Reordering the Trinity: Six Movements of God in the New Testament by Rodrick Durst

by Rodrick K. Durst

The New Testament writers present the Trinity in surprising ways, which impact our understanding of God and the mission of the churchWe're used to hearing the traditional order of the Trinity, usually used in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But why does the apostle Paul end his letter to the Corinthians with a benediction naming the triune God in a different Son, Father, Spirit? In fact, there are six possible arrangements for naming the Trinity, each of which is used numerous times in the New Testament.Analyzing the seventy-five New Testament references to the persons of the Godhead, theologian Rodrick Durst demonstrates that the ways the early church thought and talked about the Trinity had a great deal of richness and diversity that has since been lost. From the context of these passages Durst concludes that each order of the three names corresponds to a particular purpose or movement of God that the New Testament author is mission, salvation, witness to Christ, sanctification, spiritual formation, and Church unity. These six Trinitarian orders reveal God's calling to join Him in six different works.Durst guides the reader through the significance of each formulation and how it can powerfully shape the twenty-first-century church and believers' formation, worship, witness, and work.

Genres: Theology

Paperback

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theologians often distinguish between the Economic Trinity: the God revealed to us in the economy of salvation, and the Immanent Trinity: the Godhead's relations between the Divine persons. The Economic Trinity is described as Father, Son and Spirit—reflecting the order of God's self-revelation in enacting our redemption: Creator, Redeemer and Advocate. But this oversimplifies the picture of God and doesn't do full justice to the New Testament witness of the Trinity.

Rodrick K Durst, professor of historical theology at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary observes that the triadic ordering of Father-Son-Spirit, makes up just 24% of the seventy-five New Testament references to the Triune God (70). Any list of three items can be combined six different ways; Durst observes all six combinations of Divine Persons in the pages of Scripture. In Reordering the Trinity: Six Movements of God in the New Testament he examines the various Trinitarian references and the significance for each ordering.

Durst has a three purposes in this book. First, he wants to challenge the notion that the Trinity is not explicit in the pages of the New Testament. While the word "Trinity" doesn't appear there, Durst presents enough examples of triadic patterning in the New Testament to demonstrate the obvious presence of the Trinity. Secondly, he explores the meaning and purposes behind each order in their Biblical context. Third, Durst makes the case that:

whenever and wherever Christian life and ministry have been God-glorifying, or personally satisfying or ethically prophetic or socially effective, it is precisely because a Trinitarian processional value has been consciously or unconsciously applied. Far from extinction, the Trinity flourishes everywhere and in every way as the agent of causation in which we live, minister and have our being. (60-61).
The book divides into three parts. Part one sets the table. Chapter one examines significant contributions to Trinitarian thought in contemporary theology, including the thinkers that Durst draws on in making his own case for his New Testaement Trinitarian Matrix. Chapter two lays out Durst's raw data of New Testament triadic references. Durst catalogs each reference that includes all three members of the Trinity and evaluates each example based on intentionality. Chapter three looks at Trinitarian antecedents within the Old Testament, arguing that the Septuagint obscured the plurality of Divine persons in the One God more evident in the Hebrew text. Chapter four examines the Trinity and doctrinal development in Church History.

Part two is an in depth exploration of each of the triadic orders for the Trinity:

Chapter 5, Father-Son-Spirit—The missional triad emphasizing that God is sending (117).
Chapter 6, Son-Spirit-Father—The saving triad, describing our experience of being saved, forgiven and adopted in God's household(194-195).
Chapter 7, Son-Father Spirit—The indwelling triad.
Chapter 8, Spirit-Father-Son—the sanctifying triad, showcasing a liturgical pattern of "Spirit-inspired reverence for the Father [which] leads to dedicated walk and service with Christ" (236).
Chapter, 9, Father-Spirit-Son-the Spiritual-Formation triad, God forming believers for witness for Christ (257).
Chapter 10, Spirit-Son-Father the ecclesial triad examining God at work in the church (276).
Part three contains a single chapter focused on how a functional Trinitarianism affects everyday worship, life and ministry.

