God as the Trinity

The Trinity is the idea that God is one but exists in three different ‘persons’. The word ‘Trinity’ comes from the words ‘tri’ (meaning ‘three’) and ‘unity’ (meaning ‘one’).

Many Christians believe that one God exists simultaneously as three distinct persons, who together form a unity:

• God the Father

• God the Son

• God the Holy Spirit

The Trinity is a central concept in Christianity.

God the Father

God the Father is the creator of all things, and many Christians think of him as a loving parent. In the Bible, God the Father calls upon humans to always try to do good: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)

God the Son - Jesus

Jesus is the incarnation of God as a human being. According to Christian belief, God the Father sent Jesus to show people how to live good lives. Jesus died to make up for humanity’s sins and was resurrected three days later.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus said: I and the Father are one (John 10:30). Christians believe that Jesus was fully God and, at the same time, fully human.

In the Bible, St Paul explains this to the early Christians. He instructs them to be humble and live a life of service to God and to others, following Jesus’ example: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5)

God the Holy Spirit

Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is the power of God at work on the Earth. In the Bible, it is often depicted as wind or fire, or in the form of a dove.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his apostles that when he has to leave them, God will send the Holy Spirit, who will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26). Many Christians believe that the power and workings of the Holy Spirit enable them to understand what God wants them to do.

 

The Holy Spirit is often represented as a dove with an olive branch, which symbolizes it spreading God’s grace and peace throughout the world

Question

To which of the three persons of the Trinity does the term ‘incarnation’ apply?

Different views about the Trinity – creeds

A creed is a statement that sums up key beliefs. Creeds are often recited during Christian worship services.

The two major creeds in Christianity are the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.

The Apostles’ Creed

The Apostles’ Creed is based on the teaching of the apostles. The apostles were Jesus’ closest followers, and he sent them out to spread his message. Churches in the West use the Apostles’ Creed as a statement of Christian beliefs about:

• the oneness of God and the Trinity

• the incarnation of Jesus

• the meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension

• the work of the Holy Spirit

• the importance of the Church

• the communion of saints

• sin and how Christians can achieve salvation

• judgement and life after death

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed was agreed in AD325 at the Council of Nicea. The council was a large meeting of Christian leaders from across the Roman Empire, called together by Constantine, the Roman Emperor. He had been baptised as Christian and wanted to unify the Church.

Before this, Christians had been persecuted. Therefore, to stay safe, they had practised their faith in secret. This led to lots of different versions of Christian beliefs, especially about the Trinity. The Nicene Creed was an agreement on key Christian beliefs and was similar to the Apostles’ Creed.

A later disagreement over the wording of the Nicene Creed was a key factor in a split that happened in the Church in AD1054. From this point, there were two Christian Churches: The Roman Catholic Church in the West, which accepted a new version of the Nicene Creed, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which could not accept the changes to this text.

Question

What is a creed?

Different views about the Trinity – Unitarian beliefs

Unitarian churches, such as Christadelphians, reject belief in the Trinity. Instead, they believe that God is one undivided being. This is why they use the name Unitarian, meaning ‘one’.

Many Unitarians believe that God is like a loving parent. For Unitarians, Jesus was simply a man – not God on Earth, as is believed by the majority of Christians. Some Unitarians prefer the idea of God as a Holy Spirit at work in the world, rather than a parent-like being. Whatever their individual beliefs about God, Unitarians share the belief that there is only one being that can be called God.

Unitarians may accept many Christian ideas about the nature of God, for example:

• God is the creator, who sustains the world.

• God is a loving power with whom humans can have a personal relationship.

• Each person has God’s voice inside them, guiding them to live a good life (some may call this their conscience).

• God is transcendent – beyond human understanding.

Many Unitarians do not identify themselves as Christian because Jesus is not central to their faith – the word ‘Christian’ means ‘follower of Christ’. Most Unitarians do not believe that Jesus thought of himself as God. Unitarians believe a variety of things about Jesus, including that he was:

• a man filled with divine inspiration, but separate from God

• not physically resurrected – the resurrection was merely symbolic

• a Jewish prophet

• a great example of how to live with love and compassion

• an inspiration, showing that human beings can change the world for the better

Unitarianism accepts a wide range of personal beliefs and doubts – individual religious freedom is very important. Everyone is free to search for meaning in life and to reach their own conclusions, and Unitarians value diversity in belief.

Question

What do Unitarians believe about the Trinity?

Sources of authority - Christian perspectives