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{{Christianity}}

{{Christianity}}

{{trinity}}The Christian '''Trinity''' consists of [[God the Father]], [[Jesus Christ|God the Son]], and God the [[Holy Spirit]], as established by the [[Nicene Creed]] of A.D. 325. The Trinity refers to the three Persons in a single unity who are the one God, all co-equal, and all with one undivided divine nature forming one God.  

{{trinity}}The Christian '''Trinity''' consists of [[God the Father]], [[Jesus Christ|God the Son]], and God the [[Holy Spirit]], as established by the [[Nicene Creed]] of A.D. 325. The Trinity refers to the three Persons in a single unity who are the one God, all coequal, and all with one undivided divine nature forming one God.  

Although it is never made explicit in the [[Bible]], the concept of the Trinity is embraced by the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Orthodox Church]], and nearly all [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations, and denied by all [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]]s.  The name was coined by the Church Father [[Tertullian]] (A.D. 145-220). It is based on inferences from texts emphasizing the closeness of God-the-Father and Jesus (such as Rom. 8:31-34), the role of the Holy Ghost, and especially the baptismal formula in Matt. 28:19

Although not explicit in the [[Bible]],<ref>Many Christians teach that the [[Johannine Comma]] in I John 5:7 supports the view of the Trinity; however, others believe that the Comma was added by later scribes.</ref> the concept of the Trinity is embraced by the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Orthodox Church]], and nearly all [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations, but denied by all [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]]s and "Oneness [[Pentecostal]]s" (such as the United Pentecostal Church).  The name "Trinity" was coined by the Church Father [[Tertullian]] (A.D. 145-220). It is based on inferences from texts emphasizing the closeness of God-the-Father and Jesus (such as [[Romans, Chapter 8|Romans 8:31-34), the role of the [[Holy Ghost]], and especially the baptismal formula in [[Matthew, Chapter 28|Matthew 28:19]]: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."<ref>The word "name" in this passage is singular. The plural word "names" is not said. Semitic peoples understood that the name of something or someone was not merely a label, a sound, but an expression of the very nature of the subject as the referent. God is Trinity, but God's nature is unity, having one name, one nature. Christians who accept the Trinity -- which is the vast majority -- are called Trinitarians, believing in Trinitarianism.</ref>

:Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.<ref>The word "name" in this passage is singular. The plural word "names" is not said. Semitic peoples understood the name of something or someone was not merely a label, a sound, but an expression of the very nature of the subject as the referent. God is Trinity, but God's nature is unity, having one name, one nature.</ref>

 

 

 

 

 

St. Augustine comments: "But since three men appeared, and no one of them is said to be greater than the rest either in form, or age, or power, why should we not here understand, as visibly intimated by the visible creature, the equality of the Trinity, and one and the same substance in three persons?"<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/130102.htm</ref>

==Illustrations and analogies==

==Illustrations and analogies==

A good illustration is [[water|H₂O]], one atom of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen. It can also take three forms: solid ice, liquid water, and floating clouds, steam, formless fog and invisible vapor, all of which are considered water. However, this [[analogy]] was historically taken too far as applied to God. The denial of the doctrine of the Trinity, as being in essence one Person only, not three divine Persons of One Being, was condemned as [[Monarchianism]] and as [[Modalism]] and as the [[heresy]] of Sabellianism<ref>[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Sabellianism '''Sabellianism''' (orthodoxwiki.org)]</ref>

A good illustration is [[water|H₂O]], one atom of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen. Remove any one of these three atoms from the molecule and it is no longer water.  

An excellent [[Mathematics|mathematical]] illustration of the unity of the Trinity is the [[Geometry|geometrical]] form of the [[Triangle|triangular]] three-sided ''tetrahedron'', a [[Pyramid (geometry)|pyramidal]] construct of a single, indivisible point extending into three [[equilateral]] triangular faces simultaneously united to a single triangular base<ref>[https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tetrahedron.html Solid geometry: tetrahedron]</ref>. This is especially evident when an equilateral tetrahedron is made of flawless transparent [[crystal]]. Through any one face of the crystal form each of the other sides is clearly visible. Each of the faces is a distinctly different face (they cannot be the same face) but all of them have exactly the same shape, the same size, and the same substance. What is predicated of any one of them is predicated of each of them. A tetrahedral crystal displayed standing on the flat surface of the jeweler's counter or the shelf of a display case cannot exist without three faces inseparably existing as extending from the single, undivided point of one apex to the same undivided triangular base at its base or foundation on which it stands: a single crystal, not three, with three faces, not one.

