Trinity Notes

The following was taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 12, page 383, 1!
"The #hristian Bi$le, including the New Testament, has no Trinitarian statements or
speculations concerning a trinitary deity% The dogmatic formulation, coined $y the early
church father Tertullian has it, three persons and one su$stance% This conception was
not accepted without contradiction as is proved $y theological disputes of the 3rd and
&th century% 't is evident that trinitarian speculation greatly resem$les the way of thinking
of pluriform monotheism%"
The following was taken from the New #atholic Encyclopedia, (olume 13, page 1)21,
1*!
"There is the recognition on the part of e+egetes and Bi$lical theologians%%%%that one
should not speak of Trinitarianism in the New Testament without serious
,ualifications%%% %%%%New Testament e+egesis is now accepted as having shown that not
only the ver$al idiom $ut even the patterns of thought characteristic of the patristic
-church fathers. and councilian -church councils. developed would have $een ,uite
foreign to the mind and culture of the New Testament writers% The Trinitarian dogma is in
the last analysis a late &th century invention% "
" /s far as is known, the first use of the 0atin word "Trinitas" with reference to 1od is
found in Tertullian2s "/dversus 3ra+ean and 4e 3udicitia%" 5e was the first to use the
term "persona" in a trinitarian and #hristological conte+t, asserting that the 0ogos is
distinct from the 6ather as a person and is not as su$stance and that the 5oly 7pirit is
the "third person" in the Trinity%"
"Tertullian was a writer of marvelous fertility and inventiveness% 5e coined one epigram%
one apothegm after another% 5e almost wrote like an angry man, his treatises on the
#hristian virtues are polemical% 5e had a gift for the phrase rather than the paragraph,
and most readers appreciated his wit than to follow his arguments%"
"Tertullian used strange conceived com$inations of words and phrases, highly
imaginative metaphors, cryptic allusions, multiple parentheses, and antitheses%"
"Tertullian was an e+tremist, and as a young man he was initiated into the mysteries of
8ithra% 5e confesses he committed adultery fre,uently% 1i$$on calls him little $etter than
a sadist%"
The following was taken from 2The #hristian 4octrine of 1od" $y Emil Brunner, 1&,
9estminster 3ress%
"The doctrine of the Trinity itself, however, is not a Bi$lical doctrine and this indeed not
$y accident $ut of necessity% 't is the product of theological reflection upon the
pro$lem%%%%The ecclesiastical doctrine of the Trinity is the product of philosophical
speculation, which is remote from the thought of the Bi$le%"
The following was taken from "4ictionary of The Bi$le, 5astings" (ol% 1 page 2&1
"The original form of words was into the name of :esus #hrist, or 0ord :esus% Baptism
into the name of the Trinity was a later development% There is no mention in the New
Testament of anyone $eing $apti;ed into the name of the Trinity%"
The following was taken from The 'nterpreter2s 4ictionary of The Bi$le, page 3<1%
"The other passages, 8atthew 28=1, 1o%%%%%%make disciples of all nations, $apti;ing
them in the name of the 6ather, 7on, and 5oly 1host, also has $een disputed on te+tual
grounds, $ut in the opinion of many scholars the words may still $e regarded as part of
the true te+t of 8atthew% There is however, grave dou$t whether they may $e regarded
as ipissima ver$a of :esus% The evidence of /cts 2=38, /cts 1)=&8, and /cts 1=1><,
suggests that $aptism in early #hristianity was administered, not in the threefold name,
$ut in the name of :esus #hrist, or in the name of "the 0ord :esus%"
The following notes were taken from "The ?nown Bi$le and its 4efense" $y @ev% 8aud
5em$ree, 133, page 2<
"There is in the Ald Testament no indication of interior distinctions in the 1od>headB it is
an anachronism to find either the doctrine of the trinity in its pages% There is no doctrine
of the trinity in the New Testament% The change from the heavenly 6ather to the dogma
of the trinity in the creeds of Nicea and #halcedon has $een descri$ed $y 5atch and
5arnack as a degeneration rather than a development, a corrupting of truth from its
earliest simplicity%"
The following notes were taken from "#hristian 4octrine" $y 7hirley 1uthrie :r% #0#
3ress, @ichmond, (irginia, page )
