Simplicity in Fourth-century Nicene Theology and T. F. Torrance’s Homoousion

In T. F. Torrance’s trinitarian theology, the homoousion plays the role that the doctrine of divine simplicity played for the pro-Nicene theologians in the fourth century. This lecture will demonstrate that point, and then consider the historical and systematic implications of it. It is arguable that Torrance offers us a way to preserve trinitarian orthodoxy without the need to invoke the troublesome concept of simplicity, which would be a significant gain; it is also arguable that even in Torrance’s deployment, the homoousion is too capacious of doctrines the Fathers would have regarded as tritheistic.