Abstract

The two triads mens, notitia, amor (trin. 9) and memoria, intellegentia, voluntas (trin. 10) are crucial for understanding Augustine’s Trinitarian triads in De Trinitate. However, Augustine’s intention in proceeding from mens, notitia, amor to memoria, intellegentia, voluntas remains unclear. There is a common tendency to regard the latter triad as superior to the former one because the latter one is an inward progression to the mind in analogizing the Trinity. This perspective of inward progression, however, cannot give a full account of the complicated relationship between these two triads. This article calls attention to Augustine’s use of knowledge and love in these two triads. The analysis of the pattern of knowledge and love reveals that Augustine understands knowledge and love in a different way in these two triads. In mens, notitia, amor, Augustine personalizes knowledge and love and regards them as analogous to the Son and the Holy Spirit. In memoria, intellegentia, voluntas, however, Augustine interprets knowledge and love as actions and portrays the mind’s self-knowing and self-loving as components of human spirituality. The different patterns of knowledge and love show that the second triad is not intended to be superior to the first. Rather two triads should be understood as complementary. Moreover, the turning from mens, notitia, amor to memoria, intellegentia, voluntas also shows that Augustine intends to include a spiritual dimension into his Trinitarian theology. This means that one should expect that Augustine’s Trinitarian theology has connections to his soteriology.