"'t is true that three persons in one 1odhead is a mystery no one can understand% The
Bi$le does not teach the doctrine of the Trinity, neither the word "Trinity" or such
language as "one in three", or "three in one", or "three persons", is Bi$lical language%
The language of the Trinity doctrine is the language of the ancient church, taken not from
the Bi$le $ut from classical 1reek philosophy%"
The following notes were taken from "The 8ystery @eligions" $y 7% /ngus, 1!<, 4over
3u$lications, N%C%
""3hilosophy was to the 1reeks the preparatory discipline for the gospel which the 0aw
proved to the :ews%
Arigen said, "9e should follow reason and a rational guide%"
#lement defended the rights of philosophic en,uiry in #hristian doctrine%
3roclus maintained that the philosophical doctrines -chiefly of 3latonism. are of the
same content as the mystic revelations, that philosophy in fact $orrowed from the
mysteries, from Arphism through 3ythagoras, from whom 3lato $orrowed%
3lato spoke respectfully of Arpheus%
Arphism prepared the way in the 9est for the mystery religions%
The great step which Arpheus took was that while he kept the old Bacchic faith that a
man might $ecome a god, he altered the conception of what a god was, and he sought
to o$tain that godhead $y wholly different means%
The retreat of the 8essianic categories in favor of the 0ogos #hristology correspond to
the universal necessity for a religion with a cosmic outlook%
3lato admitted that the creator and 6ather of the world is apprehensi$le $y thought% 'n
the Timaeus of 3lato, he used cosmic thought%
These men stand out in the transition of mysteries from 9estern to Eastern religious
conceptions= 3lato, 3osidonius, and 3hilo%
/ttempts were made to fuse 1reek philosophy and 5e$rew revelation at /le+andria,
Egypt% 3hilo was one who ac,uired this%
The two spiritual forces of the religion of 'srael, and the thought of 1reece, confronted
each other at /le+andria, and the results of their interaction permeated the whole
8editerranean world%
3lato indulged in a theory of sym$olic num$ers, and calls him happy who understands
spiritual num$ers%
1reek ethical and mystical philosophy left an enduring heritage to mankind%
1reek thought saw in #hristianity immense possi$ilities of speculation and essayed to
transform it into an eclectic philosophy in which the metaphysical would predominate
over the spiritual%
Trinitarian #hristianity with its political triumph through #onstantine, turned persecutor
against :ew,, and non>#atholics, la$eled them as heresy, and tried to destroy them $y
sword and flame%
1reek thought was united with 5e$rew revelation and oriental mysticism to meet the
needs of the day, which it did to a remarka$le degree, $ut mostly for the cultivated
classes%
The following notes were taken from "The Autline of 5istory" $y 5%1% 9ells
"/thanasius taught that the 6ather, 7on, and the 5oly 1host were three distinct persons,
$ut one 1od% This mystery seems to me a disastrous e$ullition of the human mind
entirely inconsistent with the plain account of :esus preserved for us in the 1ospels%"
The following notes were taken from "5istory of The #hristian #hurch" $y 4r% 8arvin
/rnold, 1!
"The man made and nonBi$lical word "trinity" is one of earth2s strangest of doctrinal
phenomena, it seems ontologically from 1reek and 'talic reasoning% The so>called
"$lessed trinity" came from devious 1reek minds% 4ifferent in 1reek philosophical
refinement the Trinity is a graphic condensation of polytheism%
3lato -&2!>3&! B%#%. invented ela$orate celestial mathematics particularly the
"Timaeus%" 't represented a mathematical plurality of gods% "Timaeus" is a fascinating
anthology of the ,ueer perversities to which this magic of sym$olism could $e pushed%
3lato took measurement out of geometry and put magic and religious mysticism in it
through the idea of "Timaeus%"
Cears later, /%4% 21)>22), the great #atholic lawyer, Tertullian, simply plagiari;ed 3lato2s
Timaeus idea, wrested with it, mentally twisted it, making it to evolve into his own
"Trinitas%"
7t% /ugustine acknowledged that it was $y means of the 3latonic system -Timaeus. that
he understood the doctrine of the trinity%
'n /%4% 1), 3ra+eas went to @ome and had a confrontation with the $ishops in the
Episcopate against their emerging triune formula%
'n the second century #atholic $ishop :ustin 8artyr appeared with his 0ogos -triune.
