*trinity

Question 1

Monotheism and the Trinity

Answer 1

Christians believe there is only one God (monotheism) but that he has revealed himself as three people (the Trinity).

Question 2

The Trinity

Answer 2

God is believed to have revealed himself as three persons (the Trinity):
God the Father is also often called the Creator.
God the Son took human form as Jesus, who is divine and human.
God the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles at Pentecost and is believed to be the active presence of God in the world today, in the Church and in individual persons.

Question 3

Does the Trinity contradict monotheism?

Answer 3

If there were many gods, God could not be all-powerful.
In fact, Christians believe that God is three separate persons, but still just one God.
For some Christians, belief in the Trinity is confusing because it appears to contradict belief in one God.

Question 4

One God as a Trinity of Persons

Answer 4

Catholics are monotheistic, meaning that they believe there’s only one God. This one God is believed to have revealed himself as three persons (the Trinity): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Question 5

God in people’s lives

Answer 5

Belief in the Trinity helps Catholics to understand the ways in which God is present in their lives:
God the Father is also often called the Creator.
God the Son took human form as Jesus, who is divine and human.
God the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles at Pentecost and is believed to be the active presence of God in the world today.

Question 6

The Trinity in quote

Answer 6

‘Christians are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…. The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity.’ [CCC 232]
(CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church, a summary of Catholic beliefs and teachings).

Question 7

The Trinity as one?

Answer 7

For some Christians, belief in the Trinity is confusing because it appears to contradict belief in one God.
If there were many gods, God could not be all-powerful.
In fact, Christians believe that God is three persons, but just one God.
Some have described the persons of the Trinity as being three persons with one shared ‘substance’, meaning that they are three persons with one shared divine nature.

Question 8

Analogies

Answer 8

Some Christian writers have tried to describe the Trinity using analogy (by comparing it to something else).
St Patrick said that the Trinity is like a shamrock, which has three clear parts to it, but is only one leaf.
Others have pointed to the three forms of H2O: ice, water and steam

Question 9

God as Three Persons in Scripture

Answer 9

Roman Catholics believe that the idea of God as three persons in one is supported by scripture.

Question 10

God the Father

Answer 10

God the Father is seen in the Old Testament as the Creator in the Book of Genesis (and references to God as Creator can be found elsewhere, e.g. in the Psalms) and as the Lawgiver in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, among others.
God the Father is also seen in the New Testament, for example at Jesus’ baptism and at his Transfiguration.

Question 11

God the Son

Answer 11

Catholics believe that Isaiah’s prophecies (9:6-7) refer to Jesus as Son of God, describing a child who will be Mighty God and Prince of Peace.
The idea that Jesus is the Son of God is seen in the New Testament:
E.g. at the annunciation when the Angel Gabriel tells Mary she has conceived God’s son.
E.g. when the voice of God the Father refers to Jesus as his son at his baptism.

Question 12

God the Holy Spirit

Answer 12

Roman Catholic teaching says that the Spirit that surrounds the unformed world at the moment of creation is the Holy Spirit.

Question 13

Jesus’ baptism

Answer 13

Some Catholics think that all three persons of the Trinity are present in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ baptism, for example in Mark 1:9-11.

Question 14

One in three

Answer 14

Catholics believe there is only one God. This is known as monotheism.
God is believed to have revealed himself as three persons (the Trinity): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Expressions of this can be found in creeds, such as the Nicene Creed, which set out what a community believe.

Question 15

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Answer 15

Belief in the Trinity helps Catholics to understand the ways in which God is present in their lives:
God the Father is also often called the Creator.
God the Son took human form as Jesus, who is both divine and human.
God the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles at Pentecost and is believed to be the active presence of God in the world today, in the Church and in individual persons.

Question 16

Jesus’ baptism

Answer 16

Catholics and other Christians often see a reference to the Trinity in the events that happen straight after Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, baptises him:
‘At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”’ [Matthew 3:13-17 NIV]

Question 17

God as Three Persons in Scripture

Answer 17

Roman Catholics believe that the idea of God as three persons in one is supported by scripture.

Question 18

God the Father

Answer 18

God the Father is seen in the Old Testament as the Creator in the Book of Genesis (and references to God as Creator can be found elsewhere, e.g. in the Psalms) and as the Lawgiver in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, among others.
God the Father is also seen in the New Testament, for example at Jesus’ baptism and at his Transfiguration.

Question 19

God the Son

Answer 19

Catholics believe that Isaiah’s prophecies (9:6-7) refer to Jesus as Son of God, describing a child who will be Mighty God and Prince of Peace.
The idea that Jesus is the Son of God is seen in the New Testament:
E.g. at the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel tells Mary she has conceived God’s son.
E.g. when the voice of God the Father refers to Jesus as his son at his baptism.

Question 20

God the Holy Spirit

Answer 20

Roman Catholic teaching says that the Spirit that surrounds the unformed world at the moment of creation is the Holy Spirit.

Question 21

Jesus’ baptism

Answer 21

Some Catholics think that all three persons of the Trinity are present in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ baptism, for example in Mark 1:9-11.

Question 22

The Trinity and Councils

Answer 22

Councils of Church leaders have often met together and discussed important Christian beliefs - including the persons of the Trinity.

Question 23

The First Council of Nicaea

Answer 23

At the First Council of Nicaea (held in 325 CE in modern-day Turkey) many church leaders met and tried to reach agreement on some of Christianity’s key beliefs.
The main topic of discussion was how to understand that Jesus Christ was the Son of God (the second person of the Trinity).

Question 24

The Nicene Creed

Answer 24

The Council produced the Nicene Creed which states a number of important beliefs about Jesus:
He is described as ‘Light from Light, true God from true God’.
He is said to have been ‘begotten, not made’ showing that he was the true Son of God, ‘from the substance of the Father’.
Both Jesus and God the Father (the second and first persons of the Trinity respectively) are described as ‘true God’ and they are ‘of one being’.

Question 25

The First Council of Constantinople

Answer 25

The First Council of Constantinople (held in 381 CE) was called to settle a number of disagreements between churches and church leaders.
One of its most important decisions was to add a line to the Nicene Creed which was about the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity).

Question 26

The addition to the Creed

Answer 26

The Holy Spirit is described as ‘the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, and Who spoke through the prophets’.
This identifies the Holy Spirit as God alongside the Father and Son and so worthy of worship and glory.
It also describes the Spirit as proceeding from the Father.
The Holy Spirit is also seen as God at work in the prophets, reflecting the belief that the Spirit is active in Christians today.