdom of the Church.

Co-actuality

The simultaneous actualization of multiple entities or aspects within a unified reality. In the doctrine of the Trinity, it refers to the divine Persons existing and acting together harmoniously in perfect unity. Co-actuality highlights the inseparability of the divine Persons’ actions, where each act is a unified expression of the one divine essence. (Term of the SSGO.)

In SSGO, the relational modes of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not only self-sufficient but actively involved in creation. God doesn’t merely sustain the world from a distance—He gives Himself fully, constantly present in all aspects of existence, from creation to the human soul. This gift is not transactional but a continuous offering of His divine essence, inviting creation into the eternal relational harmony of the Trinity. God’s self-giving love models for what the deepest human desire desires, such as to know and be known, love and be loved, for connection, because God is always already reflecting His role as creator, sustainer, and ultimate end.

Communion (in SSGO)

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology, communion is the highest form of relational fulfillment, where all beings participate fully in the ongoing process of mutual self-givenness. It is not a static state but a dynamic interaction where beings are fully actualized through their relationships with others. Communion emerges when participants engage in co-actualization, giving of themselves and receiving from others in a harmonious and continuous manner.

Communion is both eschatological and purposeful in SSGO. Eschatologically, it represents the ultimate goal toward which all relational processes are oriented—the perfect, harmonious unity of all beings within the relational matrix. Purposefully, communion is the immediate fulfillment of relational participation, where each being finds its purpose through its engagement in the network of relationships. This fulfillment is not imposed from outside but arises naturally from the process of self-giving and relational engagement.

Communion in SSGO is grounded in the divine relational life, reflecting the self-giving nature of God. As beings participate in God’s self-givenness, they are drawn into deeper communion with both God and each other. This communion is an ongoing, ever-unfolding reality that brings about the fullest realization of each being’s identity and purpose within the relational matrix.

In short, communion in SSGO is the ultimate realization of relational life, where all participants are fully engaged in mutual self-givenness, co-actualization, and relational fulfillment. It is the state in which beings are continuously actualized through their relationships, both in the present and as the final eschatological reality.

Creator-Creation Distinction

Creator-Creation Distinction: The fundamental theological principle that distinguishes between God (the Creator) and the created order (creation). In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, this distinction is crucial for maintaining the integrity of both divine transcendence and immanence. The Creator is understood as fundamentally relational, yet wholly other and self-sufficient, while creation is relationally dependent on God. This distinction ensures that the relational dynamics within creation do not compromise the unique and unchanging essence of God, preserving the theological coherence of the RE Theory.

God’s engagement with the world is rooted in His relational essence (Relatio Subsistens), where His actions in the world are extensions of His intrinsic relational nature within the Trinity. Central to this understanding is the doctrine of divine simplicity, which affirms that God is not composed of parts but is wholly unified. Thus, His relational nature is an integral aspect of His simple essence. The metaphysical details of this relational being are thoroughly articulated in the RE Theory and its use of the eight categories, which contextualize and distinguish the various aspects of divine and created relations.

Denzinger Text

Denzinger Text: A comprehensive compilation of key theological statements and dogmas of the Catholic Church, often referred to as “Enchiridion Symbolorum.” In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, the Denzinger Text serves as an authoritative reference that supports and validates the theory’s alignment with Catholic doctrine. It provides essential doctrinal clarity on concepts such as the Trinity, divine simplicity, and relationality, ensuring that the RE Theory remains coherent with the established teachings of the Church.

Discrete Newness in the SSGO:

• Discrete newness refers to distinct moments when something new enters the relational network. This can be an event, a new relational subject, or a new way of being.
• In SSGO, discrete newness is not just a gradual unfolding but a qualitative leap—a sudden introduction of new relational identity.

Divine Attributes

Divine Attributes: The inherent qualities or characteristics of God that define His nature. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, divine attributes are understood as expressions of God’s relational essence. Attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are seen as relationally grounded, emphasizing that God’s interactions with creation are manifestations of these inherent qualities. The RE Theory aligns the discussion of divine attributes with the relational dynamics within the Trinity and between God and creation.

Divine Essence/Nature

Divine Nature: The inherent essence or being of God, characterized by relationality in the Relational Essence (RE) Theory. This concept emphasizes that God’s nature is fundamentally relational, as expressed in the unity and distinction within the Trinity. The divine nature encompasses all of God’s attributes and actions, which are understood as relationally constituted. The RE Theory views the divine nature as simple, unified, and dynamically relational, ensuring coherence with traditional Catholic teachings.

Divine essence is the fundamental nature or substance of God, which is singular, indivisible, and encompasses all that God is. It is the shared and unified essence fully possessed by each divine Person. Understanding the divine essence is crucial for grasping how the Trinity operates within a monotheistic framework, ensuring that the three Persons are one in being.

Divine freedom

The attribute of God that signifies His ability to act without external compulsion or necessity. God’s actions are free and not determined by anything outside Himself, reflecting His self-sufficiency and sovereignty. This freedom ensures that God’s will is not constrained, allowing for genuine relationships with creation based on love rather than necessity.

In the context of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), divine freedom takes on a slightly different nuance compared to traditional conceptions. Here are a few key points to understand divine freedom within this framework:

1.  Self-sufficiency and non-dependency: Divine freedom in SSGO emphasizes that God’s actions, including the eternal processions within the Trinity and any act toward creation, arise entirely from within God’s own essence. There is no external compulsion, force, or necessity that influences God’s actions. In SSGO terms, God is entirely self-standing, meaning His freedom is rooted in His self-sufficiency and non-dependency. He is the source of His own being and action, and His will is intrinsically free because it arises from the very nature of His essence.
2.  Relational Freedom: In SSGO, divine freedom is also expressed through the relational distinctions within the Trinity. Each divine Person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—fully actualizes the one divine essence in a self-sufficient manner, meaning the relational identities of the divine Persons are not determined by external factors. The Son is begotten from the Father, but this begetting is not a dependency or constraint; it is an expression of the self-standing, relational freedom of the divine essence. Similarly, the Spirit proceeds, but this procession is free, arising naturally and eternally from the divine essence itself.
3.  Divine freedom and creation: In SSGO, God’s freedom extends to His relationship with creation. God creates freely, not out of necessity or need. Since the divine essence is self-standing and fully actualized, there is no lack or imperfection in God that would require creation to fulfill. Instead, creation is a free, self-giving act that expresses God’s abundant nature. This act of creation is entirely non-contingent, arising from the overflow of God’s self-sufficient essence, and it reflects the same relational dynamic seen within the Trinity—creation is a free extension of the divine self-givenness.
4.  Freedom as intrinsic to essence: Divine freedom in SSGO is not an external attribute added to God’s nature, but rather, it is intrinsic to the very essence of God. Since God’s essence is fully self-standing and self-actualizing, God’s freedom is inherent in His being. This is why, within the SSGO framework, the divine actions are described as self-standing actions—they arise freely from God’s essence without external necessity or constraint.

In summary, divine freedom in SSGO is understood as an expression of God’s self-sufficiency and relational identity. It is a freedom that flows from God’s self-standing nature, both in the internal relations of the Trinity and in relation to creation. This preserves divine simplicity while affirming that God acts freely, without external influence or constraint, and ensures that God’s freedom is as fundamental to His essence as His relational distinctions.

Divine Simplicity

Divine Simplicity: The doctrine that God is not composed of parts and is wholly unified (see Actus Purus). In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, divine simplicity is fundamental to understanding God’s relational essence. This doctrine affirms that God’s relational nature is an integral aspect of His simple essence, without division or complexity. The RE Theory uses divine simplicity to explain how God’s relational interactions with creation are expressions of His unified nature, maintaining theological coherence. In the SSGO, it-the ontology-is designed to harmonize divine simplicity with the doctrine of the Trinity.

Dynamic Actuality

Dynamic Actuality refers to the way God’s essence is eternally and fully realized through relational modes, such as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This shows that God’s simplicity is both fully actual and relationally dynamic. Instead of being static, God’s reality is expressed in the eternal activity of begetting and proceeding, without introducing change or composition. This term is associated with the following:

1.  Relational Modes: Dynamic Actuality is expressed through the relational modes of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, where each mode represents the way in which the one divine essence is fully realized and manifested without introducing division or separability.
2.  Self-Givenness: The dynamic nature of God’s actuality is tied to the concept of self-givenness, where God eternally gives and receives the divine essence within the relational structure of the Trinity, making relational self-giving the expression of God’s full actuality.
3.  Actus Purus: The notion of God as pure act (actus purus) highlights that God is fully actualized without potentiality, and this actuality is relationally dynamic—expressed through eternal begetting and procession without implying any change or unrealized potential.
4.  Non-Composition: Dynamic Actuality emphasizes that even though God’s essence is dynamically realized through relational activities, these do not imply a composite structure. Instead, they reflect the fullness of God’s essence in a way that avoids any separation or parts.

This concept reinforces how God’s simplicity can be understood through relational self-expression without compromising divine unity or introducing a compositional framework.

Dynamic Balance in the SSGO:

• Dynamic balance refers to the continuous movement within relational participation that allows for equilibrium without stagnation. It’s the process by which beings adjust and adapt within their relational contexts, maintaining balance while growing in self-givenness.

Election

Election: The divine act of choosing or predestining individuals or groups for a particular purpose or destiny. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, election is understood as an extension of God’s intrinsic relational nature within the Trinity. This concept emphasizes that God’s acts of election and predestination flow from His relational essence, rather than altering it. The RE Theory situates election within the broader framework of relational dynamics, highlighting how divine providence and relational engagement guide the fulfillment of God’s purposes.

Essence

Essence: The fundamental nature or underlying reality of a being. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, essence is understood as inherently relational, particularly with reference to God. God’s essence, described as “Relatio Subsistens,” signifies that relationality is at the core of His being. This relational essence is constant and unchanging, forming the basis for all intrinsic and extrinsic relations. The RE Theory emphasizes that the essence of God and created beings is defined through their relational interactions.

