The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity

1
The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity

• An Introduction

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New Testament texts

• Matthew 2819 Go therefore and make disciples
  of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
• 2 Cor. 1313 The grace of the Lord Jesus
  Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the
  Holy Spirit be with you all.
• Texts from Johns gospel that we read

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Why did the question arise?

• Jesus experienced as bringing salvation
• But only God saves
• Therefore, Jesus must somehow be divine
• The Hellenistic context
• People asked philosophical questions
• If Jesus has a connection with God, what exactly
  is the nature of the relationship?

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Some early attempts to resolve the question

• Monarchianism
• the Father became Jesus
• but in NT they are distinct
• Sabellianism
• Fr.-Son-Spirit three temporary manifestations
• but all three have ongoing importance
• Gnosticism
• denied humanity of Jesus

5
Ariuss solution

• God is absolutely transcendent
• Problem biblical God is immanent too
• Jesus was a creature
• Use of biblical texts (see p. 39)
• Reaction if Jesus was only a creature, we are
  not saved! Only God saves. . .
• Ariuss opponent Athanasius
• Christ became human that we might become divine

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The Council of Nicea

• Jesus is one in being (homoousios) with the
  Father
• Is this term in the New Testament?
• No!
• But it clarified what the NT said made explicit
  an implicit teaching
• A turning point
• concern over use of philosophy to define doctrine
• The aftermath of Nicea?
• Constantinople reaffirmed Nicea, added doctrine
  of Holy Spirit

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The humanity and divinity of Jesus

• Two approaches
• logos-sarx logos combines with flesh
• preserves unity
• but divinity overshadows humanity (Apollinarius)
• logos-anthropos
• preserves distinctiveness of the two natures
• but treats Jesus like two separate beings
• Example Nestorius Mary the mother of Christ
  (Christotokos) but not God (theotokos)

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The Council of Chalcedon (451 CE)

• Person unity
• Nature duality (human and divine)
• Jesus is one person in two natures
• Does Chalcedon think it is innovating?
• No! Just clarifying the biblical revelation as it
  appears in the prophets and Jesus himself
• The key point Jesus is fully human and fully
  divine -- doctrine a rule of language