Questions tagged [trinity]
The doctrine of the three-personhood of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; who, though existing in three distinct persons and work towards different arenas, are the same God, of the same mind, and the same purpose.
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What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity?
The word/term "trinity" is never used in the Bible. However, most Christians believe that God exists as three persons in one God-head.
This question has two parts:
What is the Biblical basis for the ...
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Praying to people outside the Trinity
I understand that the Roman Catholic church direct some prayers to Mary, the mother of Jesus. For me it would be strange to address my prayers to anyone outside the Holy Trinity. Do Catholics pray to ...
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How can the Son not know what the Father knows?
Matthew 24:36 (NLT)
Mark 13:32 (NLT)
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”
Now ...
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What is the doctrine of the Trinity?
What is the doctrine of the Trinity as defined by Christianity?
Obviously there are three entities involved: God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, but is there more to the definition?
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What are the theological implications of "filioque"?
Depending on your tradition, the Nicene Creed may or may not say that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father:
(Greek) τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον - who from the Father ...
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Why do we use the order "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"?
The three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in an undivided Trinity, in which all are equal in stature, according to orthodox trinitarian Christianity. Given that our language is ...
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Does the Trinity share one mind or are there three separate minds? [closed]
Curious what Christian theologians or the Bible may have said about this. It seems like Jesus speaks in terms of his father's will as if it is not quite his own, which suggests separate minded-ness. ...
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What is the Biblical basis for disbelief in the doctrine of the Trinity?
In related form to a previous question on the basis for the Trinity, what is the Biblical basis for disbelief of the doctrine?
Not all Christians (and perhaps not all branches of Christendom) hold to ...
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Did early church fathers understand the doctrine of trinity?
Many historians and religious scholars ... attest to the influence of
Greek or Platonic philosophy in the development and acceptance of the
Trinity doctrine in the fourth century. ... the famous ...
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What is the Biblical evidence that there are ONLY three persons in the "Trinity"?
(This is a followup to the various answers for the question What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity?)
The specific concept of 'trinity' isn't specifically spelled out in the Bible. ...
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Does the triune God have will by nature, or by persons? [closed]
Given the triune God, one nature and three persons, do they experience their will in their singular nature or in their separate persons? That is, do they share one will, or does each have a separate ...
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Why did Jesus have to leave for the Holy Spirit to come?
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Why did ...
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When in the development of trinitarian doctrine was the word "persons" first applied to God?
In the Bible, the word "persons" is not used in reference to God, nor are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit called "persons."
When, in early Christian writings and creeds, was the word "persons" (...
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Is there a hierarchy in the Trinity? [closed]
It seems that there is some form of hierarchy within the Trinity.
For example, these passages seem to indicate that the Holy Spirit is subservient to the Father and Jesus:
John 14:26 (NIV)
But the ...
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What was Isaac Newton's view of the Trinity?
The Trinity is a complex topic and I know Isaac Newton studied deep into it, and that his views were somewhat contrary to mainstream doctrines taught today. So I was curious what his view is, and what ...
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What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity consisting of different persons?
In What is the Biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity? we have explored the biblical basis for the doctrine that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.
However, what ...
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Why is the Trinity a Trinity? [closed]
It's well established and accepted by most Christians that God is triune, consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
However, while talking with a friend earlier about Wisdom (from Proverbs), I ...
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Is Partialism a real heresy?
This YouTube video identifies Partialism as a heresy. It states that Partialism is the heresy wherein The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each described as 1/3 of God. To me, it's a vaguely familiar ...
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When talking about the Trinity, what does "persons" mean?
The triune God is defined as three persons equal in nature. What does "persons" mean in this statement? Can the word "persons" be replaced with "personalities" or "roles"?
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How do Trinitarians explain verses where Jesus claims to have a God?
According to orthodox trinitarian doctrine, the Father is God, Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. Jesus is co-eqaul, eternally begotten, not made.
With that in mind, how could Jesus have a ...
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Who resurrected Jesus - the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?
In John 2:19-22 Jesus tells the Jews that he will perform a miraculous sign by raising the temple of his body in three days.
In John 10:18 Jesus says he has authority to lay down his life and ...
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To whom should we pray? To the Father or the son Jesus or the Holy Spirit? [closed]
While praying how should we pray? Should we praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to whom should we ask? To the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit?
John 14:14 (ESV) says
If you ...
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If Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) don't believe in a Holy Trinity, then who do they believe is God?
It's a pretty well-known fact that Latter-Day Saint members (aka Mormons) do not believe in the Holy Trinity, i.e., that God, Christ and the Holy Ghost are 'one'. So what exactly do they believe in, ...
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If the Holy Spirit is God, and God can not be in the presence of sin, then how can the Holy Spirit dwell in me a sinner? [closed]
If we believe in the Trinity, in essense that the Holy Spirit is God, and we believe that God can not be in the presence of sin, then how can the Holy Spirit dwell within me a sinner?
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According to Protestant trinitarians, what is the significance of the father-son relationship between God and Christ?
What is the significance of the father-son relationship between God and Christ in the Trinity? Non-trinitarians believe that Christ is literally the son of God, but that doesn't quite work with the ...
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Is there any biblical justification for referring to God as Mother?
On one occasion, I heard someone prayer, "To God, our Father and Mother." In The Shack, the Trinity is represented as three persons, where God the Father is a woman.
