The Trinity

[Dream Angel]

I am a little confused on who (different denominations of Christianity) believes what regarding The Trinity. Different people have told me different ideas.

I know in general there is Trinitarians and Non-Trinitarians.

Could you tell me (preferably in detail) what you personally believe and what denomination you are.

I have had people tell me that Catholics AND protestants believe that they are the same being and others tell me that protestants actually believe that they are separate beings?

Thank-you!

 

[ChristineES]

Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in the Trinity. And I think Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) doesn't either.

I have been told that my understanding of the Trinity is actually Modalism (I had to google it since I had never even heard of it).
I believe that Jesus is God, but about the Trinity-but I am having some thoughts about it. I am a Baptist and they accept it with no question.

The Trinity explained to me was like an apple- The skin, the fruit and the seeds. All of those things are the apple but they are also separate things at the same time. Just like The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

(My so- called Modalist view was that of H2O- water, steam and ice)

 

[Lucian]

I actually posted my explanation on my views before in a "trinity" thread, and it can be found in this link. I've also ventured into it in some of my previous posts. I am not really of any "denomination". I am just a Christian who belongs to the Church.

This view isn't at all common anymore, it's quite rare, though some hold it. I hold that it is the faith of Christ and his Apostles which they passed on the the early Church. Its highest point of popularity was probably 1600 years ago, when it was recognized by a couple of the emperors of Rome (and afterwards by most of the kings who established their kingdoms on the ruins of the western empire) and was held by many of the people, after which a great decline began. It was again somewhat influential after the reformation began among some of the people of the Polish Brethren and Unitarians, the most famous of the theologians being Sir Isaac Newton, and these days it has started organizing itself again (but that belongs under the Nontrinitarian section of these forums).

 

[blueman]

One God, represented in three Spiritual beings (The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit) all sharing the same attributes of diety. People get caught up in the reference to a Trinity, which is not found in the Bible. But the concept of a three person God-head is referenced throughout the New Testament by Jesus Himself and subsequently, His disciples following His death and ressurection. :yes:

 

[Dunemeister]

I'm a disaffected Anglican. I follow the creeds, which means that I believe in the Trinity.

 

[Katzpur]

I follow the creeds, which means that I believe in the Trinity.

I follow the Bible, which means I don't.

 

[Dunemeister]

I follow the Bible, which means I don't.

Ah, touche, but of course I think you're wrong about that!

 

[Clear]

Dream Angel

Even as a Christian, I sympathize with anyone trying to understand the many various versions of the Christian trinity and in what ways the Father, his son, and the Holy Ghost are separate individuals and in what ways they are unified. I believe the three that make up the trinity are separate individuals who share a profound unity in accomplishing a shared goal.



Administratively, I view them (roughly) as follows:

I envision the father as the Lord God who organizes; initiates, sets in motion and directs a great plan for progress and ultimate salvation of the spirits of men; that is, the way to teach men principles necessary for living together in harmony throughout eternity and allow them to accept or reject such principles.

I see the Son as the individual chosen and given authority by the Father to administer and carry out critical portions of the plan which are necessary to return men (who choose to learn these principles) back to God in a morally clean condition, having learned by their own experience, the necessary basic principles of how conduct themselves in order to live as immortals in eternal harmony.

I see the Holy Ghost as the coordinator of both teaching such principles to men as well as the testifier (or way for men to confirm) that these are true principles. I see him as a moderator of changes that must take place in men ( a "coach", a "paraclete")



This is NOT to say that I am more or less correct than other views expressed here, but this is how I view the Christian trinity.

Clear
(se dr)

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Sanatan Dharma refers to the holy trinity as Brahma for creation, Vishnu for Preservation and Mahesh for destruction. Life is constantly moving between these three stages for the old giving way to the new. Birth itself is the begining of death and death is the begining of new and preservation happens in between.
Love & rgds

 

[lunamoth]

The Trinity that can be described is not the Eternal Trinity.

Don't worry too much about it Dream Angel.

 

[Dream Angel]

The Trinity that can be described is not the Eternal Trinity.

Don't worry too much about it Dream Angel.

Hehehe...Im not worried, I am interested! I like to learn....

