In Stephen R. Holmes’ The Quest for the Trinity: The Doctrine of God in Scripture, History, and Modernity he summarizes the doctrine of the Trinity, received from the fourth century, as the following (on p. 146, repeated on pp. 199-200):
– The divine nature is simple, incomposite, and ineffable. It is also unrepeatable, and so, in crude and inexact terms ‘one’.
– Language referring to the divine nature is always inexact and trophic; nonetheless, if formulated with much care and more prayer, it might adequately, if not fully, refer.
– There are three divine hypostases that are instantiations of the divine nature: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
– The three divine hypostases exist really, eternally, and necessarily, and there is nothing divine that exists beyond or outside their existence.
– The three divine hypostases are distinguished by eternal relations of origin – begetting and proceeding – and not otherwise.
– All that is spoken of God, with the single and very limited exception of the language which refers to the relations of origin of the three hypostases, is spoken of the one life the three share, and so is indivisibly spoken of all three.
– The relationships of origin express/establish relational distinctions between the three existent hypostases; no other distinctions are permissible.
What has changed in modern discourse on the doctrine of the Trinity? What is said differently?
Tomorrow I will post my full review of the book. It is a good one!
the archives near Emmaus 
Brian, given the theological path you’ve taken to become a Trinitarian, would you argue belief in the Trinity is essential doctrine (for salvation)?
I think the one thing essential for salvation is that God would see a human and show that human grace and mercy because of the work of Christ. I suppose that epistemologically the most secure proclamation is that one would confess Jesus as Lord and Christ, the one resurrected by God the Father, established as the King of God’s Kingdom, but that doesn’t remove the possibility that God saves someone who doesn’t know about Christ, such as the saints of the Old Covenant, or as proposed by someone like Justin Martyr, those who knew God through the Logos even if they did not know the Logos as revealed through Jesus.
Does Trinitarianism make sense of how soteriology “works” for me? Yes, but that is different than saying someone has to understand and affirm the doctrine to be saved.
And of course, all these distinctions and ideas are clearly “taught” in the Bible ; )
Uh, so do you mean by saying “what has changed in modern discourse on the doctrine of the Trinity?” what has changed since the 1st Century? Oh, of course not. But being rather “pre-modern” myself, I really don’t understand all this instantiated hypostasis language. If biblical language and concepts aren’t enough to understand God and His Son aren’t we implicitly adding to special revelation? But then, I must say: thanks for not actually going there, even if it “works” for you. That word “works” isn’t modern at least. Oh, the irony of it all. Well, at least I tried. 8>)
Grace and peace in Christ, Richard
Uh, so do you mean by saying “what has changed in modern discourse on the doctrine of the Trinity?” what has changed since the 1st Century? Oh, of course not. But being rather “pre-modern” myself, I really don’t understand all this instantiated hypostasis language. If biblical language and concepts aren’t enough to understand God and His Son aren’t we implicitly adding to special revelation? But then, I must say: thanks for not actually going there, even if it “works” for you. That word “works” isn’t modern at least. Oh, the irony of it all. Well, at least I tried. 8>)
Grace and peace in Christ, Richard
Navigating unworldly, exotic, instances of thought as we are does lend weight to skeptics. We might even question what we are about if not for involvement of the Holy Spirit. We are required to believe God. Each of us initially introduced to God by the Spirit has multiple opportunities over a lifetime to accept or discount the record provided. This has always been the requirement. The Old Covenant was fulfilled by that which is perfect, the New Covenant. The records attest that God is faithful. God is sure to honor those who believe Him. The record is undeniably clear; all sacrifice was fulfilled in the perfect sacrifice. Those who believe God, the perfect sacrifice do not prevent those who believed God in the former covenant. The stumbling stone and rock of offense is very truth in a world created by, and for Jesus.