The Trinity - God and authority in Christianity - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - Edexcel - BBC Bitesize (2024)

FAQs

Why is it so hard to understand the Trinity? ›

The doctrine of the Trinity poses a deep and difficult problem. On the one hand, it says that there are three distinct persons— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and that each of these persons “is God.” On the other hand, it says that there is one and only one God. So it appears to involve a contradiction.

Christians believe that the Trinity is made up of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They believe God is three in one. There are not three Gods, but different forms of the same thing. Each person of the Trinity is fully God but the three persons of the Trinity are not the same.

The Trinity is the idea that God is one but exists in three different 'persons' - God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - and that these three persons form a unity. The Trinity is a central concept of Christianity.

The Trinity is important as it helps Christians to understand the complex nature of God. The belief in The Trinity is a central doctrine of Christianity. The three persons of the Trinity teach Christians better about the nature of God and the roles he plays.

The Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition) states: "to some Christians the doctrine of the Trinity appeared inconsistent with the unity of God. ... they therefore denied it, and accepted Jesus Christ, not as incarnate God, but as God's highest creature by whom all else was created. ...

The Liturgy. The liturgy of the Church—in particular the celebration of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist—offers the best guide for understanding the depth of Trinitarian faith: in the paschal mystery of Christ, the Church recognizes and celebrates God the Trinity.

Original sin

occurred when Adam and Eve were tempted and committed the first (original) sin. Genesis 3 tells the story of how sin first entered the world when Adam and Eve were tempted by the Devil. in the Garden of Eden. They ate an apple from the Tree of Knowledge.

The Importance of the Trinity

The Trinity is important to Christians because through each person they can get a better understanding of what God is like. For example, Jesus' teachings help them to understand the things that are important to God, such as loving and praying for enemies and helping the poor.

The Holy Trinity is one of the greatest mysteries of the Catholic faith, and is an attempt to describe the mysterious nature of God. The Trinity refers to the idea that God is one, but can be experienced in three different Persons. The word 'trinity' comes from the word 'tri' meaning 'three' and 'unity' meaning 'one'.

Although the precise term "God the Son" does not appear in the Bible, it serves as a theological designation expressing the understanding of Jesus as a part of the Trinity, distinct but united in essence with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (the first and third persons of the Trinity respectively).

Who is God the father in the Trinity? ›

As a member of the Trinity, God the Father is one with, co-equal to, co-eternal, and consubstantial with the Son and the Holy Spirit, each Person being the one eternal God and in no way separated: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. Because of this, the Trinity is beyond reason and can only be known by revelation.

The Son's role in the Trinity. “He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” From eternity past, Jesus has always existed as the Son of God, or we could likewise refer to Him as God the Son.

Jewish theology

In Judaism, the idea of God as a duality or trinity is heretical — it is even considered by some polytheistic. According to Judaic beliefs, the Torah rules out a trinitarian God in Deuteronomy (6:4): "Hear Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one."

Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God.

God the Father is the Supreme Being in whom we believe, whom we worship, and to whom we pray. He is the ultimate Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. He is perfect, has all power, and knows all things.

Roughly, the problem of the Trinity is the problem of how God can be one and yet be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which are three, not one. That one thing is identical with three distinct things seems to violate traditional laws of identity.

The central problem that faces the doctrine of the Trinity is this: how can the doctrine be stated in a way that is orthodox, clear and does not violate the principle of the transitivity of identity?

Christians believe in one God and they believe that Jesus Christ was his son who died in order to bring humans salvation from sin. A key belief of most Christians is the belief in the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who were all present at the Creation of the world and who all take on different roles.

The Trinity is like an egg. Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts – the shell, the white, the yoke – ONE God has THREE different Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Similarly, we often hear the Trinity compared to an Apple. ONE apple has three different parts – the skin, the flesh, and the seed.