"as it struggled to define the doctrine of the Trinity precisely, the church came to adopt specialized terminology for God's oneness and threeness..." John Frame, Doctrine of God (2002)
attribute
begotten
coinherence, interpenetration, circumincessio (Lt), perichoresis (Gk): the reciprocal existence in one another of the three persons of the Trinity.
coequal
coessential
coeternal
consubstantial, homoousios (Gk): of one and the same substance, essence, or nature.
being, essence, nature, substance, hypostasis (Gk): the inherent, essential, unchanging characteristics and qualities of a person or thing.
equality
eternal begetting
eternal sonship
eternality
eternally generated
eternally proceeds
hypostatic union: the presence of both human and divine natures in Jesus Christ.
incarnation: in flesh.
incomprehensible
identity
indivisible essence
internal distinctions
kenosis (Gk): emptying
logical incoherency
mutual indwelling
mystery
ontological: possessing the same essential nature.
ousia
paradox
personal distinction in the divine nature
person: a self-conscious being. ... capable of thought, feeling, will and interaction with other persons.
proceeding
plurality
simplex unity
subsisting
three hypostases
three persons
triadic formulas
trinitarian
trinity: one God in three Persons.
tripersonal
triune
triunity
unbegotten
uncreated
uni-plural: one composed of more than one.
unity
unity of essence
unoriginated relationship
"the definition of a Biblical doctrine in such un-Biblical language can be justified only on the principle that it is better to preserve the truth of Scripture than the words of Scripture... the doctrine of the Trinity is given to us in Scripture, not in formulated definition, but in fragmentary allusions... we are not passing from Scripture, but entering more thoroughly into the meaning of Scripture. We may state the doctrine in technical terms, supplied by philosophical reflection; but the doctrine stated is a genuinely Scriptural doctrine." Cornelius Plantinga, President of Calvin Theological Seminary
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"It is impossible to overemphasise the importance of the Christian doctrine that God is one in three persons. This has correctly been called the teaching distinctive of the Christian faith, that which sets the approach of Christians to the 'fearful mystery' of the deity apart from all other approaches."
Gerald S. Sloyan, The Three Persons in One God, 1964
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"The idea of the Trinity does not supersede monotheism; it interprets it, in the light of a specific set of revelatory events and experiences."
Keith Ward, Religion and Creation, 1996
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"[W]e should distinguish between the Trinity and the doctrine of the Trinity. God the Trinity may well be incomprehensible and ineffable. Yet doctrines of God, which are human statements in human language, are meant to be understood. Doctrines–even the doctrine of the Trinity–are supposed to make sense."
Tarmo Toom, Classical Trinitarian Theology
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"We must remind ourselves that Christian theology does not believe God to be a person. It believes Him to be such that in Him a trinity of persons is consistent with a unity of Deity."
C. S. Lewis, Christian Reflections
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“despite their orthodox confession of the Trinity, Christians are, in their practical life, almost mere ‘monotheists.’ We must be willing to admit that, should the doctrine of the Trinity have to be dropped as false, the major part of religious literature could well remain virtually unchanged.”
Karl Rahner, The Trinity
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The Christian concept of the Trinity stating that God exists as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is ‘difficult, sometimes offensive, to Muslims’ who believe in one and only God, according to Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.
"The most difficult thing about the Trinity Doctrine is that there is no way to adequately explain it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain."
All About GOD Ministries
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Lighten Up!
1 comment:
Greetings
On the subject of the trinity,
I recommend this video:
The Human Jesus
Take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you in your quest for truth.
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
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