Eternal Now: The eternal now is a concept that describes God’s existence as encompassing all moments of time simultaneously. Unlike temporal beings, who experience time as a sequence of past, present, and future, God exists in a timeless present where all moments are fully present to Him at once. This eternal now allows God to interact with creation without undergoing change, as His existence is not subject to temporal succession. It is a crucial aspect of understanding God’s immutable nature. In my own work on time and eternity, I use the eternal now concept to refer to God’s unique ontological status when it comes to being his own ordering principal so he stands subject to no thing, but is his relations.

Eternal Relations

Eternal Relations: The relational dynamics within the eternal now of God, emphasizing His timeless existence. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, eternal relations describe the perfect and fully actualized relational interactions within the Trinity. These relations are characterized by mutual indwelling and dynamic unity, transcending temporal constraints. The RE Theory uses the concept of eternal relations to explain how God’s interactions with the temporal world are rooted in His timeless and immutable nature.

Exocentric Givenness

Exocentric Givenness: In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), exocentric givenness is the outward, fully realized, and continuous act of God’s self-disclosure, freely extended toward creation without any antecedent or sequential causation. This act embodies God’s intrinsic relational self-givenness, inviting creation to participate in divine life while preserving God’s essence in absolute simplicity and independence. Rooted in the same undivided relational unity that defines the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), exocentric givenness reveals divine relationality without implying addition, need, or dependency in God. Our understanding of this act is derived externally—from Christ’s teachings, apostolic witness, and doctrinal development—each of which expresses this divine relational nature. As a timeless manifestation of God’s pure actuality, exocentric givenness maintains God’s grace immutability and self-sufficiency, inviting creation into a relational encounter with the divine reality without altering God’s fully actualized being.

Existence

Existence: The state or condition of being, particularly within the framework of relational ontology. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, existence is defined by relational interactions. An entity’s existence is constituted by its participation in relational dynamics with other entities and with God. The RE Theory posits that existence is fundamentally relational, emphasizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of all beings within the divine relational framework.

Extrinsic Relations

Extrinsic Relations: The relational dynamics between God and creation, as well as between created entities. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, extrinsic relations highlight how God interacts dynamically with the world while remaining ontologically distinct and immutable. These relations are external to God’s essence but are essential for understanding how divine providence and sustenance operate within the created order. Extrinsic relations emphasize the continuous and dynamic engagement of God with creation, preserving the Creator-creation distinction.

In my work on time and eternity this distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic relations is crucial for understanding how God can interact with the temporal world while remaining immutable.

Existential Authenticity in SSGO:

• Existential authenticity in SSGO means that a subject’s identity is realized truthfully through its relational participation. To be authentic is to be truthfully given—to fully express one’s relational identity without distortion or disconnection.
• Authenticity emerges from self-givenness and from being in truthful relation with others and God.

Exocentricity in SSGO:

• Exocentricity describes a being’s outward-facing nature—the capacity to give of itself in relationships. Exocentric beings, like humans, are those who participate actively in relational networks, constantly giving of themselves to others and to God.
• Exocentricity is central to identity formation in personal beings, as they are always becoming more fully themselves through self-givenness.

Harmony of divine simplicity and the Trinity

The theological concept that seeks to reconcile the doctrine of divine simplicity–which asserts that God is indivisible and without parts–with the doctrine of the Trinity, which professes that God exists as three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). This harmony emphasizes that the distinctions among the divine Persons do not compromise God’s simplicity, as they are not divisions within God’s essence but relational distinctions intrinsic to God’s unified being. This is possible because the relational distinctions are understood to be subsistent relations or self-standing relational modes that fully actualize the one divine essence without introducing composition or division, thereby demonstrating how God’s simplicity and the reality of the Trinity are coherently maintained.

Hyperrelations

Hyperrelations: The mutual indwelling and fully actualized relational dynamics within the Trinity. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, hyperrelations describe the unique and eternal interactions between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These relations are characterized by perfect unity and distinction, exemplifying the relational essence of God. The concept of hyperrelations is used to explain the profound and incomprehensible nature of divine relationality, which serves as the ultimate model for all other relational dynamics in creation.

Identity

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), identity is defined as the intrinsic self-actualization of the divine essence through relational distinctions that do not introduce division or dependency. Identity is not understood in terms of discreteness or numerical abstraction, which would imply being the same in every respect and objectifiable. Instead, it is realized through self-standing relational modes that fully actualize the one unified essence in distinct ways.

Identity in SSGO aligns with classical theism in that God’s identity is understood as one in essence and three in relation. This is because identity in God is not rooted in a numerically discrete essence (since God is not a discrete object), but rather in relational modes that fully actualize the one divine essence without dividing it. These relational modes exist timelessly through God’s unique self-ordering principle.

The Father’s identity is constituted by His relation to the Son and Spirit (and vice versa), and their oneness is understood as the self-standing relational unity of the divine essence. I agree with Aquinas God has no distinction between his essence and existence this relation is more essential than discreetness.

The SSGO extends the principle of Actus Purus by emphasizing that God’s relational distinctions (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) do not introduce any composition or break in this unity. Instead, these relations are more essential than any notion of discreteness or individuality. The self-standing relational modes in SSGO describe how each divine Person fully actualizes the one divine essence without dividing it, much like how Aquinas affirms that God’s essence and existence are one and indivisible.

In SSGO, this relational understanding provides a way to affirm the distinct Persons of the Trinity without falling into the trap of numerical discreteness or treating God as composed of “parts.” These relations are considered intrinsic and eternal, emphasizing that relationality is how God’s essence is expressed, rather than being seen as a secondary or accidental feature.

Thus, SSGO and Aquinas converge on the crucial point that God’s identity and existence are unified, with relations within the Trinity providing an essential understanding of God’s identity, rather than introducing any division or separateness within God.

This understanding avoids the problem of conceiving God’s identity in creaturely terms, where separate individuals instantiate a nature independently. Instead, the identity of the divine Persons is fully realized through their distinct but united relational modes.

4 heuristic properties frame identity in the SSGO:

1. Non-discreteness: It rejects the modern notion of identity as numerically distinct or objectifiable entities. God is not a discrete object that can be counted or abstracted; rather, God’s identity is non-objectifiable, rooted in the infinite and indivisible nature of the divine essence.
2. Relational constitution: Each divine Person–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–possesses a unique identity through self-standing relational modes. These relational distinctions are real but do not fragment or divide the divine essence, as each Person fully expresses the one essence without dependency on external causality.
3. Self-sufficiency: Identity in SSGO is self-standing and self-actualizing. Each relational mode of the divine Persons arises from within God’s own essence, without any external cause or reference. This maintains the simplicity and unity of God while allowing for real distinctions among the Persons.
4. Non-dependency: The identity of each divine Person is non-dependent, meaning it is fully realized without requiring external relationships or participation. God’s identity is not contingent on creation or anything outside the divine essence, ensuring that God’s transcendence and immanence are preserved in unity.

In other words, SSGO defines identity as the self-sufficient, relational actualization of the one divine essence. Each Person of the Trinity possesses a distinct identity through self-standing relational modes that neither divide the essence nor imply numerical discreteness or external dependency. This understanding maintains both the unity and simplicity of God while upholding real personal distinctions within the divine life.

Finally, in the SSGO this relational understanding of identity is fully expressed relationally through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The relational distinctions do not introduce separability or parts but express the fullness of God’s unified essence. This relational identity ensures that God’s oneness is not static but is dynamically manifested through the eternal modes of begetting and proceeding.

Identity Formation in SSGO:

• Identity formation in SSGO refers to the ongoing process by which a subject’s identity is constituted through relational participation. It is not a fixed essence but a dynamic realization of the subject’s relational being.
• Identity formation happens through both active and passive participation, shaped by how a subject engages in the relational matrix.

Immanence

Immanence: The aspect of God’s nature that denotes His presence and activity within creation. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, immanence emphasizes that God is actively involved in the world, sustaining and guiding it through relational dynamics. This concept highlights that while God is transcendent and ontologically distinct from creation, He is also intimately present and engaged with the relational processes of the created order. The RE Theory integrates immanence with relational ontology to explain how God interacts with creation without compromising His transcendence.

Immutability

Immutability: The doctrine that God is unchanging in His essence, attributes, and purposes. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, immutability is maintained even as God engages dynamically with creation. The theory posits that God’s relational interactions do not imply change or dependency in His nature but are expressions of His immutable and relational essence. Immutability ensures that God’s relationality does not alter His fundamental nature, preserving theological coherence while emphasizing dynamic engagement.

Immutability ensures that God is always the same, reliable, and perfect in His being and actions and relations. See my Piece on Immutability: https://robertdryer.com/immutability/

Intrinsic Relations

Intrinsic Relations: The internal relational dynamics within the Trinity. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, intrinsic relations are foundational and constitutive of God’s very essence. These relations, characterized by perfect unity and mutual indwelling between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, define the relational nature of God. Intrinsic relations highlight how the distinct persons of the Trinity are relationally unified, providing a model for understanding divine simplicity and relationality. The RE Theory uses intrinsic relations to explain the eternal and unchanging nature of God’s relational essence.

intrinsic relational distinctions
In SSGO, these are the real and eternal distinctions among the divine Persons that arise intrinsically from the divine essence without introducing division or dependency. Each Person–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–fully actualizes the one divine essence through their unique self-standing relational modes. These distinctions are not based on external relations or causal sequences but are inherent to the divine essence itself. Intrinsic relational distinctions allow for the Trinity’s real distinctions while preserving divine simplicity and unity. (see self-ordering principle)

Measure: In classical theism, time is defined as a measure of movement or change. It reflects the sequence of events from past to present to future and is characterized by change and succession. Time, as a measure, helps to quantify and understand the progression of events within the created order. This concept is crucial for contrasting the mutable nature of temporal existence with God’s eternal, unchanging nature. Understanding time as a measure allows for a clearer distinction between the created world’s temporal dynamics and God’s timeless existence.

