There have been many heresies regarding the trinity which we know are heresies because they conflict with what scripture has to say about the trinity. Jul 28, 2010 the word trinity cannot be found in the bible, but the truth of it can. It is not so much an explanation as an analogy to help people understand, because basically, as human beings, our intellects are incapable of gras. Can a person that is saved lose faith and be sent to hell at judgment time. However, this video does that, while at the same time refutes the idea that god could be a unitarian being. Sep 28, 2011 if any doctrine makes christianity christian, then surely it is the doctrine of the trinity. All are equally omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal, and unchanging, but each one has unique functions. Using the multiplication model, we show that the three form a union, thus why people have moved to calling it the triunity. While the developed doctrine of the trinity is not explicit in the books that constitute the new testament. If thou wert in doubt as to what we have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the book from before thee.
The doctrine or concept of the trinity is central to most christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. The trinity is first of all important because god is important. Since all three persons of the trinity are equally god, we may pray to any member of the trinity. If any doctrine makes christianity christian, then surely it is the doctrine of the trinity. The trinity explained to muslims christianity explained. The three great ecumenical creedsthe apostles creed, the nicene creed, and the athanasian creedare all structured around our three in one god, underlying the essential importance of trinitarian theology. The word trinity is a term used to denote the christian doctrine that god exists as a unity of three distinct persons. When moses asked god for his name, god replied, i am eternally existing. Its dogma has produced tragic and bloody episodes in history. The doctrine of the trinity recognizes that god is one god, coexisting in three distinct persons of the father, son and holy spirit. The trinity is christianitys most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery.
This basis of experience is older than the doctrine of the trinity. It has been suggested that 3 in 1 be merged into this article or section. When reading these in different places in the bible, you become aware that although god is one he is also more than onegod, jesus, and the holy spirit holy ghost. This mystery is called the doctrine of the trinity, though that term is not used in the bible. If you have ever felt that the doctrine of the trinity was a liability, a burden to be borne patiently, this is the book that will change your perspective. By the words of the athanasian creed it is, the father is god, the son is god, and the holy spirit is god, and yet. Nontrinitarian christians, who reject the doctrine of the trinity, differ significantly from mainstream christianity in their beliefs about the holy spirit. See the top three pictures on the image provided for how this symbol was made.
Christianitys selfinflicted wound buzzard, sir anthony, hunting, charles f. How best do we explain the trinity in christianity. God is one being but reveals himself through the trinity as god the father, god the son jesus and god the holy spirit. It is something very important to christian beliefs, but it can be hard to understand because it seems like a total paradox. His problem with the trinity was not so much with biblical texts, and obviously so, because he did not accept the bible in the form it is in today as the word of god.
Discovering the radical truth at the heart of christianity by cynthia bourgeault isbn. Michael reevess delighting in the trinity presents the triune god as the best thing about the christian faith. Dec 29, 2018 some use math to explain the holy trinity. Christians believe that god has three different natures, personalities or persons. Bible trinity explained written by manashantii 15th february 20. Every significant concept in this statement god, exists, as or in, equally divine, person has been variously understood. I was watching a video on the trinity and how it was explained and i was really confused in the comments there were so many people saying that it was polytheism and that god the father is the only god and whatever else but i was under the impression to be considered a christian you had to believe the trinity which i do and was really blown away with how many people reject the. This is the best book i have ever read in terms of explaining the.
Kapic, professor of theological studies at covenant college and the author of the god who gives. Many nonchristians and new christians often struggle with the idea of the holy trinity, where we break up god into the father, son, and holy spirit. That, by the way, is the number one question i have been asked about the holy spirit since writing names of the holy spirit. The gospel of john is a good part to read to help with understanding the trinity. May 24, 20 jonathan edwards noted, after studying the topic, i think the doctrine of the trinity to be the highest and deepest of all divine mysteries part one uses an analogy by c. Jan 23, 2006 the trinity is first of all important because god is important. The trinity is a mystery which is beyond human understanding and experience.
