Analysis Of The Trinity

What is the Trinity? Is written by RC Sproul and gives historical and philosophical context as to the relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sproul starts the book with a look into what monotheism is and how religion has evolved. He explains all religions evolved from animism to polytheism, henotheism, and then monotheism. There has been much debate since then as to whether the bible is monotheistic and what the origins of monotheism were. Other than where, when, and with whom monotheism started, he gets into the Trinity. If there is in fact one god then how can he be three? The Old Testament firmly establishes that there is one God; meanwhile the New Testament declares that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is divine. This brings Sproul into how we have over time tried to figure this out.

Meanwhile, in the Christian faith, diversity finds its unity in God Himself. In God we find one being in three persons and the ground for unity and diversity. He points out that there are hints of the Trinity in the Old Testament and that monotheism is assumed in the New Testament. He is able to provide good support for these points with biblical verses and deeper explanations of them. That is not to say that this can now be clearly accepted as matter of fact, which is proven so by the controversies over the years within the Church. He goes on to cover how sometimes the best way of learning something to be true, is by learning what is false. Sproul finishes up with explaining the Trinity as One in Essence, Three in Person. He does a good job of explaining that distinguishing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a person is problematic. God is better understood then as an essence, existence, or subsistence. Dr. Sproul is able to write with good clarity and details into answering the question of “What is the