 

An excellent [[Mathematics|mathematical]] illustration of the unity of the Trinity is the [[Geometry|geometrical]] form of the [[Triangle|triangular]] three-sided ''[[tetrahedron]]'', a [[Pyramid (geometry)|pyramidal]] construct of a single, indivisible point extending into three [[equilateral]] triangular faces simultaneously united to a single triangular base.<ref>[https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tetrahedron.html tetrahedron (mathsisfun.com)]</ref> This is especially evident when an equilateral tetrahedron is made of flawless transparent [[crystal]]. Through any one face of the crystal form each of the other sides is clearly visible. Each of the faces is a distinctly different face (they cannot be the same face) but all of them have exactly the same shape, the same size, and the same substance. What is predicated of any one of them is predicated of each of them. A tetrahedral crystal displayed standing on the flat surface of the jeweler's counter or the shelf of a display case cannot exist without three faces inseparably existing as extending from the single, undivided point of one apex to the same undivided triangular base at its surface or foundation on which it stands: a single crystal, not three, with three faces, not one. No matter how it is turned or rotated, it always looks the same and remains the same.

 

And just as a tetrahedron has a stable vertical configuration because of its [[Triangle|triangular]] base, likewise, any large object, or sturdy, movable, stationary, horizontal supportive platform, which stands firmly on uneven, basically level ground, with an equilateral triangular base of three equidistant points of contact, legs or feet (where a [[square]] base of four equidistant points of contact with uneven ground can wobble or tilt), having a measurable height not more than its width, and an upper structure or surface not extending its outward edges beyond bounds more broad or extensive than its base, has the most stable physical configuration, with a stable center of gravity, and the most reliable safety for those on such a platform, who depend on its help to stand securely without any danger of falling.

Also, for any solid physical object to exist, it must have  

Also, for any solid physical object to exist, it must have  

:a. position / location <br> b. size / shape <br> and c. matter / mass.

:a. position / location <br> b. size / shape <br> and c. matter / mass.

Its color includes the hue of its color, the intensity or purity of its color, and the degree of the brightness of its color (reflected, generated, or absent in darkness without any light). <br> The [[sun]], for example, has size, shape, and luminosity. No one of these facts about the single object of the sun is the same as any one of the other two: size is not luminosity or shape; shape is not size or luminosity; luminosity is not size or shape; yet without these three realities there is no sun.

Its color includes the hue of its color, the intensity or purity of its color, and the degree of the brightness of its color (reflected, generated, or potential only, being absent in darkness without any light, but truly existing, and only becoming an evident fact in the presence of light). <br> The [[sun]], for example, has size, shape, and luminosity. No one of these facts about the single object of the sun is the same as any one of the other two: size is not luminosity or shape; shape is not size or luminosity; luminosity is not size or shape; yet without these three realities there is no sun.

To be understood, a thing, or even a mental concept, requires knowledge of  

To be understood, a thing, or even a mental concept, requires knowledge of  

Another excellent non-physical illustration is the [[mind]], which has three distinct powers of memory, understanding and will, which are not the same thing but are the essential expressions of one mind.<ref>We can remember something we do not understand; we can understand something new which is not something we remember; and we can will to do something which does not need to be understood, which we have never done before.</ref>  

Another excellent non-physical illustration is the [[mind]], which has three distinct powers of memory, understanding and will, which are not the same thing but are the essential expressions of one mind.<ref>We can remember something we do not understand; we can understand something new which is not something we remember; and we can will to do something which does not need to be understood, which we have never done before.</ref>  

A good three-fold [[Human being|human]] analogy is <br>—someone who is inwardly a healthy and intelligent individual, good, honest and truthful<br>—someone who is outwardly modest and decent in dress, speech and actions, always kindly, generous, willing to help, and skillful in defending truth and right with wisdom, expressing good [[Moral|character]]<br>—someone who with good reason is spiritually delighted and humbly pleased with both the reasonable self-knowledge of true personal goodness and the personally reassuring, consistent, successfully genuine self-expression of goodness in being an actual benefit to everyone else in the whole community. <br>—We have the inner being, the outer expression, and a richly personal self-delight in both, as one well-balanced healthy individual.  

