God as a supreme substance

According to Moltmann the understanding of God as a supreme substance finds its roots in Greek religion and in their philosophy.[1]  They understood the universe as an orderly, harmonious whole that was governed on the basis of eternal laws. At the heart of life in the universe are the gods, with whom human beings live harmoniously. The divine supreme substance at the centre of all this is one, necessary, immovable, infinite, unconditional, immortal and impassible.[2] 

Against the enemies of the church, that is, persecutors and heretics, Tertullian developed his formula una substantia, tres personae which means one indivisible, homogeneous divine substance that exist as three individual persons. He developed this theology after the nature of Christ debate was at stake.[3]

At the council of Nicea in 325 it was affirmed that the son is homoousios (one substance) with the father, a doctrine championed by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria (295-373). He argued that the re-creation of human nature in the image of God requires a fully divine mediator, and the victory over death requires the death and resurrection of the Lord of life himself. In his support for the theology of salvation was the idea that the one divine ousia (substance), infinite, simple and indivisible, is at once Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. All three are distinct, and yet all three share in one divine essence. [4]

Gunton criticises Augustine view of God's unity as resting on a singular substance. He says that while Augustine rests God's unity on a singularity of substance it is not enough as it has to be singularity beyond substance otherwise God becomes neutral. Substance he argues is not personhood but a thing and therefore lacks the ability to create unity of will and purpose.[5]

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[1] Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom of God, 10

[2] Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom of God,, 11

[3] Peter McEnhill  and G. M. Newlands. Fifty Key Christian Thinkers (London: Routledge, 2004),27

[4] McEnhill, Fifty Key Christian Thinker, 36

[5] Colin E. Gunton. The Promise of Trinitarian Theology. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1991),38-42