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1. The Christian experience of the Ultimate articulated in the Bible as the self-disclosure of
God as Father, Son and the Spirit (Ex 4:22-23a; 6:6-7; Mk 14:36; Rom 8:15-16; Gal 4:6),
is the foundation of the Trinitarian doctrine in the Christian tradition.
2. The Trinitarian mystery is the source, model and reference point of all human
communities.
3. In the context of inter-religious dialogue we need to explain meaningfully the Christian
experience of God as Trinity to those who have other designations for the Ultimate
Mystery.
Introduction
This thesis maintains that Christian experience of God is Trinitarian in nature and it forms
foundation of Christian faith. Christian tradition has proposed a Trinitarian formula FatherSon and Spirit a three persons in one nature to express its understanding of God. (Today
Christian faith emphasizes that we are created in the image and likeness of god, the trinity.)
1. Christian experience of the ultimate as Father+ Son + Spirit
Christian experience of God is that God revealed himself through various ways and
finally through his son ( Heb 1, 1-3)
The self communication of God is experienced by the early Christian community.
a. As the father of Jesus Christ, because Jesus called God as Abba and revealed this god
as a loving Father.
b. After the resurrection: Christian community experienced jesus as Lord and God.
c. At Pentecost : the community experienced Holy Spirit as Lord and God.
Ex 4: 22-23a. The expressions `Israel is my first Son', `let my Son go' show for the first
time the Father Son relationship between God and Israel.
Ex 6: 6-7 also clearly brings out the idea of God as Saviour, protector and redeemer of
the people of Israel.
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The term father was understood variously as supreme authority, personal affection of
God, Person with motherly care, father of the nation the later personally I will be a
father to him and he will be a son to me. 2 Sam 7:14
B. Foreshadowing of the son in the OT.
a. Angel of God Hagar early Christian tradition saw angel of god as Jesus.
b. Word of God: Creative, operative, dynamic through whom everything came into being.The word is
sent from YHWH.
c. Wisdom of God: personified in wisdom literature.
Since they are fulfilled in the NT, early community tradition Jesus as the word(Jn 1,1), Widom
of god ( I Cor 1, 23), angel of God.
C. Spirit in the OT
Independent reality in the OT.
Breath of YHWH who breathes all life.
Drives prophets to speak, hovers over the prophets.
Hovers over those who are cchosen by god(Is 61,1)
Over the anointed Messiah.
New Testament
Jesus had a unique personal intimate relationship with God as Father. Mk 14,36 Jesus calls
God as Abba.
After resurrection, the apostolic community revealed Jesus as Lord, god, Son of God, Logos
etc. They begin to see Jesus as related to Abba Father.
At Pentecost : experienced outpouring of the spirit
Now they began experiencing god a Father Son and Holy spirit.
Explicit Trinitarian Texts in the NT
The experience of God as Father is understood in an intense manner in the person of Jesus
Christ. We see very clearly this intense Father Son relationship in Mk 14: 36 where Jesus calls God
"Abba". "And He said, Abba Father, all things are possible to thee, remove this cup from me; yet
not what I will but what thou wilt".
9. Christology Rayan Lobo, SJ
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Gal 4, 4-6: God sends Son, Spirit; their twofold mission in the Church
2 Cor 13, 13: Mass greeting; grace of Christ, love of God, fellowship of the Spirit: 3 aspects
of Christian life.
Eph 4, 4-6: above all (Father), through all (Son), in all (Spirit).
This was the first question after the fundamental period of NT.
How can there be one god, when Jesus Christ is invested with divinity?
Heresis
1. Dynamic Monarchianim: Only one principle that is Father.
Son and spirits are power(dynamics) of God.
Wrote against Monarchianism and defended plurality of persons. He said, in trinity
there is distinction but not division, there is difference but no separation
2. Modalism : One god appearing in 3 modes/aspects Father Son Spirit.
Origin speaks against Modalists. According to him, Trinity is three distinct individualities.
Father, Son and Spirit are three hypostases. There is one Ousia-substance, but three Hypostasispersons.
9. Christology Rayan Lobo, SJ
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Condemned Arias, who said, second person of the trinity is not equal to the
Father.
2. Constantinople(381): Holy spirit is equal to the father and the son.(Spirit as person)
3. IV latern council 1215
Trinity as Dogma
Eastern Church spirit proceeds from the Father through the son.(council said
both are correct based on NT).
If Time Permits
Response of the Fathers of the church
1. Hippolitus: God is one, but not alone.
2. Turtulian: God is not single but oneness of communion.
In the trinity persons are distinct but not divided, different but not separate.
Therefore God is one substance with three persons.
3. Origen :In trinity one Ousia(essence) and three hypostasis(persons)
9. Christology Rayan Lobo, SJ
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(Pleae Note: divine nature is equal in all three persons. Absolute spirit is the Father.
Understanding is the son- Will is the spirit).
2. Greek / Eastern
There are two ways out from the Father: the Son by begetting and the spirit by proceeding.
The Father communicates his whole substance to the Son and the spirit, so both are
consubstantial with the Father and equally God.
The Father also forms the persons of the Son and the spirit in an eternal process.
To understand trinity start with the communion of three persons. Father, son and the
HS.
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The basis for this mutual communion is mutual self surrender. That is giving everything
except that which cannot be given (Fatherhood/sonhood/spirithood).
2. The Trinitarian mystery is the source, model and reference point of all human communities.(Rom
8, 15-16, GS 24)
Rom 8, 15-16 : You have received a spirit of adoption, not a spirit of slavery.
GS 24 : In his fatherly care for all of us, God desired that all men should form one family and
deal with each other in a spirit of brotherhood.
Source:
Model:
Human communities are modeled after trinity, because god is a communion of persons.
Referrence Point:
Problem, divisions, diversity in community - we need to take the example of the trinity.
Personhood ( rels) reduces to individualism go back to trinity. Equality exits there.
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In the Indian context with different rites and religions, communion of trinity is real source of
inspiration.
Trinity is the foundation of pluralities because they are different, yet not separate.
There could be differences yet need not divide us/ can complement our understanding / to be
celebrated.
Buddhism:
Islam:
We can speak of Jesus Christ, sent by the father to redeem the world.
Hinduism:
Our Christian understanding of Holy Spirit will not be very much alien to them.
Advaitic concept of absolute : Sat cit Ananda comes closer to Christian understanding of
trinity.
But the difference is Brahman as Sat Cit Ananda is ONE.
Panickar:
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The implication is that trinity calls for the acceptance of plurality and differences.
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