Consubstantiality
Consubstantiality is a term used in Latin Christian christology, coined by Tertullian in Against Hermogenes 44, used to translate the Greek term homoousios.
"Consubstantiality" describes the relationship between the three Divine Persons of the Christian Trinity and conotes that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are "of one Being" in that the Son is "generated" ("born" or "begotten") "before all ages" or "eternally" of the Father's own Being, from which the Spirit also eternally "proceeds."
Since the Latin language lacks a present active participle for the verb "to be," Tertullian and other Latin authors rendered the Greek noun "ousia"(being) as "substantia," and the Greek adjective "homoousios" (of the same being) as "consubstantialis." Unlike the Greek words, which are etymologically related to the Greek verb "to be" and connote one's own personal inherent character, "substantia," connotes matter as much as it connotes being.
The term is also used to describe the common humanity which is shared by all human persons. Thus, Jesus Christ is said to be consubstantial with the Father in His Divinity and consubstantial with "us" in His humanity.
Some English-speaking translators and authors still prefer the words "substance" and "consubstantial" to describe the nature of the the Christian God. For example, in the Church of England it is used to describe the relationship between the sacred elements and the body of Christ as distinct from the Roman Catholic transubstantial relationship. Unless the reader has knowledge of the history and special ecclesiastical meaning of these terms, their use might problematize the understanding of the Christian God as transcendent, that is, being above matter rather than consisting of matter. Recent translations of the Nicene Creed into English reflect the preference of using "of the same being" rather than "consubstantial" to describe the relationship of the Son to the Father.
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