doctrine% 5e was a 3ost>/postolic father% 0evi 3aine wrote, "No trace of a 0ogos doctrine
appears in the early church until :ustin 8artyr%%%%%%:ustin 8artyr -/%4% 1))>1*<. refers to
3latonic and 7toic authorities for his 0ogos ideas%
't has come to $e popularly assumed that the doctrine of the Trinity is the a$strusest of
human speculations which the 1reek mind at its su$lest e+hausted its ingenuity in
devising%
The dogma of the trinity was completed $y 7t% /ugustine for the 9est% 'ncontroverti$ly,
the #atholic hierarchy completed the manmade invention called the "Trinity," and handed
it to the modern world as current theology% 'n /%4% 38), 5eick wrote, Emperor
Theodosius issued an edict esta$lishing the new "orthodo+y" thus, the trinity forever
$ecame 3rotestant theology and #atholic dogma%
The following statements were made $y the late 5er$ert 9% /rmstrong, 9orld 9ide
#hurch of 1od%=
"The trinity doctrine is the doctrine called in @evelation 1!=<, the mystery Ba$ylon the
great% By the doctrine of the trinity, 7atan has deceived all traditional #hristianity%
7imon the sorcer mentioned in /cts 8, in 33 /%4%, started the false New Testament
#hristianity church of the trinity% The very first idea or teaching a$out 1od $eing a trinity
$egan in the latter half of the second century, a hundred years after most of the New
Testament had $een written% #onstantine had power to make the Trinity law, $ut he
never had the power to make it truth%"
The following notes were taken from "/n Autline of Bi$lical Theology" $y 8illar Burrows,
professor of Cale 4ivinity 7chool, The 9estminster 3ress, 8#8D0(', page 81
"9hat may $e called the classical doctrine of the Trinity arose after the apostolic age as
an answer to the theological pro$lem of reconciling the 4eity of #hrist with monotheism%
The trinitarian formula of 8atthew 28=1 is not authentic% The one verse in the New
Testament which clearly states the doctrine of the Trinity, 1st :ohn <=! is not in the $est
1reek 8anuscripts and is omitted $y /%7%(% and @%7%(%
The fact that the Bi$le nowhere clearly stated the doctrine of the Trinity, made possi$le
and perhaps inevita$le the Trinitarian controversy of the third century% /s finally
formulated, the doctrine of the Trinity was an attempt to affirm the 4eity of #hrist, and
thus guard the reality of redemption in 5im, without sacrificing monotheism% 6or this
purpose concepts derived from the Bi$le were used, $ut recourse was had also to 1reek
metaphysical ideas which :esus would undou$tedly have regarded as rank paganism%
The distinction $etween the one "ousia" -essence. and the three "hypostaseis"
-su$stances. represents nothing in either the Ald Testament or the New Testament%
9hen the 9estern church used "su$stantia" instead of "essentia" for "ousia"% and
"persona" instead of "su$stantia" for "hypostasis", and when the "personae" even came
to $e thought of as three distinct persons in something, like our common sense of the
word, theology went even farther afield from the straight path of Bi$lical monotheism%
'ndeed, a radical departure from the fundamental attitude of the religion of the Bi$le was
made when theology first $egan to attempt any metaphysical analysis of the nature of
1od%
The doctrine of the Trinity as a statement of what 1od is in 5imself cannot $e Eustified on
the $asis of 7cripture% :esus e+presses the consciousness of 5is 7onship and of
working $y the power of the 7pirit, $ut suggests nothing like the triune nature of 4eityB
indeed it is hard to imagine 5im speaking in such terms%
8atthew 28=1, while not a saying of the historical :esus, e+presses the faith of the later
churchB it still gives no e+plicit statement of the triune nature of 1od, though this may $e
implied%"
The following is a statement made $y 4r% BenEamin 9arfield=
"The doctrine of the Trinity lies in the New Testament rather in the form of allusions than
in e+press teaching%"
The following notes were taken from "The Beginnings of #hristianity" $y #larence Tucker
#raig, page 1&1, /$ington 3ress, Nashville, Tenn%
"Throughout the /postolic church, $aptism was in the name of :esus, rather than
according to a trinitarian formula% Believers were placed under the protection of :esus $y
$aptism in 5is nameB demons were driven out $y the same powerful name%"
The following note was taken from 5arper2s Bi$le 4ictionary, page *)=
"The trinitarian formula of 8atthew 28=1, was a later addition $y some reverent
#hristian mind%"
The following notes were taken from "5istory of #hristianity in the /postolic /ge" $y /%#%
8c1iffert, Fnion Theology 7eminary, N%C% 18% page 8
"Af the trinitarian formula into the name of the 6ather, the 7on, and the 5oly 7pirit, which
later $ecame universal in the church, we have no trace in the New Testament, e+cept in
a single passage, 8atthew 28=1%%%%%how such a formula arose, we do not know%"
The following note was taken from "/ 5istory of the #hristian #hurch" $y 9illiston
9alker, 7cri$ner G 7ons, N%C% 1<, page 8!
