What do you think?
Rate this book
Simplesmente Trindade: O imanipulado Pai, Filho e Espírito
A fim de conhecer verdadeiramente a Deus, devemos entendê-lo como Trindade. Mas e se a Trindade que aprendemos não for a Trindade da Bíblia?
Neste livro inovador, Matthew Barrett revela uma descoberta chocante: manipulamos a Trindade, recriando o Pai, o Filho e o Espírito Santo à nossa própria imagem. Com clareza e criatividade, Barrett explora as Escrituras, bem como os credos e confissões de fé para nos ajudar a redescobrir a beleza, a simplicidade e a majestade do nosso Deus triúno. O que acreditamos sobre a Trindade também tem consequências incontáveis para a salvação e para a vida cristã.
Neste livro inovador, Matthew Barrett revela uma descoberta chocante: manipulamos a Trindade, recriando o Pai, o Filho e o Espírito Santo à nossa própria imagem. Com clareza e criatividade, Barrett explora as Escrituras, bem como os credos e confissões de fé para nos ajudar a redescobrir a beleza, a simplicidade e a majestade do nosso Deus triúno. O que acreditamos sobre a Trindade também tem consequências incontáveis para a salvação e para a vida cristã.
368 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2021
160 people are currently reading
1127 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Barrett
50 books119 followersMatthew Barrett (MDiv, PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the executive editor of Credo Magazine. He is the author of numerous books, including God's Word Alone, 40 Questions about Salvation, Reformation Theology, John Owen on the Christian Life, and Salvation by Grace. He is also the host of the Credo podcast where he talks with fellow theologians about the most important doctrines of the faith. He lives in Kansas City.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
March 10, 2021
I had the privilege of reading this before publication, and I have been downright antsy to see it hit the shelves. Dr. Barrett is thorough, biblically faithful, historically conscious, and refreshingly clear. It’s not a polemic but it is polemical, because it absolutely must be. If there is any question about whether or not that is true before reading this work, I will be so bold as to say the first two chapters will put that question to bed: where the doctrine of the Trinity stands in the minds of most Christians on this side of the twentieth century is depressing (I mean no hyperbole: concluding the second chapter of Simply Trinity left me *sorrowful*). But the way back is clear. Barrett leads his readers through the great Christian tradition and shows how virtually all Christians (until the last couple hundred years or so) read their Bibles to faithfully and fruitfully contemplate the simple Triune God.
In case you’re wondering, the answer is yes: EFS/ERAS (eternal functional subordinationism/eternal relations of authority and submission) is dealt with. And yes, decisively so. I sincerely don’t know how it will be able to raise its head at this point, after this book. In terms of the status of the Trinity and EFS in evangelicalism, it may very well be that we have to talk about EFS pre and post “Simply Trinity.” That may be wishful thinking, but I hope I’m right.
To be clear, Barrett’s not cruel or bitter or vindictive. He’s cool-headed and loving, but he’s clear and firm. He’s firm in a way that is reminiscent of most Christians throughout church history—before we all got so thin-skinned and learned to interpret criticisms of thought as personal injuries or betrayal. This is important because many of the attempts to “present both sides” on topics like the Trinity seem to give the impression—by the end of all the countless layers of caveats and compliments and “Of course such in such is an amazing and faithful Christian”s—that the differences are inconsequential. Both are orthodox, and you’re fine to pick your fancy. Barrett argues, forcefully, that such an impression is misguided on this particular issue. It actually is a very big deal if you reject Nicaean orthodoxy, not because Nicaea is our authority, but because Nicaean orthodoxy really is a faithful articulation of Scripture. As Barrett demonstrates by the end of the book, nothing short of worship is at stake here.
In case you’re wondering, the answer is yes: EFS/ERAS (eternal functional subordinationism/eternal relations of authority and submission) is dealt with. And yes, decisively so. I sincerely don’t know how it will be able to raise its head at this point, after this book. In terms of the status of the Trinity and EFS in evangelicalism, it may very well be that we have to talk about EFS pre and post “Simply Trinity.” That may be wishful thinking, but I hope I’m right.
