Beyond Boethius: The Clarity and Capacity of Relational Personhood

Abstract

In his definition of the person as an individual substance of a rational nature Boethius asserts that person properly pertains to substance not accident. He does not consider the possibility of personhood being properly applied to relation. Taking an initial lead from Thomas Aquinas, together with Henry of Ghent and Richard of St Victor this paper develops a general definition of person based on relation. This definition highlights the triadic structure of being and enables the distinction between individual, subject and self to be clarified. Then clarifying the distinction between person and nature, this relational definition opens up an enhanced capacity for linking the reality of Christ as one divine person in two natures to the divinisation of the human person.