Communion with the Triune God: A Nuptial Incorporative Account

This paper defends a fundamentally nuptial account of union with the Trinity, or communion with the triune God. We are incorporated into the triune communion specifically as the bride of Christ (individually as well as corporately). I define spiritual marriage as comprehensive and organic union which is open to spiritual offspring. The comprehensive union is specifically with Christ in his humanity, in keeping with the connaturality of marriage. Adoptive filiation is the first consequence of this comprehensive union, in keeping with our sharing in the Son’s relation of “begottenness.” A second relational consequence of our union to the incarnate Son is the fact that we bear the fruit of the Spirit, this time in keeping with our sharing in the Son’s active spiration. The Spirit can then be understood, at least partly, in terms of what proceeds externally from the union of the believer with the Son. The paper concludes by addressing several objections to this nuptial incorporative model.