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AI Overview Étienne Gilson argued that "God is not a substance" in the traditional philosophical sense (meaning an essence distinct from existence). Instead, he defined God as ipsum esse subsistens (the pure act of being itself), where essence and existence are identical.Jeffrey Kalb critiques this "existential" interpretation in his book Existence and Subsistence in St. Thomas Aquinas. On page 12, Kalb argues that Gilson's derogation of the concept of "substance" leads to insuperable difficulties for orthodox Catholic theology, specifically in understanding the Trinity and the Eucharist.The Theological ConflictThe Trinity: Orthodox Trinitarian theology relies on the concept of one substance (ousia) and three distinct persons (hypostases). If God is not a substance, it becomes logically difficult to explain how the three persons can share a single, unified divine nature while maintaining real personal distinctions.The Eucharist: Eucharistic theology relies on the concept of "transubstantiation"—the change of the substance of bread and wine into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. If substance is downplayed or discarded, the ontological reality of Christ's physical presence in the Eucharist faces severe metaphysical hurdles.

AI Overview
Étienne Gilson argued that "God is not a substance" in the traditional philosophical sense (meaning an essence distinct from existence). Instead, he defined God as ipsum esse subsistens (the pure act of being itself), where essence and existence are identical. [1]
Jeffrey Kalb critiques this "existential" interpretation in his book Existence and Subsistence in St. Thomas Aquinas. On page 12, Kalb argues that Gilson's derogation of the concept of "substance" leads to insuperable difficulties for orthodox Catholic theology, specifically in understanding the Trinity and the Eucharist. [1, 2]
The Theological Conflict
  • The Trinity: Orthodox Trinitarian theology relies on the concept of one substance (ousia) and three distinct persons (hypostases). If God is not a substance, it becomes logically difficult to explain how the three persons can share a single, unified divine nature while maintaining real personal distinctions. [1, 2]
  • The Eucharist: Eucharistic theology relies on the concept of "transubstantiation"—the change of the substance of bread and wine into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. If substance is downplayed or discarded, the ontological reality of Christ's physical presence in the Eucharist faces severe metaphysical hurdles.

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