"9ith the early disciples generally $aptism was in the name of :esus #hrist% There is no
mention of $aptism in the name of the Trinity in the New Testament%"
The following notes were taken from "The 4octrine of Baptism, #oncordia" $y 4r%
Edmund 7chlink, 7t% 0ouis, 1!2, page 28
"8ost pro$a$ly $aptism was originally performed upon -in. the name of #hrist, and this
was later e+panded, as in the e+pansion of the #hristological confession into the
tripartite creeds% 'n that case the $aptismal command in its 8atthew 28=1 form cannot
$e the historical origin of #hristian $aptism%"
The following notes were taken from "Beacon 0ights Af 5istory", $y :ohn 0ord% 00%4%,
188*
"The doctrine of the trinity was as vital and important in the eyes of the divines of the
fourth century as that of :ustification $y 6aith was to the 1ermans when they assem$led
in the great hall of the Electoral palace of 0eispsic to hear 0uther and 4r% Eck advocate
their separate sides%
'n the time of #onstantine everything pertaining to #hristianity and the affairs of the
church $ecame invested with supreme importance% /ll other su$Eects and interests were
secondary, certainly among the #hristians themselves% /s redemption is the central point
of #hristianity, pu$lic preaching and teaching had $een directed chiefly, at first, to the
passion, death, and resurrection of the 7aviour of the world% Then came discussions and
controversies, naturally, a$out the person of #hrist and 5is relation to the 1odhead%
/mong the early followers of our 0ord there had $een no pride of reason and a very
simple creed% 0east of all did they seek to e+plain the mysteries of their faith $y
metaphysical reasoning%
Their doctrines were not $rought to the test of philosophy% 't was enough for these
simple and usually unimportant and unlettered people to accept generally accredited
facts% 't was enough that #hrist had suffered and died for them, in 5is $oundless love,
and that their souls would $e saved in conse,uence%
/nd as to doctrines, all they sought to know was what our 0ord and 5is apostles said%
5ence there was among them no system of theology, as we understand it, $eyond the
/postle2s #reed% But in the early part of the second century, :ustin 8artyr, a converted
philosopher, devoted much la$or to a metaphysical development of the doctrine drawn
from the e+pressions of the /postle :ohn in reference to the 0ogos, or 9ord, as identical
with the 7on%
'n the third century the whole church was agitated $y the ,uestions which grew out of
the relations $etween the 6ather and the 7on% 6rom the person of #hrist > so dear to the
church > the discussion naturally passed to the Trinity% Then arose the great /le+andrian
school of theology, which attempted to e+plain and harmoni;e the revealed truths of the
Bi$le $y 1recian dialectics%
5ence intermina$le disputes among divines and scholars, as to whether the 6ather and
the 0ogos were oneB whether the 7on was created or uncreatedB whether or not 5e was
su$ordinate to the 6atherB whether the 6ather, 7on, and the 5oly 1host were distinct or
one in essence% Arigen, #lement, and 4ionysius were the most famous of the doctors
who discussed these points%
/le+andria was the center of these theological agitations, $eing then, perhaps, the most
intellectual city in the Empire% 't was filled with 1reek philosophers and scholars and
artists, and had the largest li$rary in the world% 't had the most famous school of
theology, the learned and the acute professors of which claimed to make theology a
science% 3hilosophy $ecame wedded to theology, and $rought the aid of reason to
e+plain the su$Eects of faith%
The Nicene #reed is virtually the old /postle2s #reed, with the addition of the Trinity, as
defined $y /thanasius%
9ith the esta$lishment of the doctrine of the Trinity $y the council of Nice, the interest in
the reign of #onstantine ceases%
The last thing the church would tolerate as one of her overseers was a 1allio in religion%
7he scorned those philosophical dignitaries who would sit in the seats of 8oses and
3aul, and use the speculations of the 1reeks to $uild up the orthodo+ faith%
7aint /m$rose knew that the fashiona$le speculations a$out the Trinity were not the
