Doctrine of the Trinity.

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Ray

Puritan Board Freshman
I use to read this guys articles and he was a friend of a brother from my old Church. I know he used to be Presbyterian. I found this article about his view of the Doctrine of Trinity. I'm not a theologian obviously. So heres my question, is his view of the Trinity correct or heretical? He was a very avid advocate of the original Nicene Creed. The one without the Filioque clause. I was always confused about this.
 
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Very interested to see what some of PB's mighty men have to say about this.


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Very interested to see what some of PB's mighty men have to say about this.


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Exactly. I'm waiting for some serious responses.
 
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Yea I know and it's sad. But this was written before he fell in to heresy. Have any intake on this view of the Trinity? The way it's explained in this short article. Is it correct? Other brothers I have talked to in the past who are Reformed and Presbyterian would agree with this view, how it's summarized in the article.
 
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Mod: No further discussion of this fellow please. He has moved way beyond the bounds and we have no wish to point anyone in his way. Posts have been edited accordingly.

Ray, what exactly is the area of confusion you alluded to in your opening post?
Trinity in general?
Understanding what filioque means?
 
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I was only responding to "he who shall not be named," noting he is "bad." I wasn't recommending him. Quite the opposite, and even showing where some of his recommended sources don't agree with him.
 
Mod: No further discussion of this fellow please. He has moved way beyond the bounds and we have no wish to point anyone in his way. Posts have been edited accordingly.

Ray, what exactly is the area of confusion you alluded to in your opening post?
Trinity in general?
Understanding what filioque means?
On the filioque brother. I should of been more clear about my question. Sorry about that.
 
So the Eastern curch holds that He comes from the Father, and is merely directed by Jesus? Isthis an issue that divides the body, is that other view seen as a heresy? And the Trinity always existed together, so this is eternal begetting/proceeding from correct?

The Eastern Church says he proceeds from the Father through the Son.

They wouldn't say he is "directed" by Jesus. They would say, as with us, that Jesus sends his Spirit per the Day of Pentecost. But we would argue that the missions are already contained within the procession.

Yes. this is an issue that divides the body and has since 1054. The Eastern view is not heresy, though, and the Reformed divines refused to call it heresy.
 
The Eastern Church says he proceeds from the Father through the Son.

They wouldn't say he is "directed" by Jesus. They would say, as with us, that Jesus sends his Spirit per the Day of Pentecost. But we would argue that the missions are already contained within the procession.

Yes. this is an issue that divides the body and has since 1054. The Eastern view is not heresy, though, and the Reformed divines refused to call it heresy.
Thanks for your replies, as getting a better understandin of the main difference between those 2 views now.
 
Part of the difficulty is that very little has been written on this analytically that Reformed have taken note of. Most of the books on the Trinity are more like "proof texts" showing Jesus is God. We don't really deal with the mechanics of person, nature, procession, etc. Robert Letham's book is useful, if basic. The following bibliography on Trinitarianism should help on the nuts and bolts.

1. Morris, The Logic of God Incarnate (advanced reading).
2. Letham, The Holy Trinity (basic).
3. Kerr, After Aquinas (chapters on God and Christ; intermediate to advanced)
4. Friedman, Medieval Trinitarian Thought from Aquinas to Ockham (very advanced, but it helped shake me out of my EO phase).
5. Augustine, De Trinitate (intermediate; some problematic areas but it's hard to imagine being an Augustinian and not reading this text).
6. Anatolios, Retrieving Nicea (intermediate but helpful in showing that the Nicene Council wasn't simply Athanasius showing up and dropping homoousios bombs everywhere).
 
Part of the difficulty is that very little has been written on this analytically that Reformed have taken note of. Most of the books on the Trinity are more like "proof texts" showing Jesus is God. We don't really deal with the mechanics of person, nature, procession, etc. Robert Letham's book is useful, if basic. The following bibliography on Trinitarianism should help on the nuts and bolts.

1. Morris, The Logic of God Incarnate (advanced reading).
2. Letham, The Holy Trinity (basic).
3. Kerr, After Aquinas (chapters on God and Christ; intermediate to advanced)
4. Friedman, Medieval Trinitarian Thought from Aquinas to Ockham (very advanced, but it helped shake me out of my EO phase).
5. Augustine, De Trinitate (intermediate; some problematic areas but it's hard to imagine being an Augustinian and not reading this text).
6. Anatolios, Retrieving Nicea (intermediate but helpful in showing that the Nicene Council wasn't simply Athanasius showing up and dropping homoousios bombs everywhere).
What is ironic on this topoc is that my own Pastor did his Doctorate work on a book that became/was published now on the Trinity!
Looked it over, and could get gist of it, but his footnotes in greek/german/latin over my head!
 
Part of the difficulty is that very little has been written on this analytically that Reformed have taken note of. Most of the books on the Trinity are more like "proof texts" showing Jesus is God. We don't really deal with the mechanics of person, nature, procession, etc. Robert Letham's book is useful, if basic. The following bibliography on Trinitarianism should help on the nuts and bolts.

1. Morris, The Logic of God Incarnate (advanced reading).
2. Letham, The Holy Trinity (basic).
3. Kerr, After Aquinas (chapters on God and Christ; intermediate to advanced)
4. Friedman, Medieval Trinitarian Thought from Aquinas to Ockham (very advanced, but it helped shake me out of my EO phase).
5. Augustine, De Trinitate (intermediate; some problematic areas but it's hard to imagine being an Augustinian and not reading this text).
6. Anatolios, Retrieving Nicea (intermediate but helpful in showing that the Nicene Council wasn't simply Athanasius showing up and dropping homoousios bombs everywhere).

Also: The Christian Doctrine of God: One Being, Three Persons by Thomas F. Torrance (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1996).
 
ReformedReidian said:
Part of the difficulty is that very little has been written on this analytically that Reformed have taken note of. Most of the books on the Trinity are more like "proof texts" showing Jesus is God. We don't really deal with the mechanics of person, nature, procession, etc. Robert Letham's book is useful, if basic. The following bibliography on Trinitarianism should help on the nuts and bolts.
There was also a useful lecture series on the doctrine of God, which touches on the Trinity towards the end. It's especially useful for introducing some of the philosophical vocabulary and showing why these things are important.
 
Yes. It is kind of difficult. Great exegesis of Athanasius's view of the Trinity, but very hard reading.
Torrance warns, in his preface, that some may find the book difficult to read. This is because he thought out each sentence and paragraph very carefully. There are also deliberate repetitions in the text because he wanted to say everything as fully as possible. But don't let that discourage you. It definitely repays careful reading.
 
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