The deposit of faith, scottish journal of theology 36 1983, 1 28. A focus on the inner life of god as a trinity or three divine persons without consideration of god s relationship to human beings or his creation work. God is love to say that god is love is to say that god is the essence of love, or that perfect love both resides and resonates within god himselfone god in three persons. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons.
The doctrine affirms that there is only one god in whom there are three distinct persons. In this book, torrance thoroughly discusses the basis for and the foundation of belief doctrine in the triune god that is the cornerstone of. These key beliefs of christianity are embraced by christians around the world. A formulation and defense of the doctrine of the trinity. Lesson one god is one god is one i t is the testimony of the scriptures that there is only one true god. The origin of the doctrine of the trinity is the bible, although the word trinity is not used in the bible. However, the doctrine of the godhead trinity is without questions revealed in gods word. Torrance, however, incessantly questions why christian theology should be confined within such dualistic or deistic philosophical boundaries where god is. The christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, of studying biblical teaching on centrally important doctrines such as the word of god, redemption, and jesus christ. A direct influence on second century christian theology is the jewish philosopher. God is a triunity, with each person of the godhead equally and fully and eternally god. It is rooted in the fact that god came to meet christians in a threefold figure. Torrance offers a detailed study of the most profound article of the christian faith the holy trinity. Each is necessary, and each is distinct, and yet all are one.
Torrance aims to clarify understanding of the most profound article of christian faith, the doctrine of the holy trinity. Written by one of the twentiethcenturys foremost modern trinitarian theologians the christian doctrine of god remains a classic ground work for scholars and students alike. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons torrance, thomas f. Each is coequal, copowerful, and coeternal with the other. Click download or read online button to get the christian doctrine of god book now. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons format. In this book, torrance thoroughly discusses the basis for and the foundation of belief doctrine in the triune god that is the cornerstone of modern christianity, both eastern orthodox and western. Scholars who affirm the working together of the three of. Our perception of god as being the trinity is due to our perception from our timespace dimension. Instead, the christian faith says that three distinct persons are the one divine nature in its entirety. The idea that god exists in three persons is known as the doctrine of the trinity.
The three persons appear in a logical, causal order. A person being fully divine might, according to various theorists, amount to. According to this doctrine, there is only one god in three persons. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons, book. Sep 28, 2011 if any doctrine makes christianity christian, then surely it is the doctrine of the trinity. In our material existence, the concept that god is one god, yet exists as three distinct persons, is foreign to us. Torrance adopts a holistic approach when examining the interrelatedness of the three persons. However, the doctrine of the godhead trinity is without questions revealed in god s word.
It is presented in this work as teaching which is implicit in the new testament revelation and in the worship of the early church, rather than as a logical derivation from other aspects of christian doctrine. Media of the christian doctrine of god, one being three persons. Salvific trinity the active and inseparable work of the triune god father, son, and holy spirit in salvation history. Torrance was influential in the dialogue between science and theology. The three divine beings are one god in that the holy spirit literally came forth from the father, and that the son literally came forth from the father and the holy spirit, just as eve came forth from adam, and cain came forth from their union. There is only one god but, in the unity of the godhead, there are three coeternal and coequal persons, the same in substance essence. Since gods being and activity completely interpenetrate each other, we must think of his being and his activity not separately but as one beinginactivity and one activityinbeing. From eternity there has existed not one solitary person but a godinrelation, three divine persons fully loving and enjoying one another. A christian understanding of god christ in you ministries. One in essence, three in person reformed bible studies.
Within gods one undivided being there is an unfolding into three interpersonal relationships such that there are. Written by one of the twentiethcenturys foremost modern trinitarian theologians the christian doctrine of god remains a classic. Essential doctrine made easy pdf download download. In this ecumenical, international, and contextual introduction, internationally respected scholar velimatti karkkainen offers a global survey of understandings of god in scripture, christian history, and contemporary theology. Adopting an holistic approach, professor torrance explains the interrelatedness of the three persons. Each is not the same person as the other, yet there are not three gods but one isa.
