Thursday, July 13, 2006

Q28 A2: Whether relation in God is the same as His essence?

Yes. Relation really existing in God is really the same as His essence and only differs in its mode of intelligibility because everything which is not the divine essence is a creature.

In God relation and essence do not differ from each other, but are one and the same.

Whatever has an accidental existence in creatures, when considered as transferred to God, has a substantial existence (for there is no accident in God, since all in Him is His essence).

So, insofar as relation has an accidental existence in creatures, relation really existing in God has the existence of the divine essence in no way distinct therefrom.