doctrines of 3aul% 5e knew that the $oastful philosophy $y which some sought to $olster
up #hristianity was that against the apostles had warned the faithful%
0eo the 1reat taught no errors like Arigen, and pushed out no theological doctrines into
a Eargon of metaphysics like /thanasius%"
The following note was taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica, (ol% 2, 1!3, page ***%
The doctrine of /thanasius is dependent upon /le+andrian 3latonism%
The following notes are from the teachings of 4r% (estal, 3h%4% president of #ypress
Bi$le 'nstitute=
"9e have talked a$out Trinitarianism, which in reality was /thanasianism, and that while
merely a deacon of /le+landria, /thanasius had propounded the Trinity hypothesis% 't is
one of the strangest of phenomena that people would listen to such an inept person% 5e
was uncouth, and Emperor :ulian the /postate called him a despica$le manikin% 9hat
happened to /thanasiusH
There were so many dedicated clergymen that accused /thanasius of immorality and
given to magical practices -0au+, p% 11&.% 5e was even accused of murdering another
$ishop, /rsenius% Euse$ius demanded a synod to e+amine into these and other charges%
Then a woman confronted /thanasius and accused him of immorality% 5e was also
accused of trying to hinder the corn>ships that sailed from /le+andria to #onstantinople%
/fter learning a$out these things, Emperor #onstantine then $anished /thanasius to
Treves, the capital of the 1allic 3refecture in 33< /%4% -0au+, p% 11<0% 4uchesne, pp%
28>22.% :ulian e+iled him on Acto$er 21, 3*2 /%4%
/s of 3*< /%4% /thanasius was yet rushing a$out trying to get fearful and undecided
#atholic $ishops to sign a version of the Nicene #reed% 8any councils were called, $ut
most were fiascoes at $est% 'n 3*<>3** /%4% the #reed had scarcely any supporters $ut
the Egyptians% -0% 4uches$e, p% 2)B 7ocrates, iv% 12B 7o;omen, vi% 1),11.%
An /ugust 18, 3*3 /%4%, when Emperor :ulian died, /thanasius returned to /ntioch from
out of e+ile% :ovian then resigned% 0ater, at /ntioch, in a small #atholic $asilica,
/thanasius yet preserving, presented the Emperor with a memorial in which he
recommended the #reed of Nicea, $ut it had the addition relating to the 5oly 7pirit% This
shows to us that the great argument that started at Nicea in 32< /%4% yet raged%
An 8ay &, 3*< /%4%, /thanasius was again e+iled% 6inally, on 6e$ruary 1, 3** /%4% an
imperial notary formally reinstated him in the $asilica of 4ionysius in /le+andria% -5A:
Brown, pp% 11>122.%
/fter a$out forty years -from 32< to 3*! /%4%. of theological delusions, years of vain
argument, e+iles, outlawry, charge after charge of immorality $eing hurled at him,
/thanasius returned to /le+andria -:% 0au+% pp% 11!>11.% 5e spent the last si+ years of
his life among #atholics ever promoting his Trinitarianism, trying to esta$lish his version
of the Nicene #reed% /s late as the spring of 3*< /%4%, few had signed the newer version
of the #reed of Nicea% 6urther, most $ishops remained on distant terms with /thanasius
-4uchesne, p% 2).% /thanasius was $orn in Egypt in 2< /%4% and died on 8ay 3, 3!3
/%4% 5e was earth2s greatest heresiarch%
The trinity dogma hammered out at Nicea is forever associated with his name,
/thanasianism% 'n his tempestuous lifetime he helped invent, hammer out, and
propagate one of earth2s greatest theological delusions, the Trinity hypothesis%"
The following statements are taken from the /postle 3aul, the /postle appointed $y
:esus to the 1entile world=
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of
men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after #hrist% 6or in 5im dwelleth all the
fulness of the 1odhead $odily% /nd ye are complete in 5im, which is the head of all
principality and power%" -#olossians 2=8>.
The /postle 3aul gave warning $efore his death that there would come philosophers
after him who would deceive the people on the nature of the 1odhead% /ccording to
3aul, :esus was not a mem$er of the 1odhead or the Trinity, $ut all the 1odhead dwelt
in :esus #hrist% The doctrine of 3aul is completely opposite to all the 1recian
philosophers and trinitarian theologians of our modern world% -@ev% 4%@% (estal, 3h%4%.