The Trinity is not a math problem

8 thoughts on “The Trinity is not a math problem”

  1. As a former math teacher and now a DRE I had to read this cleverly titled post! Your explanation is perfect and so helpful to catechists. God has blessed you with a gift of words – to say it the right way! I recently had a Trinity and Christology class where we studied all of this in detail. Sometimes it gets a little heady, and I appreciate the simplicity of the truth that God creates in and out of love. The classic answer “because he loves us” is always true!

  2. Thanks for your comments Lisa. Here is a bit more about the contribution of the Eastern Church, which emphasizes your point that the Trinity is an act of love.

    In the early 4th century, Gregory of Nyssa and his theological companions, his brother Basil and their friend, Gregory, established how the Father is related to the Son and how they are related to the Spirit thus laying out a full doctrine of the Trinity.

    Building on the understanding that the Father and the Son are different beings yet one essence, they talked about the Trinity is a “perichoresis,” a circle dance.

    For Gregory and many of the Eastern mystics, the Trinity is not an equation but a dance—a relationship between persons, a right-ordering of creation. The principle characteristic of the Trinity is that the persons of the Trinity cannot exist without each other. Their bond creates such a deep community that they cannot exist without each other, nor can they exist without loving each other.

    The Trinity expresses the paradoxical religious truth that only in loving others and giving ourselves to others do we find ourselves and are able to be more of who we are meant to be.

    Blessings on all you do, and thanks for your commitment to this ministry!

  3. Sister Dianne Sehn

    Thanks for this wonderful article. It has affirmed for my team and myself our presentation and on going discussion of the Trinity. Our underlying approach to the Trinity has been John’s statement, “God is Love”. From there we look at the interaction of the community of love that is present in the Trinity, and how we are included in that love.
    I appreciate your help and articles. Blessings, Sister Dianne Sehn, St. Anne’s Saskatoon, ?Sk. Canada

  4. Hi Nick
    I enjoyed your presentation on the Trinity. As an additional resource I would recommend Frank Sheed’s book Theology and Sanity. His expaination of the trinity is one of the best I have read as it is geared for lay people not theologians.

  5. Nick and Diana, Thanks a lot for all you do for us who have been called to proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the RISEN CHRIST through the RCIA faith journey. You nailed it when you sum it up to LOVE. The unconditional love of God for us and the essence of our BEING. This is great. Thank you.

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