Christendom: Historical Context and Christology

The Trinity

Three persons in one God

Controversy

God is relational

Mystery – can be contemplated but always remains beyond human comprehension

The Trinity in Terms of Role and Functions

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Creator, redeemer, sanctifier

Being itself, builder, life-giver

• Compare human creation in Genesis 2: Clay, formed clay, living being

The Trinity in Terms of Analogies

Lover, beloved, love

Sun, sunbeam, sun on face

Stream, river, ocean

Geometry: triangle, tetrahedron, three circles

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis has three sides. You can see all three sides at once at different distances but no more than two at the same distance. (JPG)

(Or just accept that humans will never grasp God’s nature)

The Trinity in Terms of Biblical Interpretation

Genesis 1:1-2, When God began to create heaven and earth the earth was formless and void and darkness was over the deep. Then God’s breath blew over the water and God said, “Let there be light.’ Then there was light.

Genesis 1:26-27, Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness… God created human in God’s image; in the image of God, God created them; male and female God created them.

Genesis 2:7, God formed the human out of the dust of the ground and blew into its nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being.

Note influence on Nicene Creed, textbook pp. 74-75

God the Father = God the creator

• Nicaea: “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”

God the Son = The Word as Instrument of Creation

• Nicaea: “… through whom all things were made.”

God the Holy Spirit = God’s breath = God’s spirit

• Nicaea: “the giver of life who proceeds from the father and the son”

Christology: Origin

Time of origin implies rank of divinity

If originated 2000 years ago then only human

Arius: first begotten before the rest of creation

• The Son of God is at least theoretically younger than God the Father
• Taken to imply secondary, subordinate

Council of Nicaea: eternally begotten

• Another mystery
• If co-eternal then no rank differentiation
• “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father… begotten, not made, of one Being (consubstantial) with the Father.

Christology: Incarnation

God becomes flesh

Adoptionist view: born human and promoted to divinity

Docetism: God appearing human

• Humans are gross. God could never actually become something so impure.

Nicaea: fully God and fully human

• “He was incarnate … and became truly human.”
• Like the rest of us in all ways except sin
  (Fully human, so sin is not intrinsic to humanity)
• Humans can be (and were) sanctified by divinity

Christology: Resurrection

If a single human escaped death then resuscitation

If God only then immortality is boring and has no implications for humanity

Resurrection of Christ, being fully God and fully human, becomes cosmic defeat of death and extends to all humans

“We look for the resurrection of the dead.”

Contemporary Debate: How Deep is the Incarnation?

God became a man (shallow incarnation)

• No theologian argues no significance for others

God became man

• Includes all men

God became human, one of us

• Includes women

God became flesh

• Includes animals

God became nature (deep incarnation)

• Includes rivers, oceans, air