Metaphysics

Metaphysics: The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality, including concepts such as being, existence, and the nature of entities. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, metaphysics explores the relational foundations of all reality, emphasizing that relationality is the core principle that constitutes existence. The RE Theory uses metaphysical inquiry to articulate how entities are relationally defined and interconnected, providing a comprehensive framework that integrates theological and philosophical insights into the nature of God and creation.

Mode of Being

Mode of Being refers to the unique manner in which the divine essence is fully and distinctly expressed by each Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this framework, a mode is not a component or separable part of God’s being; instead, it is a way in which the one, indivisible essence of God is fully manifested. The mode does not introduce anything new to the essence, nor does it imply any division or fragmentation. Rather, it reveals the essence as fully realized in different relational expressions. Each mode—begetting, begottenness, and procession—represents a distinct relational way of expressing the same singular divine reality, maintaining both the unity and simplicity of God’s essence. In this sense, modes of being uphold the relational dynamism of the divine essence while safeguarding against any notion of composition.

Monarchy of the Father

Traditionally, the Monarchy of the Father refers to the theological concept that the Father is the unoriginated source and principle (archē) of the Son and the Holy Spirit within the Trinity. This understanding asserts that the Father alone is the source of the other Persons without implying inequality, as the Son is eternally begotten by the Father and the Spirit proceeds from the Father (and in Western theology, through the Son). This framework underscores the Father’s unique role in the internal life of the Trinity as the origin without being superior or temporal. https://robertdryer.com/monarchy-of-the-father/

The Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) reframes the classical Monarchy of the Father by emphasizing that the Father’s monarchy is not one of origination in a temporal or hierarchical sense but is instead an eternal and complete act of self-givenness. Each Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—fully and equally possesses the one divine essence through unique relational modes, preserving the Father’s role as the source without introducing subordination. This allows SSGO to articulate the monarchy within a framework of dynamic relational co-actualization, avoiding traditional hierarchical connotations.

Modal Relations

Modal Relations: The potentialities and necessities within the created order, understanding how entities possess potential states that are actualized or necessarily constrained. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, modal relations highlight how entities have inherent potentials that unfold through relational interactions and are guided by divine providence. This concept emphasizes that the actualization of potential states is fundamentally relational, occurring within a framework that respects both the contingencies and necessities of created beings. Modal relations provide a structured understanding of how possibilities become realities within the relational dynamics of the world.

Modes of Fullness (SSGO Principle 4)

Modes of Fullness (SSGO Principle 4): A concept within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) that articulates how each Person of the Trinity fully possesses the one indivisible divine essence in distinct relational modes. Each mode of fullness is not a part or property of God but a unique, irreducible way in which the same divine essence is fully and completely actualized. The Father’s mode of fullness is expressed through His eternal act of self-givenness, the Son’s mode is expressed through receiving and returning this essence in perfect love, and the Holy Spirit’s mode is expressed through the co-giving unity that proceeds from the Father and the Son. Modes of fullness safeguard divine simplicity while affirming the real personal distinctions within the Trinity, showing that each Person’s relational identity is a complete possession of the entire essence, emphasizing unity without compromising distinction.

Mode of Relation for Creatures (e.g., Participatory Relational Mode) in SSGO:

• The mode of relation for creatures explains how relationality is structured and experienced by different beings. It asks three key questions to determine how a subject participates in its relational context:
  1. Relational Engagement: Is the creature actively participating (consciously self-giving) or passively participating (being relationally involved without self-giving)?
  2. Reciprocity: Are the relations mutual (two-way interaction) or more one-sided (passive engagement with no reciprocal relation)?
  3. Identity Formation: How does the subject’s identity emerge through this specific mode of relation? Does it become more fully realized or remain passive in its relational context?
  The participatory relational mode focuses on how different kinds of beings engage with the relational matrix, shaping their identity either through active participation or passive involvement.

Mutual Indwelling

Mutual Indwelling: The concept of perichoresis, where the divine Persons of the Trinity interpenetrate and dwell within each other perfectly and fully. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, mutual indwelling is central to understanding the intrinsic relations within the Trinity. This concept illustrates how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct yet unified in their relational essence. Mutual indwelling exemplifies the perfect relational unity of God, serving as a model for all other relational dynamics. The RE Theory uses this concept to explain the depth of divine relationality and its implications for the nature of reality.

Mutual indwelling refers to the perfect and complete presence of each divine Person within the others—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—where they fully share the one essence without confusion or separation. In the context of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), mutual indwelling is characterized by an infinite, continuous exchange of self-givenness that eternally actualizes the fullness of God’s being. This infinite relational exchange signifies that God’s essence is realized through an unending dynamic interplay, preserving both unity and the richness of relational identity.

Mutual Self-Realization (SSGO Principle 5)

Mutual Self-Realization (SSGO Principle 5): A concept within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) that articulates how the distinct identities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully actualized only in and through their eternal relational presence with one another. Mutual self-realization emphasizes that the divine Persons do not merely coexist but exist in and through one another in a dynamic relationship of eternal communion. The identity of each Person is constituted by the interpenetrative and co-defining presence of the others, such that the Father is truly Father only in relation to the Son and Spirit, the Son is fully Son only in relation to the Father and Spirit, and the Spirit is truly Spirit only in relation to the Father and Son. This principle illustrates that the being and identity of each divine Person are inherently relational and co-dependent, preventing any notion of isolated or independent existence within the Trinity. Mutual self-realization integrates the unity and distinction of the Godhead, revealing a living relational actuality where each Person’s identity is dynamically realized through reciprocal presence and eternal relational exchange.

Mysteries Proper

Mysteries Proper: The theological mysteries that are foundational to the Christian faith, which, while not fully comprehensible, are embraced within the framework of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory. These mysteries include the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the divine attributes. In the RE Theory, mysteries proper are understood as aspects of divine reality that transcend human understanding but are accessible through relational engagement and theological reflection. This concept emphasizes the balance between faith and reason, recognizing that some truths about God and creation are deeply relational and inherently mysterious. The RE Theory seeks to elucidate these mysteries through its relational ontology while respecting their profound and incomprehensible nature.

Nothing

Nothing (in Theology): In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, “Nothing” signifies God’s relational simplicity within the Trinity. This term refers to the unity of the divine Persons that transcends and is; presence that pervades; relations that unify; and the perfection of this unity as ultimate reality. This concept, encapsulated in divine simplicity, transcends mere knowing. It resonates with the profound insights of various theological traditions, including the thought of Eriugena, who articulated that the “Nothing” of ultimate Goodness refers to the “Super-essentiality and Supernaturality of the Divine Goodness” (Periphyseon Book 3, section 684D). In the RE Theory, “Nothing” captures the ineffable nature of the Divine, recognizing the transcendence, immanence, unity, and relational realization that characterize the Divine Nature. It invites contemplation and reverence of the ultimate Good, serving as a device for negative theology and fitting within the framework of the RE Theory.

In a deeply informed Catholicism, “Nothing” is defined as the negation of all finite categories and limitations, pointing to the ineffable transcendence of God, who is beyond all created being and conceptual knowledge. This theological understanding of “Nothing” is not an absence or void, but a term used in apophatic (negative) theology to signify the super-essentiality of God’s nature—His utter incomprehensibility and the fact that He is not a thing among other things. In this sense, “Nothing” refers to the pure fullness of being that is beyond any created notion of something, since every attempt to define God through finite categories fails to grasp His infinite and transcendent reality.

This understanding is rooted in the insights of the Church Fathers, mystical theology, and thinkers like Eriugena and Pseudo-Dionysius, who used “Nothing” to express that God’s essence (ousia) transcends even the highest categories of being and intelligibility. The concept of “Nothing” in this framework invites reverent contemplation of God’s superabundant fullness and serves as a reminder that God’s nature is not grasped by human intellect, but only approached through a posture of humble acknowledgment of the divine mystery. Thus, “Nothing” signifies the absolute distinction between Creator and creature, where God is both immanent in all things and infinitely beyond them. This term upholds divine simplicity and perfection, pointing to God as Being Itself while simultaneously affirming that He surpasses all that is conceivable as being, manifesting the paradoxical reality that the fullness of God is known as a kind of “Nothing” to finite minds, who must transcend created categories to glimpse the Super-essential Goodness that is God.

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), the concept of “Nothing” is reframed to capture the paradoxical reality of God’s fullness as a dynamic, self-standing relational act that transcends all finite categories without becoming mere negation. Rather than signifying an absence or void, “Nothing” within SSGO expresses the superabundance of God’s essence as an infinite relationality that cannot be comprehended within created frameworks. In this view, “Nothing” is not the negation of being but the transcendence of being-as-such, indicating that God’s identity is not merely a static possession of essence but a continuous, active realization of His own self-givenness that infinitely exceeds all created notions of presence and absence.

A participatory understanding of “Nothing” within SSGO would involve being drawn into the relational fullness of God’s self-standing act, where creatures participate not by grasping or defining but by receiving and reflecting the inexhaustible mystery of God’s essence as pure relational presence. Participation in this context means entering into the dynamic interplay of divine identity, where God’s “Nothing” signifies a mode of relational actuality that reveals itself through relational distinctions without ever being fully contained by them. This allows “Nothing” to be experienced as a form of plenitude where the created mind encounters the divine as a presence that is always more than any particular relation, a continual excess of self-standing givenness that manifests as the infinite depth of God’s relational identity. Thus, in SSGO, “Nothing” becomes a term for the limitless horizon of God’s self-actualizing essence, a relational plenitude that creatures can participate in through the eternal unfolding of divine life, rather than a mere negation or inaccessibility.

Non-Composition (in SSGO)

Non-Composition is the assertion that God’s essence is not composed of parts, attributes, or separate entities. In SSGO, the relational distinctions between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not introduce any form of composition but are understood as intrinsic modes through which the one simple and indivisible divine essence is fully expressed. These modes—begetting, being begotten, and proceeding—are not separable parts of God but are the eternal, relational ways in which God’s essence is actualized. This ensures that God’s simplicity is preserved, as the distinctions do not divide or fragment the essence but are the relational means by which the essence is fully and dynamically manifest. This concept emphasizes that relationality itself is part of how God’s essence exists, and these relations do not compromise unity but express the fullness of divine being without composition.

