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=== Early Linguistic Uncertainty ===It should first be noted that much confusion over this topic historically may be due to philosophical and terminological gaps which had to be filled in order to accurately discuss God--and not misconstrue Him. Over time, within Orthodoxy(especially with the help of Sts. Athanasios and Gregory of Palamas), an ideological framework seems to have emerged. '''Below, different terms used throughout history''' (as people grappled for appropriate terminology) '''are listed under the concept to which they are related'''.

=== The Terms in a Physical Context ===First, it is perhaps important to '''contextualize these concepts''' with a created-world example. * When one discusses someone (say, John Doe), one might ask "'''''what John Doe is'''''." The answer would be a human being (a creature with a mind/[[nous]], a body, and a life). * If, however one asked "'''''what John Doe does'''''," that would be a different question. The answer might be running, building, teaching, etc. Note that we may often say John Doe ''is'' a runner, builder, or teacher; but such is simply a method of speaking. These attributes (all acquired through time) have no relation to what John Doe actually ''is'' by nature (i.e. a human being). <ref>This distinction was clarified by St. Athanasius, but "was further refined by St. Basil the great and St. Gregory of Palamas among others." Clark Carlton, The Life (Salisbury, MA: Regina Orthodox Press, 2000), p. 76.</ref>* Both of those questions, however, are different from "'''''who John Doe is'''''." The answer to "who John Doe is," is what makes John Doe different from Jim Doe (or Jane Doe, etc.). This is a specific person who distinctly uses the characteristics he/she shares with others (ex. sharing the same humanity, but also perhaps the same activity, like running).

=== The Framework & Its Importance: The Three Realities in God ===Those (albeit in a different order below) constitute what St. Gregory of Palamas described as the three main methods realities of God.<ref>The One Hundred and Fifty Chapters 75, tr. by Robert Sinkewicz (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1988), p. 171.</ref> It is within this developed framework that the Orthodox use articulate realities that the Orthodox Church has held from the beginning. Below, each reality heads a list of terms which historically have been used in attempts to discuss Godexpress each said reality.

References the [[Trinity]]: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The confusion/non-recognition of the above concepts in Western (i.e. Roman Catholic and Protestant) theology is integral to the different theologies which developed in "in the West" <ref>"The West" is an over-simplification referencing how the Western Roman Empire fell to the Barbarians, and consequently developed various heterodox beliefs. This, however, obfuscates the fact that some "Westerners" in fallen Rome (and Celtic territories) maintained Orthodox beliefs for a long time. In other words, not all Christians in and around fallen Western Rome accepted heterodox beliefs. Hence the Antiochian Archdiocese, in particular, has within its jurisdiction a canonical Western Rite. </ref> and which underly the ''filioque''.