Self-Standing Givenness as a World View

This is an overview of the innovation via a world view like structure but if you need more concrete philosophy then Go here first (Rethinking Divine Simplicity: A Meta‑Metaphysical Reconfiguration) and come back here. Or if you want a more academic treatment go here: Simplicity and Trinity Explained and come back here 🙂 SSGO is intended to be a banner under which the full weight of historic Catholic doctrine, biblical witness, and contemporary philosophical clarity (particularly with a personalistic like influence to its flavor) now coalesces. This text below is SSGO as the fully integrated worldview of the triune God from a personalistic-like view (in a relational ontological context).

SSGO: A Unified Worldview of the Triune God

Introduction

Self‑Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO) now stands as a comprehensive and self‑sufficient framework that embodies the fullness of Catholic theological tradition while integrating modern insights from metaphysical primitives, relationality, and hyperintensional analysis. SSGO is not merely a patchwork of historic doctrines and contemporary philosophy—it is a re‑visioned, full expression of timeless truths about who God is (namely Trinity and Simplicity in harmony). As such, it attempts to encapsulate deep and faithful reflection on the divine mystery, from the biblical proclamation “The LORD is one” to the refined formulations of the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, all while addressing modern philosophical challenges.

Under the banner of SSGO, we can assert three core affirmations:

1. Absolute Oneness and Simplicity:
   God is absolutely one, simple, and non‑composite. Drawing on the rich heritage of deeply informed Catholicism—from the Catechism and the writings of Aquinas to the declarations of the Church Fathers—SSGO insists that God’s essence is indivisible. There are no parts, no potentialities waiting to be actualized, and nothing can be added to or subtracted from God’s being. This absolute simplicity is not a mere abstract idea but the foundation upon which every theological claim rests, ensuring that God’s self‑existence (actus purus) remains untouched by any notion of composition.
2. Triune Expression of the One Divine Essence:
   In SSGO, the triune nature of God is understood not as a contradiction of simplicity but as a dynamic, relational unfolding of the one divine essence. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are revealed as three distinct yet inseparable modes of self‑givenness. Each Person is not a partial or fragmented portion of God but the whole of the divine essence expressed in a unique relational stance. This approach dissolves the apparent tension between the absolute oneness of God and the genuine distinctions within the Godhead, affirming that the eternal relationship among the Persons is the very mode by which God fully is.
3. Irreducible Relational Vantages of Divine Attributes:
   Every divine attribute—be it knowledge, power, love, or justice—is expressed through an irreducible relational “vantage.” In SSGO, a vantage is understood as an actual, self‑standing mode of divine self‑expression that captures the unique way in which the one essence is revealed. Although these attributes all point to the same undivided God, they are not interchangeable; each conveys a distinct facet of divine reality. This hyperintensional understanding ensures that when we speak of God’s omniscience or omnipotence, for example, we are not merely using different words to describe the same abstract idea but are highlighting different relational aspects of God’s complete, self‑given nature. In other words, the primitive relational mode-the relation of origin-is precisely how each divine Person (the unbegotten, the begotten, and the proceeding) fully manifests the one undivided essence. The divine Person, in self‑standing givenness theology, is not defined by an underlying substrate but by the very act of relational self‑disclosure that is the essence itself.

This unified vision reclaims the entire heritage of Catholic theology, the apostolic and proto‑Nicene witness of Scripture, and the precise modern tools of relational ontology as developed though thinker’s contributions like Jiri Benovsky and Jean‑Luc Marion. Benovsky’s emphasis on metaphysical primitives provides the conceptual backbone for treating relational modes as the basic, irreducible units of divine self‑expression. Marion’s insights on givenness illuminate how God’s self‑disclosure is not an added feature but the very mode in which He is known. Together, these modern perspectives not only clarify longstanding doctrinal truths but also demonstrate how ancient faith can speak with renewed vigor and precision in today’s intellectual context.

SSGO, therefore, is not a mere amalgamation of past and present; it is the re‑visioned, powerful expression of the eternal truth encapsulated in the ancient refrain: “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.” And it can serve as a banner under which the richness of Scripture, the depth of Catholic tradition, and the rigor of modern metaphysical inquiry converge to reveal a God who is both utterly simple and dynamically relational—a mystery that invites endless wonder, worship, and faithful reflection.