This term is closely associated with Dynamic Actuality, Relational Modes, and Self-Givenness, each of which further nuances how relational distinctions express the indivisible essence of God without introducing parts or composition.

non-dependency

The state of not relying on anything else for existence or action. In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology, it emphasizes that God and the divine Persons exist and act independently of any external factors or participation. Non-dependency underlines God’s absolute sovereignty and aseity, highlighting that His existence is self-derived and not contingent upon creation.

Ontological Simplicity and Transcendence (SSGO Principle 3)

Ontological Simplicity and Transcendence (SSGO Principle 3): A principle within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) that upholds that God’s essence is absolutely simple and indivisible, such that the relational distinctions among the divine Persons do not compromise this simplicity. This principle affirms that while the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct relational identities, these distinctions are not separable properties or parts but intrinsic modes of the one essence’s self-actualization. Ontological simplicity ensures that God’s essence remains unified and undivided, while transcendence emphasizes that God’s being is beyond and independent of the created order. This principle also integrates the doctrine of mixed relations, which distinguishes between God’s internal relational distinctions and His external relation to creation, maintaining that God’s essence is not altered by His engagement with the world. Ontological Simplicity and Transcendence thus provide a robust framework for understanding how God’s inner life and relation to creation can coexist without compromising His unity, immutability, or self-sufficiency.

Ontological Gaps in SSGO:

• Ontological gaps refer to moments of newness or discrete breaks in the relational matrix, where something authentically new is introduced. These are moments where a new relational subject comes into being or where a new mode of identity is realized.
• Ontological gaps highlight how newness and transformation can emerge in relational contexts.

Ontology

Ontology: The branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, ontology focuses on understanding existence through the lens of relationality. This approach posits that the fundamental nature of all entities is defined by their relational interactions. The RE Theory’s ontology emphasizes that being and essence are constituted through dynamic relationships, both within the divine (intrinsic relations) and between the divine and creation (extrinsic relations).

Ontology is the branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being, defining what it means for something to exist and how entities are interconnected. Within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), ontology emphasizes the relational and self-standing nature of divine and created realities, where God’s essence is actualized through self-givenness and relationality. This framework asserts that both God’s identity and the existence of all things are defined through their relational contexts, integrating divine simplicity with dynamic relational presence.

Order in the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO)

Order

• Definition: In the context of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), Order refers to the structured and intelligible framework within which relational dynamics occur. It signifies that relationships are governed by inherent principles established by God’s relational essence. Order encompasses both the stability and coherence of relationships, ensuring that identity formation and actualization happen within a divinely structured arrangement. It integrates both dynamic processes and enduring structures, allowing for relationships that are both temporal and eternal.

• Key Aspects:

• Structured Relationality: Relationships are not random or arbitrary but follow a divine order that provides coherence and intelligibility.

• Balance of Dynamism and Stability: Order allows for the dynamic nature of identity formation while maintaining a stable framework that ensures continuity.

• Temporal and Eternal Relations: Order encompasses both processes that unfold over time and eternal structures that exist beyond temporal constraints.

• Foundation for Identity Formation: Order is the underlying principle that guides how participation and relational engagement lead to the formation and realization of identity.

• Application in SSGO:

• Theological Ontology: In theology, Order reflects the divine structure within which beings participate in relationships with God, others, and the world. It underscores that identity formation is guided by God’s relational order.

• Philosophical Ontology: Philosophically, Order provides the framework that makes relational dynamics coherent and intelligible, allowing for a nuanced analysis of how identities are actualized through structured relational engagement.

• Importance:

• Enhances Coherence: By emphasizing Order, SSGO ensures that the relational processes leading to identity formation are coherent and aligned with divine principles.

• Integrates Process and Stability: Order bridges the dynamic aspects of process with the stability of structured relations, offering a comprehensive understanding of reality.

• Reflects Divine Nature: Emphasizing Order aligns with the theological understanding of God as a being of perfect relational order, whose essence establishes the principles governing all relationships.

Shorthand Formulations of SSGO

1. Theological Ontology: Relational Identity Formation through Ordered Participation

Formulation:

Participation (active/passive) + Relation = Identity Formation

• Explanation:

• Participation (Active/Passive): Beings engage in relationships either actively (through conscious self-giving) or passively (by being part of relationships without conscious self-giving).

• Relation: The interactions and connections between beings within an ordered framework.

• Identity Formation: The process by which a being’s identity is constituted and realized through participation in ordered relational dynamics.

2. Philosophical Ontology: Dynamic Identity Actualization through Ordered Relational Engagement

Formulation:

Active/Passive Participation + Active/Passive Relation = Dynamic Identity Formation through Exocentric Givenness and Continuous Realization

• Explanation:

• Active/Passive Participation: The degree to which beings engage in relationships, either actively contributing or passively existing within them.

• Active/Passive Relation: The nature of the relationships themselves, being either active (reciprocal, mutual engagement) or passive (one-sided, non-reciprocal), all within an ordered structure.

• Dynamic Identity Formation: Identity is continuously formed and transformed through the interplay of active/passive participation and relations within an ordered framework.

• Exocentric Givenness: The concept that beings realize their identities through self-giving that is outward-focused, engaging with others in relationships structured by divine order.

• Continuous Realization: Identity formation is an ongoing process of becoming, occurring within the ordered relational dynamics.

Note:

• These formulations encapsulate the core principles of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), emphasizing that identity is formed and actualized through participation and relational engagement within a divinely established order.

• By integrating the notion of Order, SSGO provides a comprehensive metaphysical framework that accounts for both the dynamic processes of identity formation and the stability offered by structured relationality.

• The shorthand formulations serve as accessible representations of SSGO’s key concepts, suitable for both theological and philosophical discourse.

Participation

• Participation in SSGO refers to the foundational way a subject engages in relationships with God, others, and the world. It is the act of relational involvement, through which a subject’s identity is formed and realized. Participation can take on varying degrees of activity and passivity and is the core dynamic through which relational essence is actualized.
• In SSGO, participation is not optional but constitutive of being. It is how the subject exists in the relational matrix and how its essence unfolds.

From a deeply informed Catholicism perspective, participation refers to the manner in which created beings share in the perfections, goodness, and reality of God as their ultimate source. Participation is rooted in the metaphysical principle that God is pure act (actus purus) and the fullness of being (ipsum esse subsistens), while all created beings are contingent and dependent, receiving their existence and attributes from Him. This relationship does not imply equality but a hierarchy of being, where creatures participate in the divine reality according to their nature and capacity, reflecting God’s attributes in a finite and limited way. Participation expresses how creatures do not possess being or goodness in themselves but receive it as a gift from the Creator, who is the exemplar cause of all that exists.

Participatory metaphysics, therefore, is a framework that understands all of reality as ordered according to degrees of being, where entities exist and flourish by participating in the divine source from which all being flows. It posits that God alone is Being Itself, and everything else subsists by sharing in God’s being, wisdom, and goodness in a mode proper to its nature. In this view, metaphysics is not merely concerned with defining substances or essences in isolation but with exploring how these essences relate to the divine through a continuous process of participation. It integrates the doctrine of creation, divine causality, and finality, showing that created realities are not self-standing but are ontologically grounded in and sustained by their participation in God. This framework preserves the Creator-creature distinction while highlighting the intimate presence of God in all things, affirming that all created perfections are analogical reflections of the One who is Goodness, Truth, and Beauty itself. Participatory metaphysics thus invites contemplation of the divine through the manifold reflections of God’s being found in creation, emphasizing that every act of knowledge, love, and existence ultimately points back to participation in the divine source.

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), participatory metaphysics is reconceived beyond a substance-based ontology and classical context because it focuses on the dynamic relational modes through which identities are fully constituted in and through self-giving acts. Unlike Aquinas’s system, where participation is rooted in a hierarchy of beings sharing in the existence of a primary source, SSGO frames participation as an active process of relational self-actualization. Here, participation is not merely a reception of being from a higher source but an ongoing, mutual realization of identities through relational exchanges that express the fullness of divine essence. Each entity, divine or created, realizes its unique identity by participating in the act of self-standing givenness, where relationality, not substance, is the core principle that defines existence and essence.

In this framework, participation is not a passive reception but an active, dynamic presence that is constituted through relational self-givenness. This means that beings do not merely reflect or share in an essence but are actively and uniquely realized through the interplay of relational identities, which shape and constitute the fullness of their being. Therefore, SSGO’s participatory metaphysics emphasizes relational presence and mutual co-actualization, where entities participate in a living order of self-givenness that transcends static ontological categories, redefining participation as a continuous realization of identity within a relational matrix.

Passive Participation in SSGO:

• Passive participation describes a mode of being where the subject is part of the relational structure but does not engage in an active, self-giving way. Inanimate objects, for example, participate in their environment through passive relation—they are in relation but do not consciously shape their relationships.
• This is crucial for understanding how non-personal entities still exist in a relational ontology but do not engage in the same way as exocentric beings.

Participatory Realization in SSGO:

• Participatory realization refers to how a subject becomes fully realized through its engagement in relationships. It’s not just that a subject exists, but that its identity is actualized by participating in self-giving and relational dynamics.
• This concept highlights that realization is not independent of relations—identity is realized through participation.

Perichoresis

Perichoresis: The mutual indwelling and interpenetration of the divine Persons of the Trinity. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, perichoresis exemplifies the perfect relational unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This concept is central to understanding the intrinsic relations within the Trinity, where each Person is distinct yet fully united in essence. Perichoresis serves as a model for relational dynamics, demonstrating how relationality is foundational to the divine nature.

Perichoresis refers to the mutual indwelling and interpenetration of the three divine Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—without merging or division. It emphasizes the dynamic relational unity within the Trinity, where each Person fully possesses and expresses the one divine essence through perfect co-inherence. Within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), perichoresis is understood as the ultimate expression of relational self-givenness, where each Person’s identity and fullness are realized through a continuous relational exchange, preserving both distinctness and oneness.

