Christians who deny Christ's divinity/Trinity

[Spear Hunter]

I have enjoyed reading the threads here, and would like to pose a question I have run into lately.

What are peoples thoughts here on professed Christians who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus or the literal trinity? Are they still to be considered Christians? I have read of some early Christian sects that did not believe in the trinity or Christs divinity. And I have met Christians today who do the same. They say they simply follow Christs teachings and worship God. Is this possible, why or why not?

 

[strikeviperMKII]

I would think that would make them Jewish, but it isn't that simple, I suppose. Christ teaches everything in the Old testament. Honestly, if you say you follow him, then he is God. Because, if you understand the teachings, we all are a part of God. If you believe that, he has to be God. As are we all.

 

[Lucian]

Yes, we are Christians. I don't believe the trinitarian doctrine. I believe in Christ's divinity. God dwells in him and God dwells in us.

 

[Scott C.]

I have enjoyed reading the threads here, and would like to pose a question I have run into lately.

What are peoples thoughts here on professed Christians who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus or the literal trinity? Are they still to be considered Christians? I have read of some early Christian sects that did not believe in the trinity or Christs divinity. And I have met Christians today who do the same. They say they simply follow Christs teachings and worship God. Is this possible, why or why not?

I would say that a Christian is one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins, and was resurrected from the dead. A true Christian must also try to follow the teachings of Jesus.

A belief in the divinity of Christ and the Trinity are separate issues. I don't believe in the Trinity as taught by the post New Testament creeds. I don't believe the New Testament teaches that doctrine. However, I believe in the divinity of Christ. I am a Christian.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is the Savior, but don't accept his divinity. (If I got that wrong a Jehovah's Witness can correct me). I see them as Christians, as they believe that Christ is the Savior.

Since this subject comes up a lot, I ask myself why it matters so much to some people. I think some believe that a person is saved now, forever, and irrevocably if and only if he is a Christian. For these people the question "are you a Christian?" is the same as "are you saved?" In their view, a person with less than a perfect understanding of the nature of Christ, is not saved and therefore can't be a Christian.

While I believe that salvation is in Christ, I don't see salvation in exactly those terms, so I don't worry much about who falls within the definition of Christian. Salvation is a process. There's space and time to learn and grow in our knowledge of the true God. There's time to learn to follow the true God and to repent. In the final judgement, only those who over time have come to understand, follow, and accept Jesus for the Savior and God that he is, will be saved. A person who is not there yet, may or may not be classified at this moment as a Christian.

 

[Katzpur]

I have enjoyed reading the threads here, and would like to pose a question I have run into lately.

What are peoples thoughts here on professed Christians who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus or the literal trinity? Are they still to be considered Christians? I have read of some early Christian sects that did not believe in the trinity or Christs divinity. And I have met Christians today who do the same. They say they simply follow Christs teachings and worship God. Is this possible, why or why not?

I most definitely consider myself to be a Christian and I do not believe in the Trinity. (I'm referring to the doctrine established at the Council at Nicea in 325 A.D.) I do believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. I believe that Jesus is divine and was with His Father in the beginning. I believe that He created our universe under His Father's direction, that He was born to a virgin, lived a perfect life, established His Church, voluntarily offered Himself up as a sacrifice to pay for our sins, rose from the dead after three days, and ascended into Heaven where He reigns today on the right hand of His Father. I believe He is the only means by which I can be forgiven of my sins and return to God's presence to live with Him again someday. I guess you could say that I have pretty much the same understanding of Jesus Christ, His relationship to His Father, and our relationship to them that the first century Christians had.

 

[Me Myself]

Because, if you understand the teachings, we all are a part of God. If you believe that, he has to be God. As are we all.

Wow. I agree, but I gotta say, that is very panentheistic for a "catholic"

Yes, we are Christians. I don't believe the trinitarian doctrine. I believe in Christ's divinity. God dwells in him and God dwells in us.

Note me as another christian who understands Christ´s divnity and role as son of God to be inclusive

 

[thesadperson]

I've always wondered about Unitarians. What makes you be a Unitarian Christian and not a Jewish or Muslim since they are against the trinity. Is it Christ's message?

 

[strikeviperMKII]

Wow. I agree, but I gotta say, that is very panentheistic for a "catholic"

Catholic means 'universal'.

 

[Lucian]

I've always wondered about Unitarians. What makes you be a Unitarian Christian and not a Jewish or Muslim since they are against the trinity. Is it Christ's message?

