Trinity, Hierarchy and Subodrindation

I just learned that early Christians understood person in a much different way than we do. Their word for person--persona--means mask worn by an actor. Bruce Shelley in his Church History in Plain Language writes, "In Trinitarian thought the "mask" is not worn by God to hide but to reveal his true character. It is clear that when we think of the Trinity, we should not try to think of three persons in our sense of the term, but three personal disclosures of God that correspond to what he is really like."

Now this is messing with my mind as I am wrestling with the quesitons of hierarchy and subordination in the Godhead.

Bruce Shelley is pretty conservative so I am surprised he discusses the trinity like he does.  Are there any Theology Proper people out there that have some thoughts and insights.  Did Shelley take things a little too far or is he on the money?