Trinity shield
The shield of the Trinity (Latin scutum Trinitatis ), older shield of faith ( scutum fidei , according to Eph 6,16 EU ), is a graphic illustration of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity that was developed in the High Middle Ages . It was mainly used in the early modern period as a religious educational aid, as church decoration and as a heraldic symbol.
Oldest known depiction by Peter of Poitiers , around 1210
The Scutum as “God's coat of arms ” in the Wernigeroder Wappenbuch , around 1480
Jerónimo Cosida (1510–1592), Trinity
Relief above the portal of St. Joseph's Church in Einbeck , 1895
Schematic representation
Shape and meaning
The symbol illustrates the paradoxical doctrine of faith that the one God exists in three persons who are different, related to one another and thus are nevertheless one . The statements about the Trinity of the Athanasian Creed are used as a direct theological basis .
Accordingly, the basic shape is a triangle made of tapes with circles at the corners. From these three more tapes lead to a - mostly graphically highlighted - circle in the middle. The corner circles bear the inscriptions Pater (“Father”), Filius (“Son”) and [Sanctus] Spiritus (“[Holy] Spirit”), the center circle the inscription Deus (“God”). Is on the outer bands each font est non ( "is not"), on the leading towards the center est ( "is"). The tapes can be read so that each of the circles contains the grammatical subject or the predicative , that is, in both directions. This is how the sentences result:
- Father est Deus. - Deus est Pater.
- The father is God. - God is the father.
- Filius est Deus. - Deus est Filius.
- The son is God. - God is the son.
- Spiritus est Deus. - Deus est Spiritus.
- The spirit is God. - God is the spirit.
- Father non est Filius. - Filius non est Pater.
- The father is not the son. - The son is not the father.
- Father non est spirit. - Spiritus non est Pater.
- The father is not the spirit. - The spirit is not the father.
- Filius non est spiritus. - Spiritus non est Filius.
- The son is not the spirit. - The spirit is not the son.
The shape of the shield symbolizes at the same time the defense against false doctrines and the kingship of the Triune God.
literature
- Frederick Roth Webber: The Shield of the Trinity . In: Ders .: Church Symbolism. An explanation of the more important symbols… . Cleveland 1927, pp. 44-46