Modalism, also called sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that god is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the trinitarian doctrine where god is one being eternally existing in three persons. The father is the unseen, omnipresent source of all being, revealed in. Each of the persons is distinct from the other yet identical in essence. The belief in more than one god is called polytheism greek. Torrance august 30,19december 2, 2007 was a protestant christian theologian and professor of christian dogmatics for 27 years at the university of edinburgh. Lesson 1 god is one 2 lesson one god is one god is one it is the testimony of the scriptures that there is only one true god.
One god and one only exists in three persons equal and eternal worthy of equal praise and worship distinct yet acting in unity constituting the one true god of the bible as you might imagine, the early church struggled mightily over this doctrine. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are coequal, coeternal and consubstantial. The three great ecumenical creedsthe apostles creed, the nicene creed, and the athanasian creedare all structured around our three in one god, underlying the essential importance of trinitarian theology. Todays churches are filled with people who are passionate about being christians, but who may not know what exactly they believe. Within the one being that is god, there exists eternally three coequal and coeternal persons, namely, the father, the son, and the holy spirit. The christian doctrine of god download ebook pdf, epub.
The search for the christian doctrine of god 157 nicomedia and others clearly agreed with him, then the explanation is to be sought rather in the fact that both he and they were drawing upon a common theological heritage stretching back far beyond the particular circumstance of his public dispute with alexander. Jul 19, 2011 with our finite minds it is impossible to fully comprehend the infinite god. Technically, the doctrine of the trinity states that in the one god is the person of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. The three persons are distinct, yet are one substance, essence or nature. Apr 01, 1996 christian doctrine of god, one being three persons book. The christian faith is not polytheistic, confessing many. Article 2 we believe in one god eternally existing in. They believe that god is one being god the father, or mother. If any doctrine makes christianity christian, then surely it is the doctrine of the trinity. About the christian doctrine of god, one being three persons. Read download the search for the christian doctrine of god. The formulators of the athanasian creed well knew they had to meet the singular requirement. God is a trinity one god who exists simultaneously in three persons.
Within god s one undivided being there is an unfolding into three interpersonal relationships such that there are. Three distinct persons are known as god the father, the son, and the holy spirit 2. The christian doctrine of the trinity defines god as three divine persons, the father, the son jesus christ, and the holy spirit. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The father is the unseen, omnipresent source of all being, revealed in and by the son, experienced in and by the holy spirit. For a long time the church has used the expression three persons in one godhead. The doctrine of the trinity is considered to be one of the central christian affirmations about god. The christian doctrine of god, one being three persons ed.
Sam storms, lead pastor for preaching and vision, bridgeway church, oklahoma city, oklahoma. Pdf download christian doctrine of god one being three. They eventually reduced their belief in the trinity to. The new testament portrays each member of the godhead as distinct persons in passages such as the great commission. Theologians sometimes use that term when they want to refer to god the father, god the son and god the holy spirit as three divine persons in one god. Read book pdf online here pdf download christian doctrine of god one being three persons read online. Torrance offers a detailed study of the most profound article of. The phrase one being communicates the truth that there is only one true god, the creator of all things. Yet since the early christian church was mostly jewish, any deviation from the lord our god is one lord foundation would have taken enormous discussion and debate.
We do not worship three gods, each of whom has his own power, his own intelligence, and. We learn from the word of god that our creator is a trinity. The trinity and the kingdom the doctrine of god, by jurgen moli mann harper 8c. Trinity history of trinitarian doctrines stanford encyclopedia of. Naymuma miyahira, a japanese perspective on the trinity, themelios 22. At the very center of the christian message stands a profound mystery. Pdf download the search for the christian doctrine of god.
