origin of the trinity doctrine?

Answer 1

The Trinity is not a Bible teaching.
What is the origin of the Trinity doctrine?

The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.”—(1976), Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: “Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.”—(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

According to the Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, “The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher’s [Plato, fourth century B.C.E.] conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions.”—(Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachâtre, Vol. 2, p. 1467.

John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of ‘person’ and ‘nature’ which are G[ree]k philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as ‘essence’ and ‘substance’ were erroneously applied to God by some theologians.”—(New York, 1965), p. 899.

To Jewish religious leaders of the first century, Jesus said: “For the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ” (Matthew 15:6-9, Revised Standard Version.)

Regarding the Trinity, the Athanasian Creed (in English) says that its members are “incomprehensible.” Teachers of the doctrine often state that it is a “mystery.” Obviously such a Trinitarian God is not the one that Jesus had in mind when he said: “We worship what we know.” (John 4:22, Revised Standard Version.) Do you really know the God you worship?

Serious questions confront each one of us: Do we really want an approved relationship with God? (John 5:39-44) And Psalm 144:15 - truthfully states: “Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah!”—New World Translation.

If you would like further information or a free home Bible study at a time convenient for you, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. They offer free of charge a brochure which discusses the origin of the Trinity in further detail. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 2

According to books on the history of the Roman church, Tertullian of Carthage, was the first "religious" person to use the word "trinity". The idea of the trinity put two of the most important bishops of Christianity against each other. Arius, a faithful monotheistic believer, and Alexander, still incline to his past pagan beliefs. There was no "Pope" at this time, papacy was instituted around the 500s AD. There is no evidence that Peter was the first pope, in fact, Jewish history books say that Peter and Andrew were killed in Jerusalem when coming out of a church meeting and that Peter was never in Rome.

The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, as greedy and ambitious as he was and knowing that the empire was already declining, feared that the fight between Arius and Alenxander could divide the empire. Constantine was a pagan, worshipper of Mithra, the sun god. The emperor was aware of the political power that Christians were developing and he also new about the financial success of the Jews. Constantine wanted both, the political power of the Christians and the money of the Jews. In 325 AD, the emperor called for a meeting that was called the Nicean Council, in which Constantine himself imposed the trinity doctrine, and declared Christianity the official religion of Rome. Arius was condemned for his opposition to the trinity doctrine and was sent to exile. Today even history books in schools teach that Constantine was the first Christian Emperor of Rome, when the truth is that he was a pagan all his life and converted into Christianity in his deathbed.

Answer 3

The Trinity doctrine began its slow development over a period of centuries. The trinitarian ideas of Greek philosophers such as Plato, who lived several centuries before Christ, gradually crept into church teachings.

The original Nicene Creed did not establish or affirm the Trinity.

That creed, at most, equates the Son with the Father in being “of one substance.” But it does not say anything like that about the holy spirit. All it says is that “we believe . . . in the Holy Spirit.” That is not Christendom’s Trinity doctrine.

A Catholic Dictionary says: “The true divinity of the third Person was asserted at a Council of Alexandria in 362, . . . and finally by the Council of Constantinople of 381.”

The Athanasain Creed was written up later, and its definition of the trinity states that:

1. There are said to be three divine persons—the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit—in the Godhead.

2. Each of these separate persons is said to be eternal, none coming before or after the other in time.

3. Each is said to be almighty, with none greater or lesser than the other.

4. Each is said to be omniscient, knowing all things.

5. Each is said to be true God.

6. However, it is said that there are not three Gods but only one God.

Is the trinity supported by the Bible? I invite you to search the Bible, especially the 27 books of the Christian Greek Scriptures, to see for yourself if Jesus and his disciples taught a Trinity. As you search, ask yourself:

1. Can I find any scripture that mentions “Trinity”?

2. Can I find any scripture that says that God is made up of three distinct persons, Father, Son, and holy spirit, but that the three are only one God?

3. Can I find any scripture that says that the Father, Son, and holy spirit are equal in all ways, such as in eternity, power, position, and wisdom?

