Monotheism
Christianity is a monotheistic religion, affirming the belief in one God. This is rooted in the Jewish tradition, particularly in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which declares:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
Key points about Christian monotheism:
God is one: Christians maintain the oneness of God, in line with Jewish belief.
Jesus and Paul affirm God’s unity: In the New Testament, Jesus refers to God as one (Mark 12:29), and Paul emphasizes God’s singularity (1 Corinthians 8:4).
Monotheism underpins Christian understanding of God’s uniqueness, sovereignty, and authority.
The Doctrine of the Trinity
While maintaining monotheism, Christianity also teaches that God exists as three distinct persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is known as the Trinity.
Key Features of the Trinity:
Three Persons – Father, Son, Holy Spirit are distinct yet unified.
Coexistent – All three have always existed together.
Coeternal – No person of the Trinity existed before the others; all are eternal.
Coequal – Each person shares the fullness of divinity; none is greater or lesser.
The term “Trinity” itself was coined by Tertullian in the 3rd century and formally defined in the Nicene Creed (325 CE).
Biblical Foundations of the Trinity
Although the term “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, Scripture provides the basis for this belief:
Old Testament hints at plurality:
Genesis 1:1 uses “Elohim” (plural) rather than the singular “El” for God.
Genesis 1:26-27: “Let us make humankind in our image,” suggesting a plural form of God.Jesus as God:
John 1 refers to Jesus as the Word (Logos) through whom all things were created.
Philippians 2:10 emphasizes Jesus’ divine form.
John 20:28 – Thomas addresses Jesus: “My Lord and my God.”Holy Spirit as God:
John 14:23 links the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with the presence of Jesus and God the Father.Baptism formula:
Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus commands baptism “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” demonstrating the equality and unity of the three persons.
Theological Concepts
Economic Trinity: Refers to how God interacts with the world (Father as Creator, Son as Redeemer, Spirit as Sustainer).
Immanent Trinity: Refers to God’s internal life and eternal relationship among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Trinitarian mystery: The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the Trinity “the central mystery of Christian faith and life,” emphasizing that it is beyond full human comprehension.
Summary
Christianity is monotheistic, affirming one God.
The Trinity expresses the unity of God while recognizing the distinct persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Biblical references support the Trinity, even though the concept was formalized in the early Church.
Understanding the Trinity is essential for grasping core Christian doctrines such as creation, salvation, and the indwelling of God in believers.
📚 Key Terms:
A ritual purification with water.
The account of how God made the universe.
Part of the understanding of the nature of God; the belief that God created the world from nothing.
Part of the understanding of the nature of God; belief that there is only one God, monotheism. Reflected in the 1st Commandment “You shall have no other Gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)
This is how Jesus is described in John’s Gospel.
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Level: A-level