A good three-fold [[Human being|human]] analogy is <br>—someone who is inwardly a healthy and intelligent individual, good, honest and truthful, and is personally aware of it with conscious self-knowledge <br>—someone who is outwardly modest and decent in dress, speech and actions, always kindly, generous, willing to help, and skillful in defending truth and right with wisdom, expressing good [[Moral|character]]<br>—someone who with good reason is spiritually delighted and humbly pleased with both the reasonable self-knowledge of true personal goodness and the personally reassuring, consistent, successfully genuine self-expression of goodness in being an actual benefit to everyone else in the whole community. <br>—We have the inner being, the outer expression, and a richly personal self-delight in both, as one well-balanced healthy individual.  

In the same way, God exists as the three distinct but united whole persons of one divine being, utterly unique.<ref>"unique" means the only one, one-of-a-kind. See [http://www.biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/45-21.htm Isaiah 45:21] and [http://www.biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/45-22.htm Isaiah 45:22]</ref> God is the Uncreated Holy ''Good'',<ref>The word "good" was originally the Old English and Middle English word "God".

In the same way, God exists as the three distinct but united whole persons of one divine being, utterly unique.<ref>"unique" means the only one, one-of-a-kind. See [http://www.biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/45-21.htm Isaiah 45:21] and [http://www.biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/45-22.htm Isaiah 45:22]</ref> God is the Uncreated Holy ''Good'',<ref>The word "good" was originally the Old English and Middle English word "God".

==Filioque controversy==

==Filioque controversy==

One of the causes of the [[Great Schism|Great East-West Schism of 1054]] between the [[Catholic Church|Catholic orthodox Church]] and the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox catholic Church]] was the addition of the ''[[filioque]]'' clause "and the Son" to the [[Nicene Creed]]. This clause asserts that the Holy Spirit proceeds "from the Father ''and the Son''".

 

One of the causes of the [[Great Schism|Great East-West Schism of 1054]] between the [[Catholic Church|Catholic orthodox Church]] and the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox catholic Church]] was the addition of the ''[[filioque]]'' clause "and the Son" to the [[Nicene Creed]]. This clause asserts that the [[Holy Spirit]] proceeds "from the Father ''and the Son''".

==The Law of Contradiction and Confusion of person and being==

==The Law of Contradiction and Confusion of person and being==

Oneness Pentecostals (such as the United Pentecostal Church) also deny the Trinity, and believe that any person baptized "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (which is commonly done in most churches) must be baptized again in "Jesus name only".  (The vast majority of those in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements support the Trinity.)  Another false teaching on the Trinity is Modalism, which claims the three Persons are actually manifestations of one Person; this view is believed to be the one held by [[T.D. Jakes]] (who refuses to specifically state his views on the Trinity, some argue he does so deliberately so as to pass himself off as orthodox on the Trinity when he is not).

Oneness Pentecostals (such as the United Pentecostal Church) also deny the Trinity, and believe that any person baptized "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (which is commonly done in most churches) must be baptized again in "Jesus name only".  (The vast majority of those in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements support the Trinity.)  Another false teaching on the Trinity is Modalism, which claims the three Persons are actually manifestations of one Person; this view is believed to be the one held by [[T.D. Jakes]] (who refuses to specifically state his views on the Trinity, some argue he does so deliberately so as to pass himself off as orthodox on the Trinity when he is not).

==Trinity Sunday==

==Trinity Sunday==

[[File:Murillo Two Trinities.jpg|thumb|left|340px|''The Two Trinities'' by [[Bartolomé Esteban Murillo]], about 1675-1682.]]

[[File:Murillo Two Trinities.jpg|thumb|left|340px|''The Two Trinities'' by [[Bartolomé Esteban Murillo]], about 1675-1682.]]

[[File:Vicente Castello Coronación de la Virgen por la Trinidad.jpg|thumb|left|340px|''Coronación de la Virgen por la Trinidad'' (Coronation of the Virgin by the Trinity) by [[Vicente Castello]] (c. 1586-1640).]]

[[File:Vicente Castello Coronación de la Virgen por la Trinidad.jpg|thumb|left|340px|''Coronación de la Virgen por la Trinidad'' (Coronation of the Virgin by the Trinity) by Vicente Castello (c. 1586-1640).]]

 

[[Category:Christian Theology]]

[[Category:Christian Theology]]