Search as you may, you will not find one scripture that uses the word Trinity, nor will you find any that says that Father, Son, and holy spirit are equal in all ways, such as in eternity, power, position, and wisdom. Not even a single scripture says that the Son is equal to the Father in those ways—and if there were such a scripture, it would establish not a Trinity but at most a “duality.” Nowhere does the Bible equate the holy spirit with the Father.

The trinity is a man-made falsehood.

Answer 4

i think of this is substantial to substantiate data in encyclopedias with regard to faith. various the authors are particularly liberal. I agree that the trinity doctrine replaced into debatable and debated interior the council of Nicea. So have been many different issues. Gnostics, as an occasion, tried to incorporate their ideals into Christianity and debated interior the early years as nicely. Is the trinity doctrine supported by capacity of the Bible? Did the unique disciples have faith that Jesus replaced into God? Did the actuality be triumphant? those are the varieties of questions i think of are well worth searching for the answer to. the respond could nicely be stumbled on interior the textual content textile of the Bible. John a million:a million states that Jesus replaced right into a god. i think of it particularly is a robust element of look intimately what form of "a god" the Bible says Jesus is. Jesus himself mentioned there will be fake Christs, so this is substantial to no longer shop on with the incorrect one. a million. The Bible is obvious there's a million God. Isaiah 40 3:10 2. The Bible is obvious that the father, Son, and Holy Spirit are different persons. Matthew 28:19. Matthew 3:sixteen-17. 3. The Bible equates Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to being totally God. a) a million Cor 8:6 says the father is God. b) Hebrews a million:8, the father calls Jesus His God. c) Acts 5:3-4 equates mendacity to the Holy Spirit to mendacity to God. it particularly is the three factors of the trinity doctrine in a nutshell. it particularly is predicated interior the Bible. So, they did no longer merely pull it out of a hat. in the event that they did, I doubt very plenty that it could have persevered the thrashing it has taken for the period of the centuries. Please evaluate it.

Answer 5

Christian experience. This following on from what is taught in the New Testament books. The doctrine had to be defined when the intellectually proud with whacked but logical sounding ideas were leading normal believers astray.

1) You couldn't be forgiven through Jesus' sacrifice unless He was sinless and divine.
2) You couldn't know God personally without the Holy Spirit
3) Jesus revealed God the Father to us. Christians can call God Father.
All 3 take different positions in christian experience, but all 3 are necessarily God. The New Testament backs this up.

Answer 6

One of the main cited sources of the trinity is the belief of the native Britons in the different stages of their patron goddess. The three stages are Maiden, Mother and Crone.

The church came into contact with it when Rome was attempting to take the British Isles, and the church was establishing it's stronghold in modern day England. Like many holidays that we celebrate today, the Christian trinity is simply an altered copy of another religion's ideas. Christmas/Winter Solstice, Halloween/Samhain, Easter/Beltane. In an attempt to convert the pagan people of the land, and to have them depart from their woman exalting ways, they simply altered their holidays and symbols and made them Christian.

Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Best reference I have been able to come up with is at this website and others listing the origin of the trinity or triune god.

http://www.piney.com/His21.html

Enjoy the reading. You will see that modern day Christendom has molded itself into old "pagan" religious worship of idols and "gods" / Minor deities.

Christendom is no more about the worship of a universal creator than a squashed squirrel in the middle of the road represents the next meal at a "Road Kill Cafe"

Enjoy your reading

Answer 8

The concept of the Trinity finds its roots in Pagan theology and Greek philosophy:

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/Contents/doctrine/The%20Origin%20of%20the%20Trinity.htm

Answer 9

In Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...." Jesus Christ claimed to be God's Son and promised to send the Comforter (Holy Spirit) to His followers after He rose from the grave. Finally, after visiting his followers off and on for 40 days, He returned to heaven. The disciples stayed in the upper room confessing their sins and praying for the Holy Spirit to come and he did on the Day of Pentecost! The disciples could speak in real languages and preach to the multitudes in Jerusalem for the special holy day! God is the Godhead - three individual personalities with three different "jobs" to save mankind!

Answer 10

check out the Nicene creed written during the 4th century AD in an attempt to unify the Christian church under emperor Constantine. Man made and confusing in my opinion.