God is one being in three persons who have different roles. May, 2019 the trinity expresses the belief that god is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in coequal essence and coeternal communion as the father, son, and holy spirit. When reading these in different places in the bible, you become aware that although god is one he is also more than onegod, jesus, and. Come as an easter resolution for yourself, or bring a friend with questions. Further, we should allow the fact that god is triune to deepen our worship. In our material existence, the concept that god is one god, yet exists as three distinct persons, is foreign to us. Many find the concept of the trinity troubling, desiring a perfect understanding of it. The trinity doctrine in christianity learn religions. Christianity today provides thoughtful, biblical perspectives on theology, church, ministry, and culture on the official site of christianity today magazine.
Christianity still prostrates itself before the low wroughtgold throne of constantine. It presents the challenge of jesus in a way that is nonthreatening. Within christianity, the doctrine of the trinity states that god is a single being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three persons personae, prosopa. Proof the trinity doctrine is from satan via sun worship. He begins by pointing out something that most people probably overlook. A difficult but fundamental concept within christianity, the trinity is the belief that god is three separate persons but is still a single god. Nov 03, 2015 the topic is, after all, cs lewis description of the trinity in mere christianity. The traditional christian doctrine of the trinity is commonly expressed as the statement that the one god exists as or in three equally divine persons, the father, the son, and the holy spirit. The trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. The doctrine of the trinity is arguably historic christianitys most distinctive. While theres only one god, the godhead consists of three distinct persons the father, son, and holy spirit. Each of the persons is distinct from the other yet identical in essence. If you try to explain the trinity, you will lose your mind. However, the doctrine of the godhead trinity is without questions revealed in gods word.
The christian doctrine of the trinity holds that god is one god, but three coeternal. The trinity is not a contradiction because god is not three in the same way that he is one. Christian trinity explained in 3 minutes father, spirit. The trinity is a doctrine that all christians believe but no one really understands. Gregory of nazianzus made this clear when he explained that contemplation of the three in one induced a profound and overwhelming emotion that confounded thought and intellectual clarity. It is rooted in the fact that god came to meet christians in a threefold figure. For example, the former speaks of god as working by his word, wisdom. The doctrine of the trinity is considered to be one of the central christian affirmations about god. He explicitly defined the trinity as father, son, and holy spirit and defended his theology against. The doctrine of the trinity as taught by most churches states that there are three coequal equal in every respect, coeternal the same age, omniscient all knowing, omnipotent all powerful gods, who are not three gods, but one god. Since the 4th century ad, in both eastern and western christianity, this.
My three favorite books on the trinity reasons to believe. The central christian affirmations about god are condensed and focused in the classic doctrine of the trinity, which has its ultimate foundation in the special religious experience of the christians in the first communities. The doctrine of the trinity is one of the most difficult ideas in christianity, but its fundamental to christians because it. In the book of genesis, the first book in the bible, god says, let us make man in our imagemale and female he created them. While the developed doctrine of the trinity is not explicit in the books that constitute the new testament, the new testament possesses a triadic understanding of god and contains a number of trinitarian formulas, including matthew 28. To understand more fully what god is like is a way of honoring god. It is the revelation of who our almighty creator actually isnot just a god, but an infinite being existing in eternity as three coequal, infinite persons, consubstantial yet distinct. Jonathan edwards noted, after studying the topic, i think the doctrine of the trinity to be the highest and deepest of all divine mysteries part one uses an analogy by c. The doctrine of the trinity is the christian belief. Ramsay macmullen in his book christianity and paganism in the fourth to eighth centuries wrote.
The authors simplified mode of writing combined with his insightful unconventional approach to tackling the subject of the trinity makes the contents of this book both easy to grasp and an interesting powerful read. The words triunity and trinity are used to refer to the fact that the bible speaks of one god, but attributes the characteristics of god to three persons. Jan 16, 2019 christianity today provides thoughtful, biblical perspectives on theology, church, ministry, and culture on the official site of christianity today magazine. Convinced that the triunity of god is the secret of his beauty, reeves writes from a full heart, with contagious enthusiasm for the trinity. If you tell everyone reading this blog that lewis explanation, indeed the very concept of the dt, is illogical, you might expect a little bit of pushback from some of us like me who dont agree with you. Trinitarian theology forms the roots and contours of evangelical christianity.