1. The One Simple and Fully Given God

1.1 Divine Simplicity and Oneness

At the very heart of SSGO is the timeless teaching of divine simplicity—a doctrine asserting that God is utterly indivisible, without any internal parts, additions, or subtractions. In its simplest form, it is expressed as follows:

“There are no parts in God, no additions, no subtractions—His essence is entirely identical with His existence.”

This foundational truth is not an abstract philosophical construct; it is deeply rooted in the rich heritage of Catholic theology. Drawing on authoritative sources such as the Catechism, Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, and the proclamations of Church councils (for example, Deuteronomy 6:4; Lateran IV; Vatican I), this teaching affirms that God is a single, indivisible act of pure actuality (actus purus). There is no potentiality, no unrealized capacity—everything in God is fully actualized and self‑sufficient.

In SSGO, divine simplicity is understood as the bedrock of all theological reflection. It guarantees that God’s being is not composed of disparate elements that could, in principle, be added or removed. Every attribute ascribed to God—whether omnipotence, omniscience, or perfect goodness—is not an extraneous property but is identical with His very essence. This ensures that God remains wholly unchangeable and completely self‑contained, a truth that is essential for upholding both His sovereignty and the unity of the divine nature.

1.2 The Triune Expression of the One Essence

Building on the absolute simplicity of God, SSGO reinterprets the mystery of the Trinity by demonstrating that the three Persons of the Godhead are not separate components or transient roles, but are distinct, irreducible modes of the same eternal, self‑given act. In this framework, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each the complete and full expression of the one divine essence—yet each is realized in a unique relational stance or “vantage.”

Specifically, SSGO explains that:

• The Father is the mode of the self‑standing begetter, representing the origin and source from which the divine act is eternally transmitted.
• The Son is the mode of the self‑standing begotten, revealing the complete, uncreated, and perpetual manifestation of the divine essence.
• The Holy Spirit is the mode of self‑standing procession, expressing the ongoing, dynamic outpouring of the one God into the world and into the hearts of believers.

Each of these modes, or vantages, captures the fullness of the divine essence without introducing any division or fragmentation. As SSGO asserts:

“Each divine Person is not a part of God but is the complete self‑expression of the one infinite being, lived in a unique relational stance.”

This formulation shows that while there are genuine, eternal distinctions among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, these distinctions do not compromise the absolute oneness or simplicity of God. Instead, they reveal that the same undivided divine reality is experienced and communicated in different relational expressions. The relational modes are not additional components attached to an otherwise unitary substance; they are the very means by which the one divine essence discloses itself fully and relationally.

In summary, the one simple and fully given God—central to SSGO—is understood as an entirely indivisible, pure act of actuality whose complete self‑givenness is expressed in three distinct, self‑standing relational modes. This dual affirmation of absolute simplicity and genuine relational diversity provides the foundation for the entire SSGO worldview.

2. Relationality, Primitives, and Givenness

2.1 Relational Modes as Fundamental Primitives

At the core of SSGO is the conviction that the relational mode in which God is revealed is not a derivative property but the fundamental, irreducible explanatory unit. Drawing on Jiri Benovsky’s insight that certain metaphysical primitives serve as powerful problem solvers, SSGO posits that the self‑standing relational mode is the key to resolving the apparent tension between two seemingly opposing doctrines:

• Divine Simplicity vs. Personal Distinction:
  Classical theology asserts that God is utterly simple—without parts, additions, or subtractions. Yet, at the same time, the Church affirms that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are truly distinct Persons. SSGO resolves this by showing that the distinctions are not due to any composition in God but are the very modes in which the one, simple divine essence is self‑given.

“Relationality is not additive but is the very mode in which God fully is.”

• Elimination of ‘Parts’ in God:
  By treating relational modes as basic metaphysical primitives, SSGO avoids the need to posit any parts or fragments within the divine nature. Each mode—the way in which God is expressed—accounts for the diversity of expression (such as the distinctions among the Persons) while preserving absolute unity.

