Outline the Beliefs about the Nature of God and the Trinity
- God exists as three persons, father, son and holy spirit, all act in relationship of intimate self surrender- when one acts Evidenced in Bible, “baptising them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19)
- The trinity is a mystery in the sense the deepest reality which is beyond human understanding or experience.
- Three key functions: creating (bringing God’s new life to creation), sanctifying (blessing creation) and redeeming (turning creation from sin and darkness)
- Concept of trinity helps understand nature of God. Father is transcendent (not confined to the material world), son is immanent (God is involved in the world), the spirit unites and contains these two concepts.
- Western church emphasises full equality, Eastern church emphasises monarchy of the father.