perfezioni

Perfezioni is the plural of perfezione in Italian, meaning “excellences” or “attributes of perfection.” In philosophy and theology, the term refers to the set of qualities attributed to a being considered perfect, most often God. The concept is central to classical theism, where God’s perfections are discussed as attributes that express the nature and goodness of the divine.

Many theologians distinguish between incommunicable perfections, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and eternality, and communicable perfections, such as justice, mercy, and wisdom, which can be reflected in created beings in a finite form. However, some traditions treat all divine attributes as expressions of one simple essence, and discussions about perfections often revolve around how these attributes relate to divine simplicity and unity.

Historically, the language of divine perfections developed in late antique and medieval philosophical theology, with figures such as Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus shaping how perfections are understood in relation to divine nature, omnipresence, and goodness. The enumeration of perfections is not fixed; different traditions propose varying lists, guided by scriptural descriptions and philosophical analysis.

In contemporary discourse, “perfezioni” can also appear in discussions of virtue ethics as “perfections of character,” referring to ideal or fully developed moral traits in humans. Thus the term covers both technical theological usage and more general ethical language, depending on the context.