Thus, the self‑standing relational mode becomes the conceptual linchpin that simultaneously upholds divine simplicity and accounts for the real, personal distinctions within the Trinity.

2.2 The Ontology of Givenness

Influenced by the thought of Jean‑Luc Marion, SSGO insists that God’s self‑disclosure is an act of full givenness. In this view, there is no gap or “bridging” between God’s essence and His actual existence; rather, God simply is—and in His self‑givenness, He bestows Himself completely in every mode of expression. This profound idea is encapsulated in the classical refrain:

“God from God, true God from true God.”

In practical terms, this means that every expression of divine life, whether seen in the distinct modes of the Persons or in the articulation of divine attributes, is an immediate and unmediated self‑donation. There is no intermediary, no latent potential that must be actualized by some external means. God’s self‑givenness is complete, eternal, and fully expresses the one, indivisible divine essence in every relational stance.

2.3 Hyperintensional Richness and the Vantage Concept

A critical nuance in SSGO is the recognition of hyperintensionality in divine discourse. In many philosophical contexts, if two expressions refer to the same object or share identical truth conditions, they might be considered interchangeable. However, SSGO argues that when it comes to divine attributes, such as “knowledge” versus “power,” these expressions capture unique self‑given relational stances—or vantages—that resist substitution.

• Irreducible Relational Structures (Vantages):
  The term vantage in SSGO signifies an irreducible relational structure—a particular “angle” or mode of experiencing the divine act. Even when different terms ultimately refer to the same divine essence, they highlight different aspects of God’s self‑disclosure. For example, “God’s knowledge” emphasizes the totality of divine cognition and awareness, while “God’s power” stresses the dynamic, causal efficacy of His act.
• Preservation of Conceptual Content:
  Because each divine attribute is experienced from a distinct vantage, the terms are not freely substitutable. In SSGO we affirm:

“Each divine attribute is the whole of God’s act as experienced from a particular vantage, preserving its unique conceptual content without implying any internal division.”

This hyperintensional perspective ensures that the rich variety of ways in which God is revealed—without compromising His oneness—remains intact. It provides the linguistic and metaphysical tools to speak of God’s multifaceted nature while upholding the absolute unity of the divine essence.

3. Biblical and Ecclesial Foundations

3.1 Scriptural Witness to Divine Simplicity and Trinity

The Scriptures provide a continuous and robust witness to both divine simplicity and the triune nature of God. In the Old Testament, declarations such as Exodus 3:14 and Deuteronomy 6:4 affirm that:

“The LORD is one.”

These passages underpin the doctrine that God’s being is utterly indivisible. Yet, as the revelation unfolds in the New Testament, we encounter a dynamic re‑expression of this oneness in a relational mode. For instance:

• Jesus’ Self‑Revelation:
  In John 8:58, Jesus declares, “Before Abraham was, I am,” echoing the divine self‑identification of Exodus 3:14. This powerful claim not only asserts His eternal existence but also His full identity with the one God.
• Apostolic Proclamation:
  In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul articulates, “one God, the Father… and one Lord, Jesus Christ…” Here, the unity of the divine essence is maintained while also introducing the relational distinction between the Father and the Son.
• Baptismal Formula:
  The New Testament’s baptismal command in Matthew 28:19—“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”—perfectly encapsulates the triune identity. It asserts that while God is one undivided essence, He is revealed in three distinct relational modes.

Thus, Scripture consistently reveals a God who is both absolutely one and yet fully expressed in three irreducible modes of self‑givenness.

3.2 The Proto‑Nicene Consciousness

The early Christian community, through its worship, liturgy, and the formation of the New Testament canon, naturally experienced and articulated what modern scholars term “proto‑Nicene Trinitarianism.” This term reflects the reality that before the formal definitions of the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) and Constantinople (AD 381), the Church already held to a robust, triadic understanding of God. As one scholar notes:

“The New Testament canon was formed by a Spirit‑filled community that already worshiped Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God.”

This proto‑Nicene consciousness was not a later invention; it emerged organically from the apostolic witness and was deeply embedded in the communal and liturgical life of the early Church.