Is there any biblical ...
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How do classic Trinitarians answer the implications of Revelation 1:1?
Revelation 1:1 (NIV) reads:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
So this ...
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How do Trinitarians explain John 17:3?
Unitarians use John 17:3 to affirm their faith that the Father alone is the only true God. They would say that this is the strongest evidence that there is only one person who is true God. Thus, the ...
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Does the divine name YHWH (יַהְוֶה) apply equally to all Persons of the Trinity? (Catholic/Nicene perspective)
According to the Catholic Church (and other Nicene Churches), does the divine name YHWH (יַהְוֶה) apply equally to all Persons of the Sacred Trinity?
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What is the biblical basis for the personhood of the Holy Spirit?
According to Trinitarian theology, the Holy Trinity consists of three persons (τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who share the same essence/nature (ὁμοούσιος). What is the ...
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Why is rejection of the Trinity heresy, and not just wrong? (Protestant perspective)
There are plenty of instances where Christians systematically believe something false and directly contradicting biblical teachings, yet they are not deemed to be so errant as to disqualify them from ...
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What is the earliest use of the phrase "God the Son"?
Does the phrase "God the Son" appear in manuscripts or early translations (Textus Receptus, Vulgate, etc.) of the New Testament scriptures? If not, when did the phrase enter into the Christian ...
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Why is Jesus the Son called the Father in Isaiah 9:6?
In providing this answer with respect to recognizing the Trinity in the Old Testament, I noticed that Jesus is called the Father which could be confusing when trying to understand the Trinity. In what ...
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If Christ is considered the 'Son of God' then how is He a part of a Trinity?
Note: This is in NO way a troll or a poke at any faith that believes in the doctrine of the Trinity but rather is simply a question for clarity.
There are several passages within the bible that ...
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How do Catholics reconcile Christ's intercessory prayer with the doctrine of the Trinity?
John 10:30 (KJV) is often quoted to support the doctrine of the Trinity:
30 I and my Father are one.
But during the great intercessory prayer, Christ asks God for his disciples to also be one ...
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What is the Biblical basis for the Holy Spirit being God?
I know that Trinitarians believe that God exists as one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
That God the Father is God is patently obvious from the entire Old ...
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When was the word "trinity" first applied to God in Christianity?
The word "trinity" does not occur in the Bible.
When, in early Christian writings and creeds, was the word "trinity" first used in reference to God?
After that first (known) occurrence, what are ...
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What does it mean to "worship God" to Christians in general?
When Christians worship or pray to God, generally what is in their mind? Do they pray to God who is one person among Trinity or do they pray to all three of them as one?
I am asking about what is in ...
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Who compared the Trinity to a triangle with three right angles?
Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464), wrote in part 1, chapter 12 of his De docta ignorantia (1440):
Others who are very talented compared, to the Super-blessed Trinity, a triangle consisting
of three ...
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Overview of Trichotomous vs Dichotomous views of Man [closed]
There are generally two* views of Man
the Dichotomous (Soul & Body)
the Trichotomous (Soul, Spirit, & Body)
Notably, A W Pink ascribes to the Trichotomous view (or Tripartite).
Also notably,...
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How does Christ's hypostatic union affect the temporal nature of the Trinity?
The term hypostatic union is a concise way to say that Jesus was fully God and fully Man at the same time (glossing over the details). There are a number of opinions on the precise details of this ...
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Into whose name should Christians be baptised? [closed]
Jesus said, "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
However, the early church apparently baptised in the name of ...
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Did Saint Patrick actually explain the Trinity using a shamrock?
The shamrock is a pretty bad analogy for the Trinity. In fact, it's somewhat of a heretical explanation if one puts much emphasis on it. It's partialism:
St. Patrick's Bad Analogies (YouTube)
So, ...
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According to Reformed Theology do non-trinitarians go to hell?
According to Reformed theology, if one believes that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah and the son of God (but they deny that he is God and the second person of a triune god), is this person sent to an ...
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How is the Trinity compatible with divine simplicity?
Divine simplicity is the doctrine that God has no parts/composition. It implies that God is equivalent to his attributes and his attributes are equivalent to each other. So God is love and God is ...
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Does the Nicene Creed suggest a strict division of responsibilities within the Trinity? [closed]
In the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed, the three persons of the Trinity each seem to have their own role in creating the world:
The Father is "maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and ...
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If Jesus is God, who/where does Jesus pray to?
I realize that some of Christianity believe God and Jesus to be one being, whereas some believe them to be separate and distinct beings. I come from the background of the latter group, which reasoning ...
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How is Matthew 24:36 explained by trinitarians?
In Matthew 24:36 Jesus is quoted saying, that even he does not know when the end of the world will come, only God (the Father) alone.
I'm interested in how the major trinitarian denominations explain ...
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How is the Shema of Deuteronomy reconciled with the doctrine of the Trinity?
The "Shema" (שְׁמַע), found in Deuteronomy 6:4, states that "YHVH (יהוה) is one." This verse can be interpreted to contradict the doctrine of the Trinity, yet this doctrine is ...
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What person(s) of the Trinity were the people of the Old Testament interacting with?
When a someone or groups of people were interacting with God, as recorded in the Old Testament, in general were they simply interacting with person of 'God the Father' within the Trinity? Or were they ...
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