To know God and to make Him known is our highest calling. By studying the historic, classic, and orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity, learners discover how and why the doctrine emerged in the fourth century, as well as the various and progressive ways this doctrine has been understood throughout history. Throughout the course, Dr. Toon demonstrates that a right understanding of the Trinity is essential to a right understanding of God’s relation to man and man’s relation to God.
Legacy CollectionThis course is part of a collection of courses taught by world-class evangelical professors from across the globe on a variety of topics. The lessons are presented on an intermediate to college or seminary level and provide a wealth of information for those who want to dig deeper into their faith. Select courses in the collection are from the Institute of Theological Studies (ITS), which was acquired by Our Daily Bread University.
Objectives
- Consider that Yahweh-Elohim (The Lord our God who is one Lord) is ONE God in whom is a unity in plurality.
- Recognize the dynamics of the New Testament presentation of the Father, who is God, of the only Son of the Father, who is God, and of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), and is also God.
- Appreciate the reasons why the early church had to state the biblical doctrine of the Trinity in ontological, essentialist terms.
- Understand the teaching of the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and to know why “homoousios” is of critical importance for Christian orthodoxy.
- Know the difference between the Eastern and Western expositions of the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, and to recognize the dangers of Tritheism, Binitarianism, Unitarianism and Modalism.
- Note that the Protestant Reformers followed the classic dogma of the Holy Trinity, as their Confessions of Faith indicate.
- Understand why Liberal Protestantism had little interest in the doctrine of the Trinity in the nineteenth century.
- Be aware of the resurgence of interest in the doctrine of the Trinity since Karl Barth made his formulation of the doctrine the center of his Dogmatics.
- Know the difference between the immanent Trinity and the economic Trinity as these expressions are used in theology today.
- Understand the absolute centrality of the doctrine of the Trinity for Christianity and for its worship, prayer, spirituality, ethics, mission, preaching, teaching, and evangelism.
- Learn by heart both the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and the Athanasian Creed, so that one’s mindset is Trinitarian.
- Oxford University, DPhil
- University of London and Liverpool University, three master’s degrees
- Cliff College, King’s College, and the University of Durham