3.3 Liturgical and Ecclesial Continuity

The enduring practices of the Church provide further evidence for the SSGO understanding of the divine mystery. From the earliest days, the Church’s liturgy has been characterized by a triadic pattern:

• Triadic Baptism and Eucharist:
  The consistent use of the baptismal formula and Eucharistic prayers that invoke the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit testify to a communal experience of the one undivided divine essence expressed in three relational modes.
• Recurring Doxologies:
  Early Christian doxologies and prayers frequently affirm the unity of God while distinguishing the unique contributions of each Person. These liturgical acts reinforce the idea that:

“Every liturgical act affirms that the same undivided divine essence is disclosed in distinct, irreducible modes.”

This liturgical and ecclesial continuity underscores that the Church’s worship has always been a living expression of the triune God—affirming both the simplicity and the relational diversity of the divine nature, exactly as articulated by SSGO.

Below is an expanded version of Section 4 that fully integrates and synthesizes the insights from our earlier expansions. This section presents SSGO as the singular, unified worldview—one that not only embraces the entire Catholic theological tradition but also incorporates modern metaphysical clarity through relational primitives, the concept of self‑givenness, and a hyperintensional understanding of divine attributes.

4. SSGO as the Unified Worldview

Under the banner of Self‑Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO), the entire Christian theological heritage—from deeply informed Catholic doctrine to modern metaphysical refinement—is brought together into one coherent and self‑sufficient framework. SSGO is not a mere composite of ancient tradition and contemporary philosophy; it is the re‑visioned, perfected expression of the eternal mystery of God as both utterly simple and dynamically relational. This vision affirms that:

• God is absolutely one, simple, and non‑composite.
• The triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is revealed as three distinct, yet inseparable, modes of the one divine essence.
• Every divine attribute (such as knowledge, power, love, and justice) is expressed through an irreducible relational “vantage” that fully manifests the undivided God.

4.1 Unified Simplicity and Relationality

At the core of SSGO is the conviction that there is no tension between divine oneness and relational diversity. The classical doctrine of divine simplicity teaches that there are no parts, no additions, and no subtractions in God—His essence is wholly identical with His existence (as affirmed by the Catechism, Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, and Scriptures like Deuteronomy 6:4). SSGO extends this teaching by showing that the one undivided divine essence is fully expressed in three distinct self‑standing relational modes:

• The Father is the mode of the self‑standing begetter, the source from which the eternal act of self‑givenness originates.
• The Son is the mode of the self‑standing begotten, the complete, eternal manifestation of that act.
• The Holy Spirit is the mode of self‑standing procession, the ongoing outpouring of the divine life.

Each of these modes (or vantages) expresses the entire divine essence without dividing or fragmenting it. In this way, oneness and diversity are not mutually exclusive but are two sides of the same coin—the single, infinite act of self‑givenness.

“There is but one God—utterly simple, yet fully self‑given in three irreducible relational modes.”

4.2 Integrated Language of Divinity

A hallmark of SSGO is its integrated vocabulary, which introduces the concepts of “vantage” and “self‑standing relational mode.” These terms capture the hyperintensional richness of divine expression. Rather than viewing attributes like knowledge, power, love, or justice as discrete, independent properties, SSGO sees them as complete expressions of the one divine act, each experienced from a unique relational stance.

For example, when we speak of “God’s knowledge,” we refer to the mode in which the divine act is lived as comprehensive, all‑encompassing awareness. In contrast, “God’s power” emphasizes the mode in which the same divine act is expressed as dynamic creative efficacy. Although both refer to the one, undivided essence, they are not interchangeable—each captures a different facet of God’s self‑givenness.

“Each divine attribute is the whole of God’s act as experienced from a particular vantage, preserving its unique conceptual content without implying any internal division.”

This precise, integrated language allows us to articulate the mystery of God in a way that is both faithful to the ancient tradition and fully equipped to engage contemporary philosophical challenges, particularly those involving hyperintensionality.

4.3 Biblical, Ecclesial, and Pastoral Coherence

SSGO is deeply rooted in the canonical witness of Scripture and the lived faith of the early Church. The Bible itself testifies to the unity of God—starting with the Old Testament declarations such as Exodus 3:14 and Deuteronomy 6:4—and to the triadic expression of the divine life, as seen in the New Testament’s proclamations (John 8:58, 1 Corinthians 8:6) and the baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19. Early Christian worship reflected a proto‑Nicene understanding wherein the triune God was experienced as one undivided essence expressed in distinct relational modes.

