[B-Greek] Origen hypostasis

Stephen Payne spayneop at hotmail.com
Sun Oct 9 18:08:28 EDT 2005


>  It is clear that the Pauls hupostasis is not the same with Origen. 
>However
>i think in this passage ,
>  the word hupostasis correspond to substances ,i.e "..three substances , 
>the
>Father and the Son , and the Holy Spirit ...".
>Do you agree with me??.

Yes.  The two usages cited have different significations.  As to whether 
hUPOSTASIS corresponds to "substances" or not, that would depend or your 
understanding of "substances."  Traditionally, "substances" -- as used in 
reference to the Trinity -- does not mean a physical, tangible substance.

>  Other questions is about the translators Roberts-Donaldson , they didnt
>translate "hupostasis" , perhaps they couldnt translate the real meaning in
>english.
>  Best Regards
>Octavio Rodriguez

Well, this is the real problem.  The Latin Church struggled with the 
question of how to render hUPOSTASIS.  First, it tried a literal rendering:  
substantia.  Then it tried "persona."  The real trouble is that hUPOSTASIS 
is a vague word (in the sense that is not a technical term).  It is quite 
conventional to leave the word untranslated (as Roberts and Donaldson do, 
apparently).

Regards,

Stephen Payne
Taylors, SC





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