The teaching, however, is present in seed form in the old testament and is revealed explicitly in the new testament. While the core aspects of the trinity are clearly presented in gods word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear. What is the trinity thinking about the father, son. These questions and more will be covered in christianity explained, a free training course over four sessions at holy trinity anglican church runs for four tuesday nights from 7. For the majority of christian denominations, the holy spirit, or holy ghost, is the third person of the trinity.
This concept of god cannot be found in the first edition of the book of mormon, however. In contrast, other christians admit that their preferred doctrine of the trinity not only. God the father the creator of the universe, god the son jesus god in human form, and god the holy spirit describes how god affects. This book is a telling indictment of the central dogma of historic or mainstream christianity that version of the faith which, unknown to many, stems from the councils and the creeds. Christianity explained gets away from the quick oneoff presentation of the gospel which has characterized much of our evangelistic efforts in the past. The trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the christian religion. God is described with different words in the bible, a few of which translate into english as l ord, lord, the l ord almighty, god, god almighty and so forth. Understanding the biblical doctrine of the trinity godhead. In lewis next chapter, entitled, the threepersonal god, he expands on the christian concept of the trinity. Did the early christians teachbelieve a trinity doctrine. The birth of the trinity offers a new historical approach by exploring the way in which first and secondcentury christians read the old testament in order to. Nov 04, 2016 for years christians have struggled to give a clear explanation of the trinity. For years christians have struggled to give a clear explanation of the trinity.
The trinity expresses the belief that god is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in coequal essence and coeternal communion as the father, son, and holy spirit. The doctrine of the trinity states that there is one god who is one in essence or substance, but three in personality. Recently, i had an extensive discussion with a muslim about the trinity. In other words, each is fully divine in nature, but each is not the totality of the other persons of the trinity. Each is distinct from the others but never acts independently. The most difficult thing about the christian concept of the trinity is that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. It would surprise many to know that the absolute beginnings of the three in one trinity doctrine goes right back to the tower of babel on the plain of shinar by the river euphrates many generations after the flood.
Jul 21, 2011 a difficult but fundamental concept within christianity, the trinity is the belief that god is three separate persons but is still a single god. The trinity in the book of mormon mormons today believe that god the father, jesus christ and the holy ghost are three separate persons who together constitute the godhead. This book shines light on the fog shrouding this subject, equipping you with basic information about the meaning and history of trinitarian ideas, so that you can. Sep 03, 2015 these questions and more will be covered in christianity explained, a free training course over four sessions at holy trinity anglican church runs for four tuesday nights from 7.
Trinity history of trinitarian doctrines stanford encyclopedia of. Christianity explained michael bennett the good book company. Note the triquetra on the popes mitre and on the book called the trinity comes from the worship of the 3 phases of the sun. In becoming a christian how do i deal with remorse and guilt from past actions.
Aug 23, 2015 this book from start to finish is a resource book of revelation for anyone that is seeking to understand the trinity. Triunity means there are three parts of the one god. Discuss within christianity, the doctrine of the trinity states that god is a single being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three persons personae, prosopa. The word trinity cannot be found in the bible, but the truth of it can. David pawson discusses the essential questions of the christian faith. But from the very beginning we see god as a trinity. This book presents to the reader a logical and compelling argument that the scriptures have been used to manufacture and support such a mystery and that from a correct sola scriptura point of view, the doctrine, and consequently the mystery, ceases to exist. Further, we should allow the fact that god is triune to deepen our. This book from start to finish is a resource book of revelation for anyone that is seeking to understand the trinity.
The father is god, the son is god, and the holy spirit is godbut there is only one god. Trinity, in christian doctrine, the unity of father, son, and holy spirit as three persons in one godhead. And god seeks people to worship him in spirit and truth john 4. The key idea is that the three are equally god, but not identical. Christianity explained michael bennett the good book. There are two concepts that i have found useful in explaining the concept of the most holy trinity. Bible implicitly teaches this sort of trinitarianism, on which the rest of the book is.
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