Chapters three through eleven each close with a brief 'sermon starter' on the chapter's Trinitarian theme. Durst also includes five appendixes. Appendix A provides exhaustive tables on all the New Testament's triadic occurrences. Appendix B is a glossary of Trinitarian terms. The other three appendixes are more practical: a suggested exercise for praying to each part of the Trinity through the lens of the triad of your choice, a six week program of mediating on all six triads, and suggestions for explaining the trinity to children and adolescents.

Durst makes a compelling case for the diversity of Trinitarian images in the New Testament. By examining the various orders describing the Godhead, he enlarges our picture of the economic Trinity:

Theological conversations describe in previous chapters spoke of the economic Trinity exclusively as the missional procession of Father-Son-Spirit. However we must not ignore the significant textual evidence studied in this book that either we should be speaking of the "diversity of the economic Trinity" or the "Diverse Triune Economies"(288).
Durst does a good job of spelling out the significance of each triad and its implication for our ecclesiastical and devotional life. He is systematic in his handling of the textual evidence and I appreciate his comprehensive approach. I give this four stars.

Note: I received this book from Kregel Academic in exchange for my honest review.

[Chris Woznicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you were to ask a systematic theologian “Is the Trinity in the Bible?” there would be various answers that she could give you. If she says “yes” she will have to nuance her answer quite a bit – the word “Trinity” never appears in the Bible, the words we use to describe the Trinity never appear in the Bible, etc. If she says “no” she will have to tell you why she isn’t actually a heretic, but she will likely be able to show the scriptural basis for Trinitarianism.

Fred Sanders says that,

One of the chief obligations laid upon Trinitarian theology in our times is that it render the doctrine of the Trinity with unprecedented clarity as a biblical doctrine, or, to speak more precisely, as a doctrine that is in the Bible.

In order to do this, in the past, some theologians resorted to a proof text approach to this doctrine. Show that Jesus is divine, show the Holy Spirit is divine, throw it all together into a bowl and bam! Trinity. Yet these sort of hermeneutical moves no longer are very persuasive in the eyes of many. Thankfully people like Wesley Hill have taken a different approach for showing how the Trinity is indeed Biblical. But the proof text approach is not completely gone. Rodrick Durst’s new book, Reordering the Trinity, is one of those “proof text” type of Trinity books. But lets just call it a concordance approach. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

What is innovative about Durst’s book is not the fact that he lays out 75 (yes seventy-five) occurrences of the Trinity in the New Testament. What is innovative about this book is that Durst show that in these 75 occurrences there are 6 different patterns.

1. Father, Son, Holy Spirit
2. Father, Holy Spirit, Son
3. Son, Father, Holy Spirit
4. Son, Holy Spirit, Father
5. Holy Spirit, Son, Father
6. Holy Spirit, Father Son

He then goes on to give percentages for how many times each of these combinations occur. (Father, Son, Spirit takes the lead with 28 occurrences and Spirit, Son, Father comes in last with only 8 occurrences.) What is most interesting about this book is that he shows that each of the 6 patterns have different thematic significances!

1. Father, Son, Holy Spirit – Missional
2. Father, Holy Spirit, Son – Formational
3. Son, Father, Holy Spirit – Christological
4. Son, Holy Spirit, Father – Regenerative
5. Holy Spirit, Son, Father – Ecclesial
6. Holy Spirit, Father, Son – Sanctifying

What’s really groundbreaking about this is that it leaves us with various options for thinking through and praying through different ways when we are focusing on different things. For instance if we are focusing on praying about sanctification we may start with the Spirit, move on to the Father, and end with the Son. Or if we are praying about mission we may begin by asking the Father to be glorified as we go out and proclaim the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit, etc.

What’s great about this book is that Durst has this devotional aspect in mind when he is writing. He even includes an appendix for incorporating this Trinitarian Ordering into your own prayer life.

Overall I found this book to be very stimulating for my personal devotional life. It opened up to me the mind blowing idea, or to put it a better way it gave me a theological basis, for prayer that is focused on different persons of the Trinity. So, if you take this book as a series of proof texts that the Trinity is Biblical you will be disappointed. But if you read it as a sort of concordance showing how Trinitarian ordering makes a difference in your own walk with God then you have stumbled upon an amazing resource.

Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an impartial review.

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rodrick K. Durst gives a marvelous gift to the Body of Christ, the Church. In his book he explores the triadic patterns of the Trinity in the New Testament. Dr. Durst took up the challenge to explore the meaning of the varieties of triadic orders presented in scripture. There are six possible combinations of Father Son and Spirit. Dr. Durst identifies seventy-five places in the New Testament where they are discernible and notes the context of each order and it’s implications.

In Part 1: Considering Four Key Questions, Durst discusses things like why does the Trinity matter? Where did the Trinity come from? Was the Trinity in the minds of the New Testament writers? As well as a very good chapter on the development of ideas about the Trinity throughout history.

The heart of the book is Part 2: The Contextual Question and the Trinitarian Matrix. Divided into six chapters each addressing one of the possible triadic orders. Those chapters are as follows:

Chapter 5: The Sending Triad: Father Son Spirit as the Missional Order
Chapter 6: The Saving Triad: Son Spirit Father as the Regenerative Order
Chapter 7: The Indwelling Triad: Son Father Spirit as the Christological Witness Order
Chapter 8: The Standing Triad: Spirit Father Son as the Sanctifying Order
Chapter 9: The Shaping Triad: Father Spirit Son as the Spiritual Formation Order
Chapter 10: The Uniting Triad: Spirit Son Father as the Ecclesial Order


This book will help anyone who desires to better understand the Trinity doctrinally as well as practical applications for living a fuller Trinitarian experience as a Christian believer. The book is scholarly but not written in a way that would keep non-specialists from gaining much benefit. The ample footnotes, very useful appendices, and bibliography are welcome resources. Each chapter has discussion questions and Part 2 in addition has what Dr. Durst calls sermon starters. To me they seem to be meditative synopsis with practical applications. Excellent work in my opinion.

[Aaron]

When I first saw the title of Rodrick Durst's new book, Reordering the Trinity, I wasn't sure if I would be a fan. The Trinity isn't something you mess with. After all, it's been an established part of Christian doctrine for a very long time. However, at the same time I recognized that the publisher (Kregel Academic) isn't prone to wander into Trinitarian error. I also recognized that though the traditional formulation of the trinity isn't the only formulation found in scripture and as far as I know, there hasn't been much work done on the significance (if any) to the various formulations. This intrigued me.

When I first received the book in the mail I flipped through the pages to get a general feel for how it is structured. This revealed that the book is divided into three parts: Part 1 considers four key questions (the contemporary context Trinitarian theology, the Trinitarian matrix in the New Testament, the tridactic presence in the Old Testament, and the Trinity in tradition). Part two examines the scriptural context of the various Trinitarian formulations and their significance, and part three is devoted practical application of the various Trinitarian formulas within the context of everyday worship, life, and ministry. This is followed by five very useful appendices.

This cursory glance at the structure of the book was enough to convince me that this is my kind of book. I was ready for the adventure to begin!

In case it isn't yet clear, Reordering the Trinity is a book that seeks to examine how scripture speaks of the Trinity. I assume that we are all familiar with the traditional formulation of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is, for the most part what most Christians think of when they think of the Trinitarian formula. However, what I didn't know was that, of the 75 examples of tridactic patterns, this is only used 18 times. It is the most frequent to be sure, but only represents 24% of the instances. The formula Son-Spirit-Father is the second most frequent with 20% of the occurrences (15 times) and Son-Father-Spirit is right behind that with 19% (used 14 times). The remaining three formulations aren't insignificant representing 15%, 12% and 10% of the tridactic formulations.

This in itself is interesting data . . . but not much more than that. What Durst does with the data however is very profound. Taking the data on each instance, Durst determines the context in which each tridactic pattern is found and begins to contextualize them so that clear pattern begin to emerge. For instance, the core theme for the traditional order of Father-Son-Spirit is missional emphasizing being sent, while the core theme of the Spirit-Son-Father order is Ecclesial and emphasizes oneness/giftedness or unity/diversity. In fact, his findings are so obvious when reading the passages that it makes me wonder how I have missed it all these years. This doesn't necessarily change how I read scripture because the context remains the same despite having a deeper understanding of the various tridactic formulations. However, what it does change is how I think about God in the various life-contexts in which I find myself. This is valuable for me to understand because it changes how I pray to God and speak of God in differing situations.