Perichoresis in the Context of SSGO

Perichoresis refers to the mutual indwelling or interpenetration of the divine Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–within the one unified divine essence. This concept is crucial to understanding the distinct yet inseparable relationship between the Persons of the Trinity. Each divine Person has a self-standing relational mode, meaning that they fully actualize the divine essence in their unique way without introducing dependency or division. Yet, their distinct modes do not operate in isolation but involve the full presence and activity of the other Persons.

Within SSGO, perichoresis is reframed to emphasize the self-standing nature of each relational mode, while maintaining that the relational modes of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully interpenetrative. This means that the relational modes are not only self-sufficient but also inherently inclusive of one another. The Father’s relational mode, for example, fully includes the Son and the Holy Spirit, and vice versa. This mutual indwelling ensures that there is no fragmentation or separation within the divine essence, preserving the unity of God.

SSGO’s reinterpretation of _perichoresis_builds on traditional Trinitarian theology, maintaining that the Persons are truly distinct yet fully united within the single divine essence. The interpenetration of the self-standing relational modes allows for real personal distinctions while affirming that the divine Persons do not exist apart from one another. The one divine essence is fully actualized in each Person, and each Person exists in perfect relational harmony with the others, reflecting the indivisible nature of God.

In summary, within SSGO, perichoresis_emphasizes the self-standing yet interpenetrative relational modes of the divine Persons. This concept preserves divine simplicity and unity while explaining the real distinctions among the Persons of the Trinity, aligning with traditional doctrines of _perichoresis but offering a refined metaphysical understanding suited to the framework of SSGO.

per modum naturae
A Latin phrase meaning “by way of nature.” In SSGO, this term signifies that the processions within the Trinity occur intrinsically through the divine nature itself. Since God’s essence and nature are identical and fully actualized in each divine Person, the processions are expressions of God’s nature without introducing any division or change. In SSGO, acting per modum naturae emphasizes that the relational distinctions among the divine Persons arise from the very nature of God’s self-standing essence.

per modum intellectus
A Latin phrase meaning “by way of intellect.” Traditionally, this term is used to describe the generation of the Son as the Word or Logos, proceeding from the Father’sintellect. In SSGO, per modum intellectusis considered identical to per modum naturae because, in God, intellect and nature are the same. This means that the Son’s procession is both an act of intellect and an intrinsic expression of the divine nature. This understanding maintains divine simplicity by affirming that there is no distinction between God’s essence and His faculties.

processions

The theological terms describing the relationships within the Trinity, specifically the generation of the Son from the Father and the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. These explain the relational origins without implying temporal beginnings. Understanding processions is vital for articulating the internal relationships of the Trinity and how the Persons are distinct yet co-eternal.

Relation (Quality of Dynamics that Constitute Identity) in SSGO:

• Relation refers to the dynamic, ongoing interaction between a subject and its relational context. It is not merely a connection but the quality of the interaction that determines how identity is shaped and realized.
• In SSGO, relation is not an accident or a non-essential property—it is constitutive of identity. A subject’s identity emerges and develops through the dynamics of its relations, both in active and passive modes.

relational co-actuality:
The idea that relational distinctions are simultaneously actualized within a being. In the context of the Trinity, it refers to the divine Persons existing in distinct relations that are co-actual and intrinsic to God’s essence without compromising unity. This concept ensures that the relational aspects of the divine Persons are fully and eternally present, reinforcing the unity and diversity within the Godhead.

relational distinction

The differentiation of persons or aspects within a being based on relationships rather than substance. In Trinitarian theology, it denotes how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct due to their unique relational properties. Relational distinction allows for personal identities within the Trinity without dividing the singular divine essence.

Relational Distinction refers to the real, intrinsic differences within the divine essence, expressed relationally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These distinctions are not separable entities or parts of God but are modes in which the one, indivisible divine essence is fully expressed. In SSGO, the relational distinctions of begetting (the Father), being begotten (the Son), and proceeding (the Spirit) are not external relations added to God’s essence; rather, they are internal, eternal ways of expressing the same essence.

This relational framework allows for real differentiation within God’s being without introducing any division or composition. It shows that while God is simple and indivisible, His essence is fully actualized and dynamically expressed in relational modes. These distinctions are not temporal or sequential events, but they eternally express God’s essence in a way that preserves divine simplicity while allowing for genuine relational difference.

Relational Integrity in SSGO:

• Relational integrity refers to the wholeness and coherence of a being’s identity as it is constituted through relationships. A subject has relational integrity when it participates truthfully and fully in relationships that align with its relational identity.
• This integrity is not a static property but something maintained through ongoing participation in truthful, self-giving relationships.

Potentiality

Potentiality: The inherent capability or possibility within an entity to develop or actualize in a certain way. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, potentiality is understood as a dynamic state that exists within entities and is realized through relational interactions. The concept emphasizes that the actualization of potential states is fundamentally relational, occurring within the framework of divine providence and the interconnectedness of all entities. Potentiality highlights the capacity for growth and change within the relational dynamics of the world.

Predestination

Predestination: The divine act of foreordaining certain individuals or groups to a specific end or destiny, particularly in terms of salvation. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, predestination is understood as an extension of God’s intrinsic relational nature within the Trinity. This concept emphasizes that God’s acts of predestination flow from His relational essence and are directed towards the fulfillment of divine purposes. The RE Theory situates predestination within the broader framework of relational dynamics, highlighting how divine providence guides the realization of God’s relational engagement with creation.

The latent Catholicism the RE theory is committed to also acknowledges that God‘s predestination, such that it relates to election as well, means there is a balance between transcendence and immanence, and any relation or ordering principle of God, never collapses such concepts into a pure determinism or a pure on restrained freedom. Rather, the balance is in a mystery proper, where God’s divine hiddenness is necessarily ethical and loving this balance also goes with God’s providence.

Providence

Providence: The divine governance and guidance of all creation by God. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, providence is understood as the relational framework through which God sustains, directs, and fulfills the purposes of creation. This concept emphasizes that God’s providential care is inherently relational, involving continuous interaction with the world. Providence ensures that all events and entities are interconnected within God’s overarching relational plan.

Providential Care

Providential Care: The aspect of divine providence that specifically pertains to God’s loving and attentive care for creation. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, providential care highlights the relational dynamics through which God nurtures, protects, and guides created beings. This care is seen as a manifestation of God’s relational essence, where the divine presence and action are continuously involved in the well-being and flourishing of creation. Providential care underscores the intimate and relational nature of God’s engagement with the world.

Quantum Superposition

Quantum Superposition: A principle in quantum mechanics where particles exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, quantum superposition is seen as a reflection of the inherent potentialities and indeterminacies within creation. This concept illustrates the dynamic and relational nature of existence, where relational interactions determine the actualization of potential states. The RE Theory uses quantum superposition to highlight the complexity and interconnectedness of relational dynamics at the fundamental level of reality.

Realism

Realism in the context of SSGO refers to the understanding that both God’s essence and the relational distinctions between the Father, Son, and Spirit are fully real. These distinctions do not fragment or compose God’s essence. Instead, they express it relationally and dynamically, ensuring that God’s reality is both fully actual and relational without introducing separability or dependency. The relational modes are intrinsic to God’s essence and fully express it without introducing composition or parts. This approach preserves divine simplicity while affirming the real, relational nature of God’s existence. (New term)

In the SSGO, five senses of “real” are emphasized:

Real as Essential Unity: God’s essence is entirely unified and non-composite. This sense affirms that God’s reality is one, without being divided into parts or separate attributes. God’s essence is fully actual and fully realized in its unity, encompassing all that God is. This essential unity is not static but is dynamically expressed through relational modes.

Real as Relation: In SSGO, the relational distinctions between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully real. These relations are not additional elements added to the divine essence but are the way the essence is expressed. This sense of “real” highlights that the relations in God are intrinsic, not something separate from or external to God’s essence. Relationality is how the indivisible essence is fully and eternally expressed.

Real as Non-Composition: God’s realness does not involve any composition of parts, attributes, or separable entities. This sense affirms that the distinctions between Father, Son, and Spirit do not introduce division or complexity. Instead, the relational distinctions are modes of expressing the one simple essence, preserving divine simplicity while affirming the reality of relational distinctions.

Real as Dynamic Actuality: God’s reality is not static but dynamically actualized through eternal relational modes, such as the Father begetting the Son and the Spirit proceeding. This sense emphasizes that God’s being is fully realized in these relational activities, which are eternal and do not imply change or composition. The realness here is the fullness of God’s active, eternal relational life.

Real as Givenness: This is a unique contribution of SSGO, where God’s reality is understood as self-givenness. The Father gives the divine essence to the Son in eternal generation, and the Spirit proceeds through this mutual relational giving. This sense of real emphasizes that being in God is not static possession but relational self-giving. The realness of God is fully expressed in this eternal, self-standing givenness without introducing separability or dependency.

These five senses of “real” together provide a comprehensive understanding of how God’s essence and relational distinctions are fully real in the SSGO framework, preserving divine simplicity while affirming relationality.

Reciprocal Relation in SSGO:

Reciprocity is central to exocentric beings, where self-givenness is met with relational feedback. Mutual love, dialogue, and co-presence all reflect reciprocal relations.

A reciprocal relation involves mutual engagement between two or more beings. Both sides are actively involved in giving and receiving, creating a relational dynamic where identity is co-created.

Relational Actuality SSGO Principle 2

Relational Actuality (SSGO Principle 2): A principle within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) that emphasizes the nature of God’s being as fully actualized through His relational self-givenness. Relational actuality posits that God’s essence is not a static substance but a dynamic actuality that is constituted by the eternal self-giving and mutual self-reception of the divine Persons. This principle affirms that God’s relational identity is fully realized through the interplay of self-givenness, self-reception, and co-presence within the Trinity, where each Person’s distinct relational identity is a complete and unconditioned expression of the one divine essence. Relational actuality integrates the unity and diversity of the divine Persons, highlighting how relational identity is not an external attribute but the core mode of divine existence, fully actualized without potentiality or change.