Yes it is, atleast that's one reason. There are a lot of differences. For Unitarians, God as our Father is very important. Jews don't believe in Jesus or his teachings, Unitarians do. Muslims, although they consider Jesus to be a part of their religion, Jesus' role is different. In Islam, Jesus was someone sent to preach about Mohammed, and only to the Jews - for Unitarians, Jesus' mission is universal, and Unitarians don't believe in Mohammed like the Muslims.

Muslims don't believe Jesus was crucified, Unitarians do. For Unitarians, Jesus is God's son, which is not allowed to be said in Islam or Judaism. Unitarians don't follow all the ritualistic rules of Judaism, only those based on the law of love (although nothing prevents following all kinds of rules as long as they don't contradict the law of love). Muslims also have their ritualistic rules which Unitarians don't believe. One is baptised in Unitarianism, in the others it's circumcision. I think one could continue this list.

 

[internationalist]

Anyone who doesn't believe in the trinity cannot claim to be a Christian.

 

[Me Myself]

Anyone who doesn't believe in the trinity cannot claim to be a Christian.

Anyone who denies his own divinity cannot call himself a Christian.

See how silly it sounds for me to make the term only mine?

ANd at least my assertion is in the bible from JESUS´s words

 

[internationalist]

Now we have pagans interpreting the Bible, and telling Christians what they should believe!

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Anyone who doesn't believe in the trinity cannot claim to be a Christian.

And what is to stop them...?

Certainly, a majority of Christians I have met in my life would claim to believe in the Trinity.

However, as soon as you question them about it, they can not explain it, and as you delve deeper it is clear that they do not understand their own churches explanation of what the Trinity Is. If you do not understand even the rudiments of something. you can hardly believe in it.

What they believe is, what their church tells them to believe must be true.

That is a quite different proposition.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I've always wondered about Unitarians. What makes you be a Unitarian Christian and not a Jewish or Muslim since they are against the trinity. Is it Christ's message?

a Christian Unitarian Generaly believes in no Dogma. It is neither required nor expected.

OUR FAITH

• • is governed by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible
  • asserts and upholds the right of each and every individual to search these scriptural records for themselves and to use reason and personal conscience to discover God’s Divine Truth
  • removes Human Tests and Confessions of Faith that restrict private judgement and prevent free enquiry
  • upholds the beautiful simplicity of the great commandments as defined by Jesus Christ: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind” and “You must love your neighbour as yourself”

From Welcome to The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland

(My family were founders of this Church It is the Irish equavent of Unitarian)

 

[Bob Dixon]

I believe that nothing exists except for God so, accordingly, everything has a spark of Divinity.
The Christ is special because he was sent by God to point us towards the Father. But trinity does not appear in his teachings. It is a useful concept, though, because it teaches us that God cannot be fully comprehended by humans.

 

[Katzpur]

Anyone who doesn't believe in the trinity cannot claim to be a Christian.

Watch me: I am a Christian and I don't believe in the Trinity.

 

[Katzpur]

Anyone who doesn't believe in the trinity cannot claim to be a Christian.

Boy that really puts Christ's Apostles in a bad place, doesn't it?

I'd say that anyone who holds this view of humanity cannot claim to be a Christian:

I believe that humans are morally depraved, so I have nothing but contempt for them. I don't seek to hurt them, but I don't help them or even sympathize with them; they're not worth my time.

 

[Reverend Rick]

There is no "in name of the father the son and the holy spirit" at the end of the prayer that Jesus taught

And if we listen to James, Saul, Paul, whatever does not carry as much weight.

Paul never met Jesus unless you believe his story about the road to damascus.

Luke is another who never met Jesus.

We don't even know the authorship of many writings we hang on ever word and translation.

I'm one of the Christians who this thread speaks of.

I believe in God. The God in the garden of eden, the God who spoke to Noah. The God who parted the red sea and spoke to Moses.

The God Jesus prayed to on the cross.

Jesus is the son of God not to be confused with the God of the old testament.

I hang on every word Jesus spoke but pray to his father.

If they are one and the same what would be the difference? Should God say, don't pray to me, pray to me or you prayed to the wrong me?

I'm praying to the guy Jesus prayed to.

I follow what Jesus taught. I believe what John and James have to say because they walked and talked with Jesus.

I'm still sorting out this Pauline-luke stuff I was spoon fed as a child.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

Now we have pagans interpreting the Bible, and telling Christians what they should believe!

You'd be surprised how much people of other faiths can teach you about your own. Any religion that thinks itself the 'one true religion' has already failed, and is no longer religion, but an institution.

 

[Spear Hunter]

You'd be surprised how much people of other faiths can teach you about your own. Any religion that thinks itself the 'one true religion' has already failed, and is no longer religion, but an institution.

Many times getting a new perspective helps one to solidify their belief. A different opinion is always a good thing.