The continuity of this triadic pattern is evident in:

• Liturgical Practice:
  From the earliest days, baptism, the Eucharist, and doxologies have invoked the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a way that affirms both divine oneness and relational distinctiveness. Every liturgical act testifies to the truth that the same undivided divine essence is disclosed in multiple, irreducible modes.
• Ecclesial Tradition:
  The formation of the New Testament canon and the consistent triadic formulations in the writings of Paul, John, and the Church Fathers demonstrate that the early Church’s experience of God was not an abstract construct but a vibrant, communal reality. As one scholar notes:

“The New Testament canon was formed by a Spirit‑filled community that already worshiped Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God.”

• Pastoral Implications:
  This coherent understanding of the triune God nurtures a rich devotional life. Believers encounter God not as a fragmented or abstract force but as a living, relational presence, fully engaged in the world and within the community of faith.

“Every liturgical act affirms that the same undivided divine essence is disclosed in distinct, irreducible modes.”

4.4 SSGO: The Complete, Harmonized Worldview

By uniting deeply informed Catholic doctrine with modern metaphysical insights, SSGO emerges as the complete, harmonized worldview of the triune God. It provides a single, coherent banner under which all aspects of divine revelation are expressed:

• Unified Simplicity and Relationality:
  The one divine essence is fully self‑given in three distinct relational modes, ensuring that God’s oneness is preserved even as His diverse modes of self‑disclosure are affirmed.
• Integrated Language of Divinity:
  Through the concepts of vantages and self‑standing relational modes, SSGO captures the full hyperintensional richness of divine attributes, allowing for precise theological articulation without compromising unity.
• Biblical, Ecclesial, and Pastoral Coherence:
  SSGO is fully rooted in the canonical witness of Scripture, the historical development of the Church’s doctrine, and the lived reality of Christian worship and community. This integrated approach ensures that the triune God is not a mere abstract philosophical puzzle but a vibrant, relational reality that has shaped Christian faith for millennia.

Thus, SSGO stands as the re‑visioned, perfected expression of the eternal truth:

“There is but one God—utterly simple, yet fully self‑given in three irreducible relational modes. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each the entire divine essence expressed in distinct vantages, ensuring that all divine attributes are preserved in their hyperintensional richness without compromising oneness.”

This is SSGO: a unified, Spirit‑led vision of the triune God that brings together the ancient, deeply informed Catholic tradition and the precision of modern metaphysical analysis into one coherent, living worldview.

Conclusion

SSGO now stands as the definitive, unified worldview. It re‑characterizes the traditional Catholic emphasis on divine simplicity and the real distinctions of the Trinity, integrating them with contemporary metaphysical insights. By embracing the full witness of Scripture, the authoritative teaching of the Church, and the rigorous modern analysis of relational modes and hyperintensionality, SSGO offers a comprehensive account of the mystery of God:

• God is One and Simple: No parts, no composition—just the full, undivided divine essence.
• God is Triune: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are irreducible, co‑eternal modes of self‑givenness.
• God’s Attributes are Expressed as Distinct Vantages: Each attribute (knowledge, power, love, etc.) is the complete divine act from a unique relational stance, fully preserving both unity and diversity.

This is SSGO—a unified, Spirit‑led vision of the triune God that is both faithfully rooted in the ancient tradition and dynamically expressed in the language of contemporary metaphysics. It is a living testimony to the truth that “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God” remains the eternal reality of our worship, doctrine, and life.

Glossary of Essential Terms for SSGO

A
• Actus Purus:
The concept that God is pure actuality—completely actualized with no potentiality. In SSGO, this underpins divine simplicity by affirming that God’s being is fully self-sufficient and unchanging.

• Attribute (Divine Attribute):
A characteristic or property ascribed to God (such as omniscience, omnipotence, love, or justice). In SSGO, each attribute is not an added quality but a complete expression of the one divine essence, revealed from a unique relational “vantage” (also defined below).

