Gottvater

Gottvater, meaning God the Father in German, is the title used in Christian theology for the first person of the Holy Trinity. In German-language religious discourse it is employed across many denominations, including Catholic and Protestant traditions, to denote the divine Father who is the source of all that exists.

In Trinitarian doctrine, Gottvater is one divine person who is distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit but is of one essence with them. He is commonly described as the creator and sustainer of the universe and as the origin of the divine economy of salvation. In Western Christian theology the Holy Spirit is said to proceed from the Father (and, in most traditions, from the Son as well, a clause known as the filioque). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are thus viewed as coequal persons within one Godhead.

Language and practice surrounding Gottvater are evident in liturgy and prayer. German speakers commonly address God as Vater in daily prayer and in the Lord’s Prayer, which in German renders “Vater unser im Himmel.” The biblical phrase Abba, Vater expresses a personal, intimate address to God the Father.

History and usage notes: the term gained prominence in medieval and especially post-Reformation German theology and Bible translation. Debates exist regarding gendered language for the divine, with some communities preferring gender-neutral formulations or alternative expressions, while others maintain traditional masculine phrasing. Overall, Gottvater remains a central articulation of the Christian understanding of God as Father within the Trinity.