The answer
There are illustrations from our everyday life that approximate for our minds the Doctrine of the Trinity and Unity, but are not as profound. For example:
- Man has existence, speech, and life. He is one man in his one human being.
- Fire consists of flame, from which light emanates and heat proceeds.
- The sun is a disk from which light emanates and heat proceeds. The disk is not light, which is not heat. However, the three are inseparable, because the one sun is existent in the disk, illuminating by its rays, and smouldering by its heat.
To those who do not believe in the Trinity, finding sufficiency in God being one, we say:
What is the value of the sun as a disk without rays or heat? It has no existence without its lights and heat.
- Equilateral triangle (for example of gold): it has one Essence of gold and three equal angles.
There are some illustrations that are faulty or lacking, amongst which is:
- Tree: Consists of roots, a trunk, and branches. The flaw is that each of its constituents is independent from the other.
- Matter: Exists in three phases: solid-liquid-gas. The flaw is that this occurs under certain conditions.
- Finger: Consists of three phalanges. Its flaw is that they are not equivalent, and are not formed at once.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 32–33.
The pages in the book (32–33)