C
• Catholic Theological Tradition:
The body of doctrine and teaching grounded in Scripture, the Catechism, the writings of Aquinas, the Church Fathers, and formal councils (e.g., Lateran IV, Vatican I). This tradition underlies SSGO’s affirmation of divine simplicity and the triune nature of God.

• Catechism:
The official compendium of Catholic doctrine that explains the faith, including doctrines like divine simplicity and the nature of the Trinity. A copy of the catechism is free on the Vatican’s website here: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

• Canonical Witness:
The collective testimony of the Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments) that affirms God’s oneness and the triadic revelation of the divine life.

D
• Divine Essence:
The fundamental “what” of God—His very being. In SSGO, the divine essence is wholly simple, undivided, and is expressed fully in every relational mode without any addition or subtraction.

• Divine Simplicity:
The doctrine that God is utterly indivisible, without parts, and that His essence is identical with His existence. This is the cornerstone of SSGO’s understanding of God’s absolute oneness and the uniqueness of what that means. For a full account see here: https://robertdryer.com/defending-divine-simplicity/

E
• Ecclesial (Church) Tradition:
The lived and historical experience of the Church—its liturgy, worship, and doctrinal development—which provides evidence for a consistent triadic understanding of God and reinforces the biblical witness.

F
• Fully Given (Self Givenness):
The idea that God’s self-disclosure is complete and unmediated; there is no gap between God’s essence and His existence. In SSGO, “fully given” expresses how every mode (whether Person or attribute) is the entire divine act in a particular relational stance.

G
• Givenness (Ontology of Givenness):
A concept influenced by Jean-Luc Marion that emphasizes God’s act of self-donation. In SSGO, it means that God does not require any “bridging” between essence and existence—He simply is and gives Himself completely in every mode.

• God from God (True God from True God):
A classical refrain underscoring that the divine self-givenness flows directly from God’s own nature. It is used in SSGO to emphasize that every expression of the divine (whether as Father, Son, or Spirit) is the full, undivided God.

H
• Hyperintensionality:
The idea that even when two expressions refer to the same divine essence, they are not freely substitutable because each captures a unique relational aspect (or “vantage”) of God’s self-givenness. This is intended to protect the richness and specificity of divine language. A fuller account is given here: https://robertdryer.com/defending-divine-simplicity/does-hyperintensionality-challenge-divine-simplicity/

M
• Metaphysical Primitive:
A basic, irreducible concept that serves as a building block in metaphysical explanation. In SSGO, the self‐standing relational mode is treated as a metaphysical primitive that resolves the tension between divine simplicity and the reality of distinct Persons. See Relational mode below for more.

N
• Noncomposite:
Describes something that is not composed of parts. In SSGO, God is noncomposite—His essence is not made up of separable pieces, ensuring absolute simplicity.

O
• Oneness:
The fundamental unity of God. In SSGO, oneness means that despite the relational diversity (e.g., Father, Son, Holy Spirit), God remains one undivided essence, and uniquely unique if you will.

P

• Persons (divine): See “Vantage” below.
• Proto Nicene:
Refers to the early, pre-Council of Nicaea (AD 325) understanding of the triune God. It denotes the organic, apostolic witness found in Scripture and early Church practice, which SSGO holds as foundational. For a full account see here: https://robertdryer.com/blog/why-the-bible-is-trinitarian/

R
• Relational Mode (Self‐Standing Relational Mode):
In SSGO, the self‐standing relational modes are understood as the primitive, irreducible expressions of the one divine essence. They embody a dual character that affirms both the complete selfhood of each divine Person and the intrinsic, inescapable relational distinctions within the Godhead:

• Self‐Standing (Intrinsic Selfhood):
  Each mode possesses an autonomous, intrinsic identity. In the context of divine simplicity, this means that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each fully and completely God—self-subsistent expressions of the divine essence. Their selfhood is not derivative or contingent upon any external relation but is the full, inherent manifestation of God’s being.
• Relational (Inherent Relational Distinction):
  At the same time, the distinctions among the divine Persons are not imposed from without but arise as an essential feature of how the one divine essence is self-disclosed. The relational aspect here does not suggest that the divine modes “participate” in something external; rather, it denotes that the unique, irreducible distinctions (each articulated from a unique “vantage”) are built into the very nature of the divine self-revelation. These distinctions preserve both the absolute simplicity of God and the authentic diversity within the Trinity.

