1. ELM 201: Trinity
April 14, 2016
Class One

2. What are our expectations for this course?
Students…
Some points from the instructor…
The book that we will be using is very challenging.
The course will focus on understanding what the book presents.
Paper topics will be on the vocabulary words in the back of the book
As such, reading the book multiple times will be indispensible to this class.
9 classes rather than 10. Class extended 15 minutes (9:45) to make up the difference.

3. Online resources/Assignments
Andthechurch.com Power points Podcasts Short paper (3 pages) five-six paragraphs, simple thesis Long paper (7 pages) More complex thesis, application of term to the spiritual, moral, ecclesial life A preference for hard copies. If electronic submission is absolutely necessary, use a pdf Grades…

4. Overview of Course The Biblical data Creeds Systematic part: “Persons”
Doctrinal Synthesis
The Trinity in Creation
The Trinity in Redemption
Discussion

5. Why the Trinity? The Athanasian Creed
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;

6. Why the Trinity?
Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost.

7. Why the Trinity?
The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited.
The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite.

8. Why the Trinity?
So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God
. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords.

9. Why the Trinity?
The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

10. Why the Trinity?
Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.

11. Why the Trinity?
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ;

12. Why the Trinity?
Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

13. Introduction Who is Giles Emery, OP? Swiss Dominican
Theology Professor at the University of Fribourg
The Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith
Augustine: “The fullness of our happiness, beyond which, there is none else, is this: to enjoy God the Trinity in whose image we were made.”
Augustine: Father (memory), Son (intellect), Spirit (will)

14. Introduction (cont.) The Trinity is entirely supernatural.
This book is a basic book that will not treat mystics or contemporary theologians.
It will treat:
The Trinity generally
The NT
Creeds
Principles of Trinitarian doctrine
Doctrinal synthesis
The Trinity in the Economy (creation/redemption)

15. Chapter 1: Entering in
Clarifying terms: the immanent and economic Trinity
Why could we not reason our way to the Trinity?
The Neo-Platonic dilemma…
Key events: The incarnation and the sending of the Spirit
The divine indwelling (Jn. 14:23)

16. Entering in (cont.)
The Trinity in the Liturgy (Liturgy is first theology)
Observation: The Trinity is not an abstract doctrine, but the fruit of the experience of the Church at prayer.
Sacraments make us participants in the life of the Trinity (2 Pt. 1:4)
In the Trinity, we find that there is enough room in the God for us to become like Him.

17. Entering in (cont.)
“God the Father, you who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification have manifested to men your admirable mystery,
Give us in confessing the true faith to recognize the glory of the eternal Trinity, and to adore the Unity in the power of majesty.”

18. Entering in (cont.) Relations Unity of being
The Trinity and Doxologies
Do we give glory to God?
Newman’s idea of a religious order…
The lesser doxology
The greater doxology

19. Entering in (cont.) The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen

20. Entering in (cont.) Trinitarian testimony in Polycarp’s Matyrdom
Hippolytus, the Apostolic Tradition “Glory to you, equal Trinity, one Deity, from before all ages, and now forever more.”
“Praise the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Both now and forever, The God who is who was and is to come At the end of the ages.” (Gethsemani Abbey)

21. Entering in (cont.) Objection: The word Trinity is not in the Bible
True, but…
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all….” (3 times)
Mt. 28
The minor doxology: through Him, with Him and in Him…

22. Entering in (cont.) We encounter the Trinity in the Sacraments
The Spirit facilitates our encounter with the Son, the Son our encounter with the Father.
From God’s point of view, the relationship is inverted: Father is the source, the Son begotten, the Spirit “spirates” or is sent.
The Spirit is sent through the Son.

23. Entering in (cont.) Biblical Paths
Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost, etc. (Spirit sent at the end of Jesus’ mission)
The Spirit is present throughout Jesus’ life:
Annunciation, Baptism in the Jordan
The danger of Adoptionism
The divinity of Christ is present all throughout his life.
Gal. 4:4-6 and the dynamism of the Trinity

24. Entering in (cont.)
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

25. Entering in (cont.)
The importance of the Holy Spirit in entering into the mystery….
We cannot know, nor life in Christ without the Spirit…
The Trinity is Simple and Difficult
Why simple?
Why difficult?

26. Review – Next Week Questions? Observations?
21-50, Trinity in the Bible
We will go into considerable depth for many Biblical passages.