A number of scholars think that the word Triune God and the word Godhead are Synonyms in Trinitical and Trinitarian Theologies. But this is not correct. Since the word Godheas is some what different from the word Tri-Unity [Trinity] or Triune God. In this article it is tried to discuss the differences between the Triune God [God the Trinity / TriUnity] and the Godhead. Dicussion:= As according to the Dogma Of Trinity God is there is Only One Supreme Being that there is One In Per Se Subsisbtent Essence /Ousia in Supreme Being and three mutually distincet Per Se Subsistent Rational Hypostases in the Essence / Ousia of the Supreme Being. Godhead [some time Divinity] is the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ouisa Of the Supreme Being. Tri-Unity [Trinity or Triune God] is the Union of the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia and the Three Mutually Distinct Per Se Subsistent Rational Hypostases. So the Godhead is a member of Triune God. How ever the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia is Communicabe to Each of the Per Se Subsitent Rational Hypostasis . Use Of the Word Being and God. The word Being in case of God is used in two meanings. 1] For the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia ,since it Esse [Existence/Beingness] of the Supreme Being is believed to be Identical to the said Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia. 2] The word Being is also used for the Union of the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia and Three Mutually Distict Rational Hypostases. The Problem of Identity. There are two meanings of the word Identity. 1] Absolute Identity. If two things are in Absolute Identity that is they are Identical Absolutely then they are mutually Predicatable to one another. For Example the The Divine Identical to Divine Esse in the Absolute meaning. So Esse is Essence and Essence is Esse in the case of Supreme Being. 2] Relative Identity.
In this meaning if they are said to be Idetical they are not Predicable. For example: In the dogma of Trinity Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia of Supreme Being is Identical to Each One of the Per Se Subsistent Hypostasis. But Divine Ousia/Essence is not Predicatable to any One of the Hypostasis. Similarly a Hypostasis is not Predicatable to the Essence/ Ouisa. That is if a Hypostasis is Identical to the Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia then it it is incorrect to say:= 1] Hypostasis is the Essence. 2] Essence is the Hyppostasis. This is in the meaning of Communicable. Some time the words like Unity is also used as in the following sentences:= 1]Three Mutually Distinct Per Se Subsistent Hypostases unite in One Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia . 2]Three Mutually Distinct Per Se Subsistent Hypostases unite in One Being. The word Being used in the second sentence immediately above is in the meaning of Godhead stated above earlier.
Essence and Supreme Being. In the meaning of Godhead Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia is the Godhead itself. Essence is in the Being in the meaning it is the Being. In the meaning of Union or Unity of Per Se Subsistent Essence/Ousia and the Mutually Distinct Per Se Hypostases Per Se Subsistent Essence /Ousia is in the Being in the meaning it is one of the member of the Union/Unity.