Reordering the Trinity is a book that just about anyone will find valuable. It is an academic book so those who are not used to reading academic material may struggle to follow the book from cover to cover. However, Durst is a wonderful communicator and did a wonderful job holding my attention throughout the book. The book may be a bit advanced to use with a homeschooling curriculum but not impossible for some more advanced readers to appreciate. Undergraduate and graduate students both will almost certainly enjoy and appreciate the work that Durst has put into producing this book. It is one that will stay n my shelf for years and will most certainly find it's way into my children's reading list in their later homeschooling years. Parents and pastors will appreciate reading this book and using the knowledge gained in doing so to help their children/ congregation understand the role of Trinitarian theology in their daily lives.

Click here to order a copy of Reordering the Trinity: Six Movements of God in the New Testament on Amazon

This review first appeared at ajcerda.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Kregel Academic in exchange for an online review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great food for thought here; one of those books that makes you say "why didn't I ever think about this?" A bit of a dry read, unfortunately. Could make a very interesting Sunday school.

[Nathan James · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Our math classes tell us 1+1+1=3, but 1x1x1=1. God is "the three times God." When you talk to Jesus, you are talking to God. When you talk with the Father, you are talking to God. And when you talk with the Holy Spirit, you are talking with God." - Rodrick K. Durst, Reordering the Trinity

Summary: Recognizing the deep importance of the doctrine of the Trinty Rodrick K. Durst identifies six orders of the Trinitarian persons in the Scriptures and demonstrates what the biblical authors are emphasizing in these orders.

Review: Reordering the Trinity focuses on historical, contemporary, and practical issues, but its main thrust is to identify the six orderings of the Trinitarian Persons, then interpret the significance behind these particular ordering.

The orderings are as follows:
1. Father – Son – Spirit
2. Son – Spirit – Father
3. Son – Father – Spirit
4. Spirit – Father – Son
5. Father – Spirit – Son
6. Spirit – Son – Father

I am indebted to Durst for pointing out these different orderings. While I have observed these differing orders in Scripture before, I never thought much of it. Durst argues throughout the book that these different orders actually communicate different things. The biblical authors very intentionally selected the order the Trinitarian Persons to communicate specific themes.

For example, the classic “Father – Son – Spirit” order is what he calls “The Sending Triad.” It has a missional purpose behind it.
The “Father – Spirit – Son” is what he calls “The Shaping Triad.” There is a spiritual formation process in this ordering.

The data Durst provides is comprehensive. He explores each Bible passage in extensive detail. I think in general he’s onto something. Some of the specific passages are a bit of a stretch when it comes to Durst’s thematic categories. Largely, though, I found myself in general amazement seeing how the biblical authors (under the guidance of God the Holy Spirit) used these orders to convey God’s work in humanity and his church.

I wish the practical side of this book was stronger. Durst is intentional at the end of the major chapters to offer “Sermon Starters”. He also has a closing practical section. These all contain helpful material to glean from, but I found the analysis sections more practical than the practical sections.

Reordering the Trinity was extremely helpful to me. In my personal and professional life, I have seen a number of Christian leaders and organizations deemphasize the Trinity, or dismiss the doctrine altogether. This trend caused me to update some of my submission requirements on my podcast, and required other organizations I work with to do so as well.

I have a deep affection for the Trinity. I have a deep desire to delve into the mysteries of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This desire is coupled with an understanding that many of those mysteries will still remain mysterious.

Durst has revealed something about the Trinity I have never seen before.
As I wrote before, I am indebted to him.

Rating: 4.5/5 (I Really Liked It)

[Joshua Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reordering the Trinity is a paradigm-shifting look at the 70+ instances of the Trinity in the New Testament and fascinating discussion of how the order we regularly use (Father, Son, Spirit) is just one of six permutations the New Testament authors use. Great idea in theory which has many practical applications in our prayer and devotional life as well as our preaching and teaching.