Relational Composition Fallacy

The Relational Composition Fallacy refers to the subtle linguistic challenge within the SSGO, where emphasizing relationality as intrinsic to God’s essence risks inadvertently introducing language that suggests composition or complexity. This occurs when relational modes like Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are described in ways that might imply they are constitutive forces, adding or contributing to God’s essence as separable parts.

To avoid this, the SSGO must ensure relational distinctions are framed as modes of being—ways in which the one simple essence is fully expressed—without introducing notions of composition or separability. This requires careful attention to metaphysical distinctions and relational logic, maintaining divine simplicity while affirming real relational distinctions. Metaphysical distinctions such as essence vs. existence and act vs. potency are particularly important, as they clarify how God’s relational modes function without undermining simplicity. By understanding these modes as expressions of an eternally actualized essence, the SSGO prevents any suggestion of internal parts or change.

Additionally, a classical linguistic approach involving analogy and semiotics provides further safeguards against linguistic pitfalls. Analogical language helps ensure that relational terms applied to God do not imply literal or univocal meanings, which could introduce complexity. Instead, relational distinctions are understood as approximate, analogical ways to speak about God’s essence without breaking divine simplicity. Furthermore, semiotics—the study of signs and meanings—helps distinguish between the relational signs and the divine reality they signify. Relational modes in SSGO are seen as representations of the divine essence rather than compositional elements, preserving the integrity of divine unity and simplicity.

Together, these metaphysical and linguistic safeguards ensure that the SSGO’s focus on relationality enhances rather than undermines the doctrine of divine simplicity.

Relational Dynamics

Relational Dynamics: The processes and interactions through which entities relate to and influence one another. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, relational dynamics are foundational to understanding how existence, essence, and identity are constituted. These dynamics involve both intrinsic relations within the divine (such as perichoresis) and extrinsic relations between God and creation. Relational dynamics emphasize that reality is a network of interdependent relationships, constantly evolving and actualizing through relational interactions.

Relational dynamics refer to the processes and interactions through which entities relate and influence one another. In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), relational dynamics are foundational to understanding how God’s essence is fully realized through eternal acts of self-givenness and relational exchanges. These dynamics emphasize not only presence and interaction but also the infinite and ever-unfolding nature of God’s self-expression, where every relational act is an expression of the divine fullness, integrating unity, distinction, and the infinity of God’s being in a continuous relational interplay.

Relational Engagement

Relational Engagement: The active and dynamic interaction between entities within the framework of relational ontology. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, relational engagement describes how God interacts with creation and how created beings interact with each other. This engagement is characterized by mutual influence, growth, and development within the relational context. Relational engagement underscores the importance of participation and interconnectedness in the unfolding of potentialities and the realization of divine purposes.

Relational Engagement in the SSGO:

• Relational engagement is the active or passive participation in relationships that forms and shapes identity. It captures the quality of how a subject is involved in its relational network—whether through active self-givenness or passive involvement.

Relational Essence (RE) Theory

Relational Essence (RE) Theory: A comprehensive theological and metaphysical framework that posits relationality as the foundational aspect of all reality. At its core, the RE Theory asserts that God’s essence is inherently relational, encapsulated in the term “Relatio Subsistens,” meaning that God’s being is fundamentally characterized by relationality. This theory integrates deeply informed Catholic theology with a focus on the dynamic interactions within the Trinity (intrinsic relations) and between God and creation (extrinsic relations).

Key Principles:

1. **Relational Ontology**: The RE Theory emphasizes that the essence, existence, and identity of all entities are constituted through their relational interactions. This contrasts with traditional substance-based metaphysics, proposing instead that relationality is the primary explanatory framework for understanding reality.

2. **Divine Simplicity and Relationality**: The theory upholds the doctrine of divine simplicity, affirming that God is not composed of parts but is wholly unified. Within this unity, God’s relational nature is seen as integral, with the relational dynamics within the Trinity exemplifying this simplicity and unity.

3. **Perichoresis**: The mutual indwelling and interpenetration of the divine Persons of the Trinity serve as the model for all relational dynamics. The RE Theory uses perichoresis to explain the perfect unity and distinction within the Godhead, demonstrating how relationality is central to divine nature.

4. **Providence and Providential Care**: God’s engagement with creation is viewed through the lens of relational providence. The theory posits that God’s providential care is a continuous, dynamic interaction that sustains and directs creation toward its ultimate fulfillment, grounded in relational essence.

5. **Intrinsic and Extrinsic Relations**: The theory distinguishes between intrinsic relations (within the Trinity) and extrinsic relations (between God and creation). Intrinsic relations highlight the internal relational nature of God, while extrinsic relations describe how God’s relational essence extends to and engages with the created order.

6. **Dynamic Actualization**: Relational dynamics are seen as the processes through which potentialities within entities are realized. The RE Theory emphasizes that actualization occurs through relational interactions, underscoring the continuous and evolving nature of reality.

7. **Integration with Catholic Doctrine**: The RE Theory aligns with traditional Catholic teachings, drawing on sources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the writings of Church Doctors, and the Denzinger Text. It aims to enhance the understanding of these doctrines through the lens of relationality, providing a cohesive and theologically sound perspective.

8. **Mysteries Proper and Analogical Participation**: The theory acknowledges the profound mysteries of faith, such as the Trinity and the Incarnation, as central to its framework. It uses analogical language to describe the participation of creation in divine relational dynamics, recognizing the limits of human understanding while offering a meaningful explanatory model.

By positioning relationality at the heart of theological and metaphysical inquiry, the Relational Essence (RE) Theory offers a nuanced and principled approach to understanding the nature of God and reality. It seeks to provide a coherent and dynamic framework that integrates deeply informed Catholic theology with a relational ontology, enhancing both philosophical and theological insights.

Relational Framework

Relational Framework: The structural context within which relational interactions occur, as posited by the Relational Essence (RE) Theory. This framework encompasses both the intrinsic relations within the Trinity and the extrinsic relations between God and creation. In the RE Theory, the relational framework provides the basis for understanding how entities exist, interact, and actualize their potentialities through dynamic relational processes. It emphasizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of all beings within the divine and created order, serving as the foundational context for the unfolding of relational dynamics and divine providence.

The SSGO can also be considered the relational framework encompasses both the intrinsic relations within the Trinity and the extrinsic relations between God and creation, emphasizing that all reality is constituted through relational presence and exchange. It provides the structural basis for understanding how God’s self-standing givenness is expressed in a coherent and dynamic relational system, integrating unity and diversity within a single, comprehensive model of existence. The relational framework helps to articulate how relational identity and actuality are realized through the continuous interplay of relational dynamics.

Relational Equilibrium in SSGO:

• Relational equilibrium is the state of balance achieved when a subject’s relational participation aligns with its identity and purpose. It’s not a static state but a dynamic balance, where self-givenness, relational engagement, and identity formation work in harmony.
• Equilibrium is teleologically oriented, meaning it’s always moving toward fuller realization of relational potential.

Relational Ontology

Relational Ontology: A philosophical approach that defines the nature of being and existence through relational interactions. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, relational ontology posits that the essence and existence of all entities are constituted by their relationships with other entities and with God. This contrasts with traditional substance-based metaphysics by emphasizing that relationality is the primary explanatory principle for understanding reality. Relational ontology in the RE Theory underscores that entities are not isolated substances but are fundamentally interconnected through dynamic and evolving relational dynamics.

Within the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), relational ontology posits that God’s being is inherently relational and that the divine essence is fully realized in the relational self-givenness of the Trinity. It asserts that both divine and created realities are defined by the dynamic interactions and mutual presence that constitute their existence, making relationality the core principle of all being.

Relational Potentiality

Relational Potentiality: The inherent capabilities or possibilities within entities that are realized through relational interactions. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, relational potentiality emphasizes that the actualization of potential states is fundamentally relational, occurring within the context of divine providence and the interconnectedness of all beings. This concept highlights the dynamic and evolving nature of reality, where potentialities are actualized through continuous relational engagement. Relational potentiality serves as a key aspect of the RE Theory, illustrating how entities develop, grow, and fulfill their purposes through their relational interactions within the divine and created order.

Relatio Subsistens

Relatio Subsistens: A term used in the Relational Essence (RE) Theory to describe God as the subsisting relation, emphasizing that God’s very essence is relational. This concept asserts that God’s being is fundamentally characterized by relationality, where the divine nature is fully actualized through intrinsic relational dynamics within the Trinity. Relatio Subsistens encapsulates the unity and distinction of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, highlighting that God’s essence is relationally constituted.

A Christological example of Relatio Subsistens is seen in the Incarnation, where the subsistence of Christ, who is the subsistence of the divinity, also became the subsistence of the flesh. This dual subsistence illustrates how the divine relational essence is extended into the created order. In the Incarnation, Christ maintains the relational unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit while fully assuming human nature. This example underscores that relationality is not limited to the divine realm but also encompasses the relational engagement between the divine and the human, fully actualized in the person of Christ.

In the context of the RE Theory, Relatio Subsistens serves as a foundational concept that explains the nature of God’s interactions with the world. It emphasizes that God’s relational essence is the basis for all divine actions and engagements, whether within the Trinity or with creation. This concept supports the coherence of the RE Theory by providing a unified understanding of divine simplicity, relational ontology, and the dynamic actualization of relational potentialities. Relatio Subsistens highlights the continuous and intimate involvement of God in the relational processes that constitute reality.

Realization in SSGO:

• Realization is the act of becoming what one is through engagement in relational contexts. In SSGO, realization is a continuous process, where identity is constantly emerging and unfolding as a subject participates more deeply in relationships.
• Unlike classical metaphysical notions of actualizing potential, realization in SSGO is always happening through the flow of relationships.

Self
In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), the term “self” refers to a relational mode of existence that stands on its own without the need for external factors. This concept of self is not equivalent to the human understanding of individuality, where a person is an autonomous, separate entity. Instead, in SSGO, the self of each divine Person–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–is a unique and self-sufficient way of actualizing the one unified divine essence. The self of each Person is an expression of their relational identity, fully manifesting the divine essence without creating any division or dependency within the Godhead.