 

[Mister Emu]

The Trinity is three hypostases with one ousia... roughly, three persons, one being...

(My so- called Modalist view was that of H2O- water, steam and ice)

Hmm... it depends, do you believe that God(like H2O, generally) is SOMETIMES The Father(water), SOMETIMES The Son(Ice), and SOMETIMES The Holy Spirit(steam)? Or do you believe that while being one God, God is all three at once?

 

[paranormalknowledge]

the trinity is good

 

[sandrock]

Hi,

GOD is a SPIRIT and is one.. This concept of trinity is a real waste in our search of Spiritual pursuit. It's a Man made concept, brought in by early Christains to sustain their belief and outline the almighty God; though it was not required,as The life of Christ thus holds the truth of God and His Will. If u'll keep pondering over concept of trinity, u'll land in dismay. I tried, but didn't obtained any real insight, instead came accross many question & doubts on the same.

I was asked to believe with examples of H2O and intensity abt particular Human Relation. It was hard for me accept those comparisions with almighty God.

 

[Dunemeister]

Hi,

GOD is a SPIRIT and is one.. This concept of trinity is a real waste in our search of Spiritual pursuit. It's a Man made concept, brought in by early Christains to sustain their belief and outline the almighty God; though it was not required,as The life of Christ thus holds the truth of God and His Will. If u'll keep pondering over concept of trinity, u'll land in dismay. I tried, but didn't obtained any real insight, instead came accross many question & doubts on the same.

Don't confuse your failure to come to grips with the idea with what must happen for everyone who attempts it. I've pondered the trinity for several years now, and I find my life quite enriched.

Besides, you yourself say that "the life of Christ thus holds the truth of God and His Will." It's not too far from this to affirming the trinity. How can the life of Christ hold the truth of God if Christ is not God? And if Christ is God but different from the Father somehow (after all, he prays to the Father, and the Father speaks to him), how do we understand this? These are exactly the intuitions that lead the church to speak of God in Trinitarian terms.

I was asked to believe with examples of H2O and intensity abt particular Human Relation. It was hard for me accept those comparisions with almighty God.

I agree that these analogies cause confusion because they don't quite capture what the trinity means. When you make the comparison, you note the differences more than the similarities, and their usefulness ends.

 

[herushura]

The Trinity = The Trinity of the Sun

Son = Dawn * rising Sun
Father = Noon * Most High Sun - Most High = EL
Holy Spirit = Evening * Setting Sun

The Sun rises becomes a newborn son, he grows up and becomes a Father, and then starts to die as a Spirt leaving his body, The Suns Spirit is then ressurected as a New born Sun/son/sun/Son

 

[lunamoth]

I agree with Dune about the richness of the Trinity, and ultimately it is Mystery.

While all explanations fall short, there are many that help us connect to the Mystery of the Trinity even as we realize that on their own they are inadequate. This is appropriate, I think, because as in all doctrines it points to the ultimate ineffibility and transcendance of God.

One metaphore I get a lot of milage out of is Lover, Beloved, and Love. The idea of eternal and creative Love is central to my understanding of God, so the idea of three eternal Persons in relationship supports this understanding.

Another is: Water (what it IS), River (how it manifests), Flow (what it does).

Best wishes DA.

 

[herushura]

The Egyptians were trinitarians buiding those Sun Worship pyramids, infact the dollor bill has a pyramid on it, and an eye on the top, Eye=Sun. Sun worship on the Dollor Bill.

 

[lunamoth]

The Egyptians were trinitarians buiding those Sun Worship pyramids, infact the dollor bill has a pyramid on it, and an eye on the top, Eye=Sun. Sun worship on the Dollor Bill.

Well that sums it up well. Guess we can all go home now.

 

[herushura]

Well that sums it up well. Guess we can all go home now.

Yep, if you go to egpyt on the Summer Soltice, an altar somewere far from the pyramids is the seeing port, when standing on the altar if the sun is directly on top of the pyramid and shining, The Summer Soltice has Occured.

Then on the Smallest pyramid, and you see the sun shining at the top, winter soltice occured

Then on the medium pyramid if you see the Sun shining directly on top, the vernal equinox has occured