The bible teaches not only that there is one god, but also that there are three persons in the godhead, father, son and holy spirit. The following abbreviations to torrances works are used in the text. The christian doctrine of god, one being three persons is probably what i would call a primer on the trinity by one of the 20th centurys foremost modern trinitarian theologians, thomas f. At this point i think we should acknowledge the chief objection to the doctrine of the trinity, which is that it is absurd. The three persons are not each part of god, but are each fully god and equally god. In other words, each is fully divine in nature, but each is not the totality of the other persons of the trinity. He began studying in edinburgh in 1931, focusing on classics and philosophy. There is only one god, and we must never stray from this. Torrance, the christian doctrine of god, one being three persons edinburgh. If there were several gods, there would be no unity of plan or power in the entire universe. The christian doctrine of god, one being three persons t. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons by thomas.
As gregory of nyssa writes, there is a revolving circle of glory. The ancient babylonians recognised the doctrine of a trinity, or three persons in one god as appears from a composite god with three heads forming part of their mythology, and the use of the equilateral triangle, also, as an emblem of such trinity in unity. The doctrine of god the father the person and work of the first person of the trinity trinity baptist church discipleship training november, 2004 introduction. According to modalism, during the incarnation, jesus was simply god acting in one mode or role, and the holy spirit at pentecost was god acting in a. Each person father, son and holy spirit is not the other. Trinity, in christian doctrine, the unity of father, son, and holy spirit as three persons in one godhead. What do we mean by person and essence in the doctrine. This means that god is three persons, not three gods. The stratification of knowledge in the thought of t. The one god is not the three, but rather one of them and the primary one, the.
Personal relationships did not come into existence when god created finite personal beings angels and humans. Both the natural world and scripture testify that our creator exists ps. Unitarianism from latin unitas unity, oneness, from unus one is a christian theological movement named for its belief that the god in christianity is one person, as opposed to the trinity tri from latin tres three which in most other branches of christianity defines god as one being in three persons. Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons by. Doctrine of god the father trinity reformed baptist church. Understanding the biblical doctrine of the trinity godhead. In recent years, the doctrine of god has once again become a central focus of theological discussion and debate. The christian doctrine of god, one being three persons. It is remarkable that despite the fact that its founder and earliest protagonists were to a man monotheistic jews, christianity, while zealous to preserve jewish monotheism, came to enunciate a nonunitarian concept of god. The three persons of the godhead, father, son, and holy spirit, relate and function together as the same divine being. Christianity is monotheistic we worship one god deuteronomy 6. This study will focus upon the first person of the trinity, god the father. Religion other the christian doctrine of god, one being three persons ed 2 free ebook download.
Ulrich mauser, one god and trinitarian language in the letters of paul, horizons in biblical theology 20. The realist and ontorelational frame of tf torrances. As all orthodox christians agree, the doctrine of the trinity holds that god is one essence but three persons. One of the most important christian doctrines to have attracted philosophical attention is the doctrine of the trinity. Thus there are not three gods or three parts to god.
This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. There will be a presupposition that god is knowable, yet not discoverable by human reason. The trinity is grounded upon gods historical selfrevelation in jesus christ. They eventually reduced their belief in the trinity to two short statements. Pdf the search for the christian doctrine of god download. Unity of essence, distinction of persons, implications for life. It is also difficult for us to apprehend the concept that god is one being in three persons. God has one nature, but three centers of consciousness. One in essence, three in person is the most concise definition of the doctrine of the trinity. The trinity is grounded upon god s historical selfrevelation in jesus christ. Jan 23, 2006 the trinity is not belief in three gods.
Christian doctrine of god, one being three persons book. Three personsfather, son, and spiritfully share in the one true gods identity. This doctrine was developed because of two clear teachings found in the bible. This handy pamphlet is perfect for anyone who wants to know the basic doctrines of the christian faith. The belief in one god is often referred to as monotheism greek. Finally, each of the three persons in the one being of god glorify one another.