https://confessionalism.wordpress.co...f-the-trinity/
Doctrine, by its very nature, tends to articulate matters in words that aren't necessarily just verbatim quotes of Scripture. I believe that doctrine (especially de fide dogma) must be biblical and normed by the words of Scripture but need not be only verbatim quotes of such.
To ME, the greatest of the Trinity is it's fundamental embrace of MYSTERY. It has come to be embraced that the Athanasian Creed (well, much of it) is the articulation of this doctrine. Frankly, while I affirm that Creed, I think there probably is language there that maybe goes a bit too far, but I "get" the point being made and fully agree with it.
As we look at the MANY Scriptures, I think we find a
MYSTERY. The Father is spoken of as God, called God, given God qualities and attributes, worshiped and gloried as God. Specifically, as THE FATHER. Same with the Son. Same with the Holy Spirit. Frankly, there's pretty solid biblical support for 3 Gods (and yes, some in the Early Church argued just that). Problem is, the Bible is a profoundly and boldly monotheistic book, the Bible itself boldly, clearly and repeatedly indicates there is but one God. Now, in the early centuries, there were numerous THEORIES about this (because human beings have a hard time shutting up, a hard time leaving well enough alone, convinced self is smarter than God and God should listen to self, This has been a problem in Christianity from Day One continuing to our own). Some argued there are 3 Gods but they are so united in thought, will and deed that we may SPEAK of them as sorta one (marriage was their analogy; the Bible says a husband and wife become "one"). Others argued that there is one God but He has 3 roles, takes, officies, ways of relating to us (they called these "persona" - the word for masks actors wore; we get our word "persons" from this). What the early Councils rejected was BOTH theories, indeed ALL theories! They embraced that the Bible is true - even though it is not understandable and leaves us with a whole lot of questions. It's
MYSTERY. Physics can't explain it..... humans can't explain it.... and that's okay, we don't need to. Indeed, this was the response of many of these Ecumenical Councils (exactly the same approach to the other BIG debate of the day, the Two Natures of Christ).
To ME, that's the glory of this view. It just accepts the MYSTERY. It embraces what the Bible says without trying to explain it or force it to fit our theories, philosophies and "physics" ideas. Those early Christians had the wisdom to accept what God says because He does..... to leave well enough alone..... to shut up. IMO, that's the humility soon lost as some (especially in the West) came to insist that God left out a bunch of important stuff and so appointed self as the One infallible, unaccountable, All-Wise One whom God leads/teaches and who alone is the infallible follower/student whom God alone appointed to clean up the mess God left behind. To quote my Greek Orthodox friend, "Christians forgot how to shut up." In the Trinity, they remembered.
MY half cent.
Pax Christi
- Josiah