Together, these two facets articulate that each divine Person is not a fragment or a mere part of the divine essence but is a full, self-contained, and complete expression of God’s self-givenness. The self‐standing relational modes are not engaged in an external process of participation; instead, they are the inherent structural principles through which the one simple divine essence is fully and irreducibly expressed in three distinct, co-equal Persons. This formulation upholds both the unity and the absolute simplicity of God while accounting for the genuine, intrinsic distinctions within the Triune God.

• Relationality:
The notion that the distinctions within the divine are not added components but arise from the very way in which God discloses Himself relationally. It is central to SSGO’s explanation of how God is both simple and triune.

S
• Self Standing Givenness Ontology (SSGO):
The unified framework that integrates historic Catholic doctrine with modern metaphysical insights, asserting that God is utterly simple yet fully self-given in three distinct, irreducible relational modes. See relational modes above.

• Simplicity:
In the theological sense, it refers to the quality of being undivided, without parts or composition. SSGO upholds divine simplicity as the foundation of God’s oneness.

T
• Triune / Trinity:
The doctrine that one God exists as three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who share one undivided divine essence. SSGO explains the Trinity in terms of self‐standing relational modes, preserving both unity and genuine diversity.

V
• Vantage:
An irreducible relational structure or “angle” from which the divine act is experienced and expressed. In SSGO, each divine attribute or Person is articulated from a unique vantage, ensuring that even if they refer to the same essence, their distinct relational character is maintained. In SSGO, the traditional terms—unbegotten (referring to the Father), begotten (referring to the Son), and spirated (referring to the Holy Spirit)—are understood not as sequential or compositional components but as metaphysical primitives. They are labels that capture the unique, intrinsic relational stances (or “vantages”) by which the singular divine essence discloses itself.

Thus, each divine Person is defined as follows:

• The Unbegotten (Father): The foundational, self‑standing mode of divine self‑givenness, representing the intrinsic origin from which the eternal act of self‑expression emanates.
• The Begotten (Son): The mode through which the divine essence is fully and perpetually manifested, distinct in its relational expression while remaining entirely the one essence.
• The Spirated (Holy Spirit): The mode that expresses the ongoing, dynamic outpouring of the divine life, an irreducible relational stance that completes the triune expression without fragmenting the unified essence.

In SSGO, these labels are metaphysical primitives—basic, unanalyzable categories that describe how the one divine reality is eternally and dynamically self‑given in three distinct yet inseparable ways. It’s not that the SSGO is allergic to traditional terms, like person, substance, and energies or whatever. It’s just that it’s designed to service the Trinity / Simplicity Discussion not the ecumenical council concerns of Nicene theology. Nicene theology is completely affirmed and committed to, but you don’t need SSGO to express that tradition as it’s sufficient enough. This is especially the case at Church where every mass the creed is confessed. SSGO is not that kind of thing and serves it & does not lead it. SSGO is more like a personalistic like systematic theology but shouldn’t be taken to far as though its ontology can do all the work, it probably can’t. Mystery if for conversion of the souls so this isn’t a cop-out to mysterianism either.

For more, you can go here: https://robertdryer.com/defending-divine-simplicity/whats-a-mode-and-vantage-in-divine-simplicity/

For more terms see here: God as Relatio Subsistens: A Glossary of Terms – RobertDryer

A Formal Argument for SSGO

Premise 1: Divine Simplicity

• Assertion: Catholic tradition affirms that God is actus purus—pure actuality, completely devoid of any composition.
• SSGO Interpretation: In SSGO, God’s essence is utterly simple and indivisible. There are no parts, additions, or subtractions in the divine being.

Premise 2: The Necessity of Trinitarian Distinction

• Assertion: The doctrine of the Trinity requires that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be recognized as truly distinct Persons.
• SSGO Interpretation: Each Person of the Godhead fully possesses the one divine essence without any partition. Their distinctness arises not from being fractions of a whole, but from being irreducible, self‐standing relational modes.

