Help with the Trinity (Jesus Christ, priest, Creator, Earth, gospel)

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by Te Deum

I'm not Catholic, and not a trinitarian, but this picture works for me. The Son is not the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost is not The Father; The Father is not the Son. Yet they are all God, or Gods. Three separate beings, one in purpose. I love the simplicity of this.

[Captain Civic]

I hate the word Ghost in reference to the Spirit.

I've always thought that it was due to a misinterpretation of 'persons'. Ie. it's used with a meaning different to how we would apply it today.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Captain Civic

I hate the word Ghost in reference to the Spirit.

I've always thought that it was due to a misinterpretation of 'persons'. Ie. it's used with a meaning different to how we would apply it today.

So you say "Holy Spirit" instead of "Holy Ghost"? I personally say "Holy Ghost," primarily because that's the term the KJV uses. Does the translation you use refer to Him as the "Holy Spirit"? Which one (or ones) would that be?

[Captain Civic]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

So you say "Holy Spirit" instead of "Holy Ghost"? I personally say "Holy Ghost," primarily because that's the term the KJV uses. Does the translation you use refer to Him as the "Holy Spirit"? Which one (or ones) would that be?

To be honest, I didn't realise it was in the KJV. I thought it was just the phrasing of an archaic term for the Spirit. Ghost implies different things to me than Spirit. Perhaps it's just a semantics game for me, but that's how I work.

The versions of the Bible I have are the CEV (although rarely read) and the NLT. However, most times I look up a specific verse, I tend to do it on the Internet, and then check multiple translations.

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by Captain Civic

To be honest, I didn't realise it was in the KJV. I thought it was just the phrasing of an archaic term for the Spirit. Ghost implies different things to me than Spirit. Perhaps it's just a semantics game for me, but that's how I work.

The versions of the Bible I have are the CEV (although rarely read) and the NLT. However, most times I look up a specific verse, I tend to do it on the Internet, and then check multiple translations.

I agree the title is strange sounding. I've heard it all my life and so it's completely normal to me. Using "Spirit" is perfectly fine, since he's referred to as both.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Thanks, sojourner. When you explain it that way, it doesn't sound all that different from my own beliefs. It's just that that's not the way I've heard it explained before -- by trinitarians.

Within that context, would you mind addressing the following line from the Athanasian Creed:

Neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance.

I guess what I'm looking for is an explanation of what it means not to confound the persons or divide the substance.

Your bolded statement is exactly what many people engage in when refuting the doctrine. They confuse the Son with the Father. They are not to be confused, because they are each a distinct person. But neither can they be divided, because they constitute one God. Research the term hypostasis. That's the original Greek term used in the doctrine. "Person" is a rather poor translation. It may be what's confusing you.

[Te Deum]

I hear "Holy Spirit" a lot but, as a Traditional Roman Catholic, I also like the term "Holy Ghost", which a lot of Traditionalist Catholics will use.

[Michel07]

Originally Posted by The_Evelyonian

Could someone help me with the doctrine of the Trinity. I just find it confusing and I feel like I'm missing something.

Thanks

The_Evelyonian

In a very simple but kind of practical sense Saint Patrick was said to have taught people about the Holy Trinity by holding up a tree leaf clover and then explained the concept theologically.

[Katzpur]

Would someone please respond to the question I asked in post #40 of this thread?

[Mister Emu]

Would someone please respond to the question I asked in post #40 of this thread

I would suggest what Sojourner said, the word person is a poor translation of the word hypostasis.