The self in SSGO cannot be treated as a discrete object that can be separated or counted. It transcends the categories that apply to finite beings, reflecting the infinite and indivisible nature of God. The self of each divine Person is a relational actualization, meaning that it expresses the one divine essence through a distinct relational mode without fragmenting or dividing God’s unity. Each Person’s self is entirely self-sufficient, arising from within the divine essence itself, without any need for external causes or references. This self-sufficiency ensures that the unity and simplicity of God’s essence are preserved.

In addition, the self does not depend on external relationships or participation in anything outside the divine essence. This non-dependency guarantees that God remains transcendent while being immanent in creation, as God’s immanence does not compromise divine transcendence. The self, therefore, allows for real distinctions among the divine Persons, but these distinctions exist within the unchanging unity of the divine life. In SSGO, the self holds together both the oneness of God and the real personal distinctions among the divine Persons, maintaining the theological principles of unity, simplicity, and relationality within the framework of divine essence.

self-actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one’s own potential or essence independently. In theological context, it describes how each divine Person fully actualizes and expresses the divine essence in a self-sufficient way. Self-actualization in God underscores that the divine Persons do not derive their existence from one another but are fully actual in themselves.

The self-ordering principle

The self-ordering principle in the SSGO reflects a deeper understanding of how the internal distinctions within the divine essence–particularly the Trinity–are self-actualizing and intrinsically structured. This principle ensures that the unity of God’s essence and the real distinctions between the divine Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are harmonized without requiring any external cause, dependency, or influence.

The self-ordering principle goes beyond simply organizing the internal relations of the divine Persons; it asserts that these relations are expressions of God’s eternal and necessary actuality. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not distinct because of external forces or contingent causes, but because the very essence of God naturally and eternally expresses itself in three self-standing relational modes. This internal ordering reflects the fullness of God’s being, where each Person is a real and distinct manifestation of the same divine essence.

In SSGO, this principle avoids implying any form of dependency or division between the Persons. Instead, it underscores that the distinctions are not external or imposed but emerge from the very nature of God’s indivisible essence. The self-ordering nature is thus both eternal and non-temporal, ensuring that God is fully actualized in His triune identity from all eternity, always and already. This prevents any suggestion of hierarchy or subordination among the Persons, as each is fully coequal and fully actualizes the one divine essence.

Moreover, the principle aligns with the doctrine of perichoresis (mutual indwelling), wherein the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist within each other in perfect unity and relational harmony. The self-ordering principle helps to articulate how this mutual interpenetration happens without violating divine simplicity or creating a composite God. Rather than being an external ordering force, it is the natural expression of the indivisible divine essence manifesting in the distinct relational modes of the Trinity.

Thus, the self-ordering principle in SSGO explains the intrinsic coherence and organization of the Trinity’s internal relations, ensuring the real distinctions among the divine Persons without sacrificing unity, simplicity, or divine self-sufficiency. It emphasizes that God’s triunity is an eternal, self-contained reality, fully actualized within God’s very essence.

self-standing givenness

(See the full principle below) The notion that an entity exists and grants itself existence independently, without reliance on anything else. It emphasizes God’s self-sufficiency and the idea that He is not contingent upon any external reality. Self-standing givenness asserts that God is the ultimate source of His own being, highlighting His unique status as the necessary being.

self-standing relational modes

Self-standing relational modes refer to the distinct ways in which the divine Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—exist in relation to one another while being fully self-sufficient and self-actualizing. In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology, these modes of relation are intrinsic to the very essence of God, meaning they arise from God’s own nature and are not imposed by any external forces or conditions. Each Person fully actualizes the divine essence without introducing any division or dependency, ensuring that while the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are truly distinct in their modes of relation, they all fully possess the one undivided divine essence.

Each Person of the Trinity is distinct not because of external relations but due to their unique self-standing relational identity: the Son is distinct because He is the self-given as begotten, the Father as the self-given as begetting, and the Spirit as the self-given as proceeding. These distinctions are intrinsic to their divine essence, revealing how each Person fully actualizes the one divine essence in a relational, self-given manner.

This concept is further nuanced by emphasizing perichoresis, the classical doctrine of interpenetration, which explains that although each Person has a distinct relational mode, these modes are not isolated from one another. Instead, they are mutually interpenetrative. Each Person’s mode of existence involves the presence and activity of the other two Persons, reflecting the indivisibility of the divine essence.

The interpenetration of these relational modes ensures that God is one in essence and three in relational distinction, fully harmonizing the doctrine of divine simplicity with Trinitarian distinctiveness.

self-sufficiency
The attribute of God whereby He is entirely complete and lacks nothing, not dependent on anything outside Himself for existence or action. In SSGO, self-sufficiency is a key principle that ensures the divine Persons fully actualize the divine essence independently through their self-standing relational modes. This concept upholds divine simplicity and non-dependency, affirming that God’s existence and actions are entirely rooted within His own essence.

subsistent relations

Relations that exist as real and self-sufficient entities within a being. In Trinitarian theology, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered subsistent relations within the one divine essence, each fully possessing and expressing it. This concept affirms that the relationships in God are not mere attributes but have real existence, integral to the divine nature.

self-standing action
The concept that God’s actions are entirely self-originating, without antecedent causes or external contingencies. In SSGO, divine actions, such as creation and the processions within the Trinity, arise directly from God’s self-standing essence and relational modes. This ensures that God’s actions are free, contingent, and not necessitated by anything outside Himself. Self-standing action emphasizes that God’s will and operations are intrinsic, non-dependent expressions of His essence, preserving divine simplicity and freedom.

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), Relatio Subsistens emphasizes that God’s essence is fully realized in self-standing relationality, where each Person of the Trinity is the relational subsistence of the divine essence. This concept asserts that God’s being is dynamically expressed through self-giving relations, preserving divine unity while actualizing distinct relational identities in a continuous, infinite exchange.

SSGO as Theological Ontology: Relational Identity Formation through Ordered Participation

Term: Relational Identity Formation through Ordered Participation

• Definition:

Relational Identity Formation through Ordered Participation refers to the process through which a subject’s identity is constituted and realized within an ordered relational framework. In the theological context of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), this process emphasizes self-givenness and relational engagement, structured according to divine principles. The emphasis on order ensures that relational dynamics follow a coherent structure, reflecting both stability and dynamism inherent in God’s relational essence.

• Application:

In the theological ontology of SSGO, a subject’s identity is formed through active or passive participation in ordered relations with God, others, and the world. These ordered participations ensure that identity formation occurs in alignment with divine order, reflecting the relational essence of all beings. This ordered participation is neither random nor arbitrary but grounded in the coherent structure of divine relationality, leading to the continuous realization of a subject’s relational essence.

Formulation:

Ordered Participation (active/passive) + Ordered Relation = Identity Formation

• Explanation:

• Ordered Participation: Subjects engage in relationships within a divinely structured order. Whether through active self-giving or passive participation, all relational engagements are aligned with the underlying order that reflects God’s relational essence.

• Ordered Relation: Relations themselves are governed by this divine order, ensuring stability, coherence, and intelligibility in how subjects interact and relate.

• Identity Formation: A subject’s identity emerges through participation in these ordered relations. The process of identity formation is dynamic but always structured by divine relational order, ensuring that relationality is both intelligible and purposeful.

SSGO as Philosophical Ontology: Dynamic Identity Actualization through Ordered Relational Engagement

Term: Dynamic Identity Actualization through Ordered Relational Engagement

• Definition:

Dynamic Identity Actualization through Ordered Relational Engagement refers to the analytic process by which a subject’s identity is continuously actualized within an ordered relational framework. This approach incorporates the four-value logic of active/passive participation and active/passive relation within a structured and ordered context. Order in this sense provides the necessary framework for understanding how identity is both dynamically actualized and sustained through complex relational networks.

• Application:

In the philosophical ontology of SSGO, identity is understood as dynamically actualized through active and passive participation in ordered relational structures. These ordered relations reflect the structured nature of reality itself, ensuring that identity formation occurs through intelligible and coherent relational engagements. The process of identity formation is not just a flux or change but occurs within a divinely structured order, allowing for both dynamic transformation and stable realization.

Formulation (Four-Value like Logic with Order):

Active/Passive Ordered Participation + Active/Passive Ordered Relation = Dynamic Identity Formation through Exocentric Givenness and Continuous Ordered Realization

• Explanation:

• Active/Passive Ordered Participation: Subjects engage in relational dynamics either actively or passively within an ordered framework. This structure ensures that participation aligns with the inherent divine order of reality.

• Active/Passive Ordered Relation: Relations, whether reciprocal (active) or non-reciprocal (passive), occur within an established and ordered context that provides coherence to the relational process.

• Dynamic Identity Formation: The identity of a subject is actualized dynamically through the interplay of ordered participations and relations. This process reflects the structured and dynamic nature of relationality within the SSGO framework.

• Exocentric Givenness: Identity realization occurs through self-giving within an ordered relational framework, where outward-focused engagement is always aligned with the divine order.

• Continuous Ordered Realization: The process of identity formation is ongoing but structured by order, ensuring that transformation and realization occur coherently within the relational network.

Order as a Core Principle in SSGO

Order in SSGO ensures that the relational dynamics through which identity is formed are not chaotic or purely process-driven but occur within a stable and intelligible structure. Order allows for the dynamic aspects of participation and relation to operate within a coherent framework, ensuring that identity formation is meaningful and directed.

• Order as Higher-Level Structure:

• Order encompasses both the temporal aspects of process and the eternal principles that govern relationality. It allows for relational dynamics to be understood not merely as changing or evolving, but as part of a larger, structured reality grounded in divine principles.

• Process within Order:

• While processes occur, they are always governed by a higher order. This ensures that the dynamism of becoming is integrated with the stability of being. Order makes room for process without reducing relationality to flux or randomness. Instead, it ensures that identity formation follows a meaningful, structured path.

• Divine Order and Relational Identity:

• Order reflects the divine structure within which all beings participate. This provides coherence to the relational engagements that constitute identity formation. In this way, order elevates the relational dynamics within SSGO, ensuring that relational participation is meaningful, coherent, and purposeful.

