As a regular visitor to the secular web, I frequently look for articles or material to answer specific questions which arise during my musings on life and thinks seen or heard. I have been looking for some information about the origins of the doctrine of the trinity and the timing of its acceptance as such, but have found little. My main quibble is not my difficulty in finding information on this particular topic, but rather that specific important doctrines would merit their own heading and links in the library, in this case under "christianity, doctrines", perhaps? Though you may not have specific articles on some of these, the doctrine should still be included and at the least, a link to further information provided. Nice site, though, a breath of fresh air in a fog of theism.

Ajuydog

-DM-

Thank you for your feedback and for your suggestion.

There are literally dozens of articles in the Secular Web Library which say something about the Trinity, but there are no articles so far as I know which have the Trinity as a main subject, therefore I disagree that the doctrine of the Trinity would merit its own subject heading under "Christianity, doctrines"--if there were such a subheading. Still, your idea that we break out important doctrines is one worth considering should we ever have the manpower (or a good system for doing so in the face of our typical manpower shortage).

Regards,
-Don-

P.S. A search on 'Trinity' turns up several pages of article listings from the Secular Web Library.

Bill

If I could add a brief note to what Don says, the Trinity certainly does get mentioned in various atheistic (or "anti-Christian" pieces) here on the Secular Web. It is a confusing doctrine that was clearly adopted long after the death of Jesus, and therefore was a "Johnny-come-lately" idea within Christianity itself. Several Christian sects have schismed from "mainstream Christianity" over the idea of the Trinity. Among them is the Unitarians, who began as an anti-Trinitarian Christian sect, but evolved into a "Universalist" and congregationalist church, recently (1960s) merging with the Universalist sect of Christianity (which believes in universal salvation, no matter what, for all mankind). The Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and a small offshoot of Pentacostalism are also non-Trinitarian sects of Christianity.

From the standpoint of those of us who don't believe that Jesus is God, those "Christians" who believe the same thing (i.e., most early Unitarians, like Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) are viewed as our "friends." But it hardly seems worth taking sides over when the primary claim upon which the Christian faith is based is the claim of the resurrection of Jesis. Thus, if any Christian dogma is going to be critically examined on this site, it would more likely be the claim of the resurrection of Jesus rather than the Trinity. The second major claim used as a foundation for Christian apologetics is the claim of "truth in prophecy." So, too, those claims are examined in detail here. (See the index of subdivisions of the topic of Christianity.)

But the Trinity dogma is not used for apologetic purposes, so far as I can recall. In fact, it is more of an embarassment when attempting to make a logical claim in support of Christianity. Thus, refuting it is hardly worth the effort.

== Bill

Lisa

The "doctrine" of the Trinity is ascertained from a study of the Old and New Testaments. They are coherent in that they both attest to the existence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. All three members of the Trinity are referred to in many place in the Old and New Testaments.....................Lisa

-DM-

[Copied here from Feedback to facilitate open discussion. -Don-]

Iasion

Greetings Lisa,

Jesus is not mentioned in the OT.

The Trinity is not mentioned in the OT.

The Trinity was a late addition to the NT.


Quentin

Merle

Lisa,

Can you explain to me how the doctrine of the Trinity differs from the belief that there are three gods who work together in perfect harmony? That is what the Jews say that Christians believe-- three gods. How do you answer that criticism?

Unless you can explain to me how your belief differs from belief in 3 gods, it seems to me that "Trinity" is just a fancy term for tri-theist. What do you think?

Merle

Gregg

That's too easy!

"It's a mystery."

Peter Kirby

Really? Where is the Trinity found in the New Testament, interpolated or otherwise?

The Trinity being - The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God, and God is one. I don't think that the whole idea is explicit in the New Testament anywhere, at best only scattered "clues" for pious interpretation.

best,
Peter Kirby

Amos

Hello Merle, that is really very easy. The Trinity is an inspired concept to explain the Godhead to humans. When we arrive in purgatory the trinity soon becomes one, first when the Father and Son become one and soon after the descend of the HS to complete this divine or hypostatic union.

I suppose you can figure that for yourself because when the left and right brain converge there is no need for the HS --which heretofore was the enigmatic link between these two (called father and son). So unlike three isolated Gods the trinity always was one but did not quite function in the same harmony as they do in purgatory or later in heaven.