Thursday, March 24, 2011

Nature, Identity and God: The logical consistency of the Trinity

When talking about God there first must be a distinction made between nature and identity in order to not "trip over our own shoelaces"

Nature is not the same as identity. Nature speaks to "what" something is. Identity speaks to "who" that something is. Now when I use the word "something" I do not mean simply a "some thing". I am speaking, instead, about reality. So when I say "nature" and "identity" I am talking about, in this case, the nature and identity of God, or the "what" of God and the "who" of God.

Because of the text of the scriptures and the fact that trinitarian's wish to remain true to the grammar...especially when pronouns are used and when there appears to be a subject/object distinction between the Son and the Father. Now, how are we to define this subject/object relationship between the Son and the Father? We are left, without a doubt, an ontological dilemma because the bible clearly teaches monotheism but also maintains the distinctive personal integrity of three realities, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So it behooves us to make careful nuanced distinctions about what appears to be the case.

And what is that case?

1. That there is one God.
2. The Father is God and appears to possess personal abilities
3. The Son is God and appears to possess personal abilities
4. The Holy Spirit is God and appears to possess personal abilities.

Also,

5. The Father appears not to be the same person as the Son or the Holy Spirit
6. The Son appears not be the same person as the Father or the Holy Spirit
7. The Holy Spirit appears not to be the same person as the Father and the Son.

Since I want to be consistent with how the text "appears" I want to collate this information without creating a contradiction and without mixing categories.

Trinitarians do this by using the categories of nature and identity.

Number 1 is conveying "what" God is or nature.

Numbers 2-7 convey "who" God is or identity.

Nature is not the same as identity, therefore there is no contradiction and no mixing of categories. It protects monotheism and the personal integrity of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If the integrity of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit is a desired motivation when reading the text then a trinitarian conclusion MUST be the correct conclusion and one that everyone should come to.

2 comments:

  1. Greetings Timothy Lewis Kegley

    On the subject of the Trinity,
    I recommend this video:
    The Human Jesus

    Take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you to reconsider "The Trinity"

    Yours In Messiah
    Adam Pastor

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for taking the time,

    God bless

    ReplyDelete