Alex Badega

AST student
ID: 20210027
Fall 2021

REFLECTION ON THE TRINITY

Although the term “trinity” is not found in the Bible, it is used by Christians to describe the
relationship between the three persons of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The three
persons does not mean they are three gods, that would be “tritheism” but to “something like
“identity”– more than one way of relating...one woman who is banker, sister, friend”1

The Greek word “perichoresis” is found in the ancient Christian or the patristic teachings of the
early church referring to the shared life within the Godhead. “It is the mutual internal abiding
interpenetration of the Trinitarian persons. There is a completely mutual indwelling in which
each person, while remaining what He is by Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I wholly in
the others as the others are wholly in Him. The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit co-inhere each
other; that is, everything within the Father is shared by the Son and everything that is in the Son
proceeds from the Son by the Holy Spirit.”2

In my understanding, this clarifies that Love/Agape (self-giving love) is the very essence of God
not His attribute. It is the essence of Love that the Trinity shares within each other. John the
beloved Apostle stated that “God is Love (Agape)”3 The self-giving love (Agape) of God was
revealed in the incarnate Word/Logos of God Jesus Christ, who became both divine and human
at the same time, thus sharing His essence of love with humanity, allowing humanity to
participate in divinity. The Trinity is the three hypostases/personas in agape relationship.

1
Rev. Dr. Rob Fennell, Academic Dean, Atlantic School of Theology
2
The Shawn Smith Compendium of Paul’s Epistles; S & A; 2014 (pp.1037)
3
1 John 4:8,16
ASSESSMENT

This is good work. Please avoid long citations (e.g. footnote #2) and spend most of your time
interacting with or engaging with the assigned readings, and how you are responding to them.

Your last paragraph (on agape) is a helpful connecting point between Christology and Trinity.

Mark: 4/5