In parts 2 & 3 of the Understanding Trinity Series I gave a list of evidence of why the doctrine of trinity is a doctrine of men.
Here is the list provided in the video for the review and study for anyone who desires
- The study of Divinity originates from the Greeks and their Philosophy
- The business of philosophy is to make inquiries into the nature of divinity
- As told by early church father Justin the Martyr
- Before the 2nd century there is no writing of evidence about the trinitarian doctrine.
- Origen was the first Christian to speak of three “hypostases” in the Trinity
- He was also the first to use the term homoousios in a Christian context
- Origen replaced Plato’s metaphysical theory with Christian Terms
- He replaced Monad with The Father
- He replaced the Dyad with the Son
- He replaced the World Soul with the Holy Spirit
- Hypostasis is a term from Greek Philosophy and was used in NeoPlatonism in Christianity
- Origen’s theology is completed inspired by the philosophical question of the relation of the One to the Many
- This is Neoplatonism
- Neoplatonism influenced the development of Trinitarian theology
- Origen’s trinity doctrine stated that the Son and Holy Spirit were subordinate to the Father
- This subordination didn’t relegate the Son to being a created being
- The Father-Son relationship was eternal and an essential aspect of God’s nature
- Tertullian was the first to use the Latin term “trinitas” to describe the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- He is who we get the term trinity from
- Tertullian was under the influence of Stoic philosophy when he created his doctrine of the trinity
- With Tertullian’s theory, The Son, is not God himself, nor is he divine in the same sense that the Father is
- Rather, the Son is “divine” in that he is made of a portion of the matter that the Father is composed of
- This makes them “one substance” or not different as to essence
- NeoPlatonist view of the trinity doctrine were opposed
- The opposition of the NeoPlatonist view of the trinity led to the Council of Nicaea
- There were different doctrines about the trinity being raised
- There was Adoptionism, Modalism, Docetism, Subordinationism, Arianism, NeoPlatonism, etc.
- There was controversy before the doctrine of the trinity was agreed on
- Constantine himself did not agree with the debates about the trinity and that they should be had
- Anyone now making it sound as if it is solidified biblical doctrine is leaving out history
- The Nicene Creed affirms the doctrine of the trinity.
- It was first formulated by men at the Council of Nicaea.
- The Council of Nicaea determined that Christ was “begotten, not made,”
- That he was therefore not creature but creator.
- It also asserted that he was “of the same substance” as the Father
- There was not 100% unity of this doctrine when it was created, but Constantine threatened to exile any church member who did not sign
- Augustine merged Greek Philosophy of Plato in with Christianity
- He helped shaped the minds of many that sought to understand the trinity doctrine.
- His book On the Trinity explains the relationship between the 3 divine persons.