Premise 3: Relational Self-Givenness as the Ontological Ground

• Assertion: Traditional metaphysical approaches (e.g., the essence–existence distinction) risk portraying God in a composite manner when applied to the Trinity.
• SSGO Interpretation: SSGO recasts the foundation of divine being as an eternal act of relational self‐givenness. Here, the divine essence is not statically “what” God is, separate from “that” God is; instead, it is fully actualized in an ongoing, non‐sequential relational act. This act is the very mode by which the one essence is expressed in three distinct relational stances.

Premise 4: Hyperintensionality and Irreducible Vantages

• Assertion: While traditional language may blur distinctions by equating attributes (e.g., “God is all-knowing” vs. “God is all-powerful”), hyperintensionality teaches us that even co-referential expressions can carry distinct meanings.
• SSGO Interpretation: In SSGO, each divine attribute (or “vantage”)—whether it be knowledge, power, love, etc.—is a complete expression of the divine act as it is lived from a specific relational perspective. These vantages are not additive parts but irreducible modes, ensuring that the substitution of one term for another would alter the relational emphasis, even though all refer to the one essence.

Premise 5: Avoidance of Tritheism and Modalism

• Assertion: Any account of the Trinity must avoid both tritheism (dividing God into three separate beings) and modalism (collapsing the distinct Persons into mere roles of one Person).
• SSGO Interpretation: By grounding the distinctions solely in eternal, self-standing relational modes, SSGO maintains that each Person is fully and equally the one divine essence. The differences lie in their unique relational stances (unbegotten, begotten, and proceeding) rather than in any divided substance. Consequently, the framework avoids both the fragmentation of the divine and the conflation of distinct personal identities.

Premise 6: Metaphysical Primitives as the Explanatory Bedrock

• Assertion: To prevent an infinite regress of explanatory layers (or endless identity puzzles), it is necessary to accept certain relational notions as metaphysical primitives.
• SSGO Interpretation: SSGO treats the relational self‐givenness among the Persons as a primitive notion—fundamental and irreducible. This approach secures the intrinsic distinctiveness of the divine Persons without resorting to compositional analysis.

Intermediate Conclusion: Unity and Distinction in the Godhead

From Premises 1–4, we conclude that:

• Unity: God’s essence remains perfectly simple and undivided, as affirmed by the classical tradition.
• Distinction: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished by their irreducible relational stances—each a self‐standing mode of the one divine act.

Premise 7: The Model Avoids Objections

• Dynamic Relationality: Although SSGO employs a “dynamic” language of self‐givenness, the relational modes are eternal and non-sequential. There is no implication of change or temporal progression in God’s nature.
• Non-Compositionality: By treating relational modes as primitives, SSGO circumvents the pitfalls of forcing an essence–existence distinction onto God—a distinction that is effective for contingent beings but misleading for the divine.

Final Conclusion

SSGO demonstrates that:

1. God’s Absolute Simplicity is maintained—His essence is fully actualized and unfragmented.
2. Trinitarian Distinctions are real and irreducible, grounded in the eternal relational self‐givenness of the divine Persons.
3. The One Divine Reality is expressed in three distinct, non-compositional modes (vantages), thereby harmonizing the oneness of God with the genuine distinctions among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thus, by framing God’s essence as an eternally self‐given relational act, SSGO provides a transcendent and philosophically elegant framework that fully aligns with Catholic doctrinal tradition. It resolves longstanding tensions by showing that divine simplicity and Trinitarian distinction are not mutually exclusive but are two aspects of the one, dynamic, and indivisible divine reality.

Key Terminology in SSGO

• Relational Self-Givenness: The eternal act by which God discloses His essence in the distinct relational modes of Father, Son, and Spirit.
• Relational Modes (Vantages): The irreducible, self-standing expressions of the divine act that distinguish each Person without introducing parts.
• Metaphysical Primitives: Fundamental explanatory units that require no further decomposition; here, they secure the foundation of divine relationality.
• Dynamic Simplicity: The portrayal of God as eternally self-giving, ensuring oneness without the addition or subtraction of properties.