In spite of
Tertullian’s great contributions to trinitarian theology, his writings do
exhibit some significant problems. There are a few passages (Against Praxeas
2.1, 5.2-4, 7.1) in which he seems to indicate that the Son and the Spirit
proceeded from God as part of the economy of creation and redemption, rather than
being eternally begotten and eternally proceeding. In at least one instance (Against
Praxeas 91), Tertullian seems to regard the Son as having merely a portion
of full divinity, rather than entire divinity as the Father has. I suggest that
these passages reflect a pre-Irenaen mindset in which the focus on the economy
and on the way we recognize the persons of the Trinity is so strong that it
leads to an insufficient consideration of the persons in their eternal
relations. (Donald Fairbairn, “Ante-Nicene Trinitarianism: From Confession to
Theology,” in On Classical Trinitarianism: Retrieving the Nicene Doctrine of
the Triune God, ed. Matthew Barrett [Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic,
2024], 14)
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