Final Formulations

1. Theological Ontology:

Ordered Participation (active/passive) + Ordered Relation = Identity Formation

2. Philosophical Ontology:

Active/Passive Ordered Participation + Active/Passive Ordered Relation = Dynamic Identity Formation through Exocentric Givenness and Continuous Ordered Realization

Conclusion

The inclusion of order in SSGO ensures that relational dynamics are structured and intelligible, reflecting the divine order inherent in God’s relational essence. Identity formation, whether in theological or philosophical contexts, is not a random or chaotic process but follows a structured path grounded in divine principles. This balance of dynamism and stability allows SSGO to provide a comprehensive and superior explanation of reality and identity formation compared to classical metaphysical systems, as it incorporates both process and order within a unified framework.

By emphasizing order, SSGO explains the continuous realization and transformation of identity while ensuring coherence and intelligibility, making it a robust framework for understanding reality.

Self-Standing Givenness (SSGO Principle 1)

Self-Standing Givenness (SSGO Principle 1): The foundational principle of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) that articulates how God’s essence is inherently self-sufficient and relationally individuated. Self-Standing Givenness posits that each Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is a distinct relational identity who fully possesses and expresses the one indivisible divine essence through an eternal act of mutual self-givenness. This principle integrates three core properties: distinct relational identity, mutual possession of the one essence, and dynamic co-actualization. It demonstrates that God’s unity and distinction are not competing categories but complementary modes of being, revealing that His essence is fully actualized through dynamic, self-constituting relational acts, making the divine life a perfect and complete reality of eternal self-giving.

Self-Givenness refers to the way God’s essence is fully expressed and realized through relational self-giving. The Father eternally gives the divine essence to the Son, and the Spirit proceeds from this mutual giving. This self-givenness is not a process of change or composition but an eternal and complete expression of God’s essence.

Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO)

Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO): A theological and metaphysical framework that posits self-standing givenness as the core principle for understanding the nature and essence of God. The SSGO maintains that God’s essence is fully realized through five interconnected principles that articulate the harmony of divine simplicity and the relational distinctions within the Trinity:

1. Self-Standing Givenness asserts that each Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is a distinct relational identity who fully possesses the one indivisible divine essence through an eternal act of mutual self-givenness.
2. Relational Actuality shows that these distinct identities are dynamically co-actualized through their eternal relational presence, making the unity of God’s essence a living reality of co-constituted relational being.
3. Ontological Simplicity and Transcendence safeguards divine simplicity by framing the relational distinctions as intrinsic modes of the essence’s self-actualization, preserving God’s unity without introducing composition or division.
4. Modes of Fullness clarifies that each Person’s distinct mode of relational identity fully expresses the same divine essence without hierarchy or subordination, emphasizing that the distinctions are unique modes of the same essence’s fullness.
5. Mutual Self-Realization captures the perichoretic nature of the Trinity, affirming that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist only in and through one another’s eternal relational presence, making God’s essence a dynamic reality of mutual interpenetration and self-giving.

This ontology integrates classical doctrines such as divine simplicity, immutability, and Trinitarian distinctions, proposing a coherent and systematic model that preserves God’s unity and relationality. It further explains how God’s external actions are consistent expressions of His internal relational life, demonstrating that His engagement with creation is a manifestation of His eternal act of self-givenness.

Substance

Substance: In traditional metaphysics, substance refers to the underlying reality that supports and unifies the properties and attributes of an entity. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, substance is reinterpreted through relational dynamics. The RE Theory posits that substance is not an independent entity but is relationally constituted. This means that the substance of any entity, including God, is understood in terms of its relational interactions. For God, divine substance is the perfect relational unity of the Trinity, where relationality is the essence that underpins and unifies the divine Persons.

Subsistent Relations

Subsistent Relations: A theological term describing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’s distinct relational identities within the one divine essence. Each Person uniquely possesses and is the one undivided essence. The relations have three key properties: mutual opposition (defining distinct relational identities), relational identity (each Person fully realizes the one essence through their unique relational mode), and ontological unity (their distinctions do not divide the divine nature). Subsistent relations also involve a revelatory context, where each Person is uniquely manifested in salvation history, preserving both unity and revelation. For details, see Subsistence.

Temporal Relations

Temporal Relations: The relational dynamics involving time and change within creation. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, temporal relations describe how entities interact and actualize their potentialities within the framework of time. These relations emphasize the sequential and developmental aspects of relational interactions, highlighting how created beings undergo change and growth. Temporal relations are understood as part of the broader relational framework, where God’s eternal and unchanging nature interacts dynamically with the temporal processes of creation.

While temporal relations involve the measurement of change, following Aquinas’ and Aristotle’s definition of time as “the number of movement in respect of before and after,” they are distinct from the metaphysical concept of causality. Unlike cause and effect, where an effect cannot precede its cause, temporal relations do not necessarily adhere to this constraint. Temporal shifts and variations can occur without logical contradiction because time is not a fundamental entity but a relational framework within which changes and interactions are measured. This distinction underscores that in the RE Theory, temporal relations are nuanced to account for the dynamic and flexible nature of time, independent of the rigid structures of some senses of causality.

Theological Coherence

Theological Coherence: The consistency and logical integration of theological concepts within a framework. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, theological coherence is achieved by aligning relational ontology with traditional Catholic doctrines. This involves ensuring that key theological principles, such as divine simplicity, the Trinity, and providence, are integrated into a cohesive relational framework. The RE Theory seeks to provide a unified and coherent understanding of divine and created realities, emphasizing that relationality is the foundational principle that ties together various theological concepts.

Transcendence

Transcendence: The aspect of God’s nature that denotes His existence and attributes as beyond and independent from the created order. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, transcendence emphasizes that God is wholly other and ontologically distinct from creation. This concept underscores that while God is intimately involved in relational interactions with the world, His essence remains unbounded by temporal and spatial limitations. Transcendence highlights the supreme and incomprehensible nature of God, who transcends all created categories and distinctions.

Transcendent

Transcendent: Refers to the quality of being beyond and independent from the material universe. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, God is described as transcendent, meaning that His relational essence exists beyond the confines of time, space, and creation. This term underscores the supreme and ultimate nature of God, who is not subject to the limitations and changes of the created order. The RE Theory maintains that while God is transcendent, He is also immanently present and relationally engaged with creation.

Trinity

Trinity: The Christian doctrine that describes God as one essence in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the context of the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, the Trinity exemplifies the perfect relational unity and distinction within the divine nature. The RE Theory uses the concept of perichoresis to explain how the relational dynamics of mutual indwelling between the divine Persons constitute the essence of God. The Trinity serves as the ultimate model of relationality, where the divine nature is fully actualized through intrinsic relational interactions.

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), the Trinity is understood as one essence fully actualized through the dynamic relational self-givenness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person uniquely expresses the one divine nature through their distinct relational modes, where self-standing givenness, reception, and co-giving define their identities, preserving unity and distinction. This relational framework reveals how the Trinity is the eternal act of complete relational self-actualization, demonstrating that God’s essence is fully constituted by infinite relational exchanges.

Truth

Under the RE theory it’s implied that its actually commuted to something like a “Relational Correspondence” Theory of Truth, which can be defined as an understanding of truth that posits truth as the correspondence and coherence of all relational dynamics. Grounded in the relational essence of God (Relatio Subsistens), truth is seen as originating from God’s nature, His Word, and His Law. This absolute truth is fully manifested in Jesus Christ, who embodies divine relationality in both divine and human nature. Human understanding of truth involves aligning with these divine relational dynamics through faith and reason, acknowledging that truth evolves as relational knowledge and experience grow. This view integrates the absolute nature of divine truth with the dynamic, relational processes of the created order.

Truth: The conformity of the intellect to reality, traditionally defined as adaequatio rei et intellectus, meaning the agreement between a thing and the mind’s understanding of it. In theological contexts, truth is understood as originating from God, who is Truth itself (veritas), the source and ground of all reality. Divine truth is absolute, immutable, and fully expressed in the person of Jesus Christ, who embodies the truth of God’s nature and will. In human understanding, truth involves aligning one’s intellect with the reality of creation and the truths revealed by God. Within relational ontology, truth is seen as relational coherence, where the interconnectedness of all realities is grounded in the relational essence of God. Truth is not only propositional but also participatory, involving a deeper alignment with the divine order and purpose.

Truthful Givenness in the SSGO:

• Truthful givenness is the act of offering oneself in relationships in a way that is true to one’s identity. It reflects authentic self-givenness, where a subject’s participation in the relational matrix is genuine and aligned with its relational essence.

two processions in God

In the context of the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), the two processions refer to the intrinsic, eternal expressions within the Trinity that distinguish the divine Persons without introducing division or dependency. The first procession is the generation of the Sonfrom the Father, and the second is the spiration of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. These processions are understood as intrinsic relational distinctions that arise from the self-actualization of the divine essence through self-standing relational modes. In SSGO, there are only two processions because only two intrinsic relational distinctions can exist without compromising divine simplicity and unity.

Unity and Distinction

Unity and Distinction: The theological principle that describes the relational harmony and differentiation within the divine nature. In the Relational Essence (RE) Theory, unity and distinction refer to the perfect relational balance within the Trinity, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons yet fully united in essence. This concept is central to understanding the relational dynamics that define the divine nature. The RE Theory posits that unity and distinction are not contradictory but are harmoniously integrated through relational interactions, providing a model for understanding the relational essence of all reality.

In the Self-Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), unity and distinction are fully realized through the dynamic relational self-givenness of the divine Persons, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each possess and express the one essence through distinct relational modes. This principle emphasizes that unity and distinction are not opposing forces but are co-actualized through mutual self-standing identity, demonstrating how God’s relational essence is harmoniously unified without division, while each Person’s identity is defined by their unique relational mode within the eternal exchange of self-givenness.

Unity in SSGO describes the full expression of God’s essence through relational distinctions. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not separable parts but express the same one indivisible essence in distinct relational ways. This maintains the unity of God’s essence while expressing the fullness of relational life within the Trinity.