To be clear, Barrett’s not cruel or bitter or vindictive. He’s cool-headed and loving, but he’s clear and firm. He’s firm in a way that is reminiscent of most Christians throughout church history—before we all got so thin-skinned and learned to interpret criticisms of thought as personal injuries or betrayal. This is important because many of the attempts to “present both sides” on topics like the Trinity seem to give the impression—by the end of all the countless layers of caveats and compliments and “Of course such in such is an amazing and faithful Christian”s—that the differences are inconsequential. Both are orthodox, and you’re fine to pick your fancy. Barrett argues, forcefully, that such an impression is misguided on this particular issue. It actually is a very big deal if you reject Nicaean orthodoxy, not because Nicaea is our authority, but because Nicaean orthodoxy really is a faithful articulation of Scripture. As Barrett demonstrates by the end of the book, nothing short of worship is at stake here.
July 26, 2023
Really good. Barrett always helps me understand key components of theological viewpoints well. His appeal to maintain orthodox trinitarian theology is appealing and his pushback on EFS makes sense to me for the most part. Where I still struggle are points of the book where Barrett seemed to push back on what EFS was doing, but would follow the same methodology at arriving to his own conclusions. For example, his pushback on what he calls biblicism.
Glad I finally read it. Fully recommend.
Glad I finally read it. Fully recommend.
February 16, 2025
Barrett's book is excellent, thorough, and rigorous. I appreciated how Simply Trinity was rooted in the fathers of the faith and stands on the strong faithful tradition. One thing that I found really helpful was how Barrett has brief explanations for theological terms and brief biographies of different theologians. This helps readers that aren't as familiar understand what he is saying with more clarity.
February 4, 2023
This is an excellent work. Written to be accessible and interesting, Barrett persuasively contends for the traditional understanding of the Trinity against competing models such as the various iterations of social Trinitarianism utilizing both historical and biblical evidence. Not stopping at theological abstraction, he also weaves throughout the work the import of an orthodox understanding of the Trinity for the Gospel and the Christian Hope of rest in the Triune God.
January 12, 2022
I have been listening to the audiobook of this one, but ended up buying the actual book because I wanted to reference it often. Honestly, I just want to start it over after I finished it. There’s so much to think about.
There is a likeness of this book to “Gentle and Lowly” in the sense that both books want to give you a clearer version of God, and refrains from using this vision of God to manipulate. The “Unmanipulated” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a huge theme in this book, as in the last 100 years of theological history, the doctrine of the Trinity has been used to say things about humans that the Bible doesn’t say.
At times the book feels repetitive, but I found I needed all of the repetitions of definitions and correct words and meanings because it’s such a kind bending, awesome concept. He keeps the tension of what the Trinity is, and what it is not, and very painstakingly doesn’t use complex words unless absolutely necessary—and when he does, he explains them.
A return to the creeds is a good thing, and this book is rich in the explanations of the creeds.
I expect to come back to this book often to consider its teaching.
As a Lutheran, I noticed several nods to Calvinist teaching, but didn’t think our differences there change our agreement on the creeds and teaching here.
There is a likeness of this book to “Gentle and Lowly” in the sense that both books want to give you a clearer version of God, and refrains from using this vision of God to manipulate. The “Unmanipulated” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a huge theme in this book, as in the last 100 years of theological history, the doctrine of the Trinity has been used to say things about humans that the Bible doesn’t say.
At times the book feels repetitive, but I found I needed all of the repetitions of definitions and correct words and meanings because it’s such a kind bending, awesome concept. He keeps the tension of what the Trinity is, and what it is not, and very painstakingly doesn’t use complex words unless absolutely necessary—and when he does, he explains them.
A return to the creeds is a good thing, and this book is rich in the explanations of the creeds.
I expect to come back to this book often to consider its teaching.
As a Lutheran, I noticed several nods to Calvinist teaching, but didn’t think our differences there change our agreement on the creeds and teaching here.
May 4, 2021
A great and readable treatment of the subject. The book as a whole lays out the classical Nicene (in its Western formulation) doctrine through Scripture and history, while countering modern deviations from the classical approach. The most valuable chapter is a critique of the EFS view promoted by Ware and Grudem. There is a bit of Calvinism thrown in with the final chapter, but that is the only place where Barrett offers anything that is distinctively Reformed.
May 26, 2023
4.5. Michael Reeves is my go-to recommendation for an introduction on the Trinity in a devotional manner. Scott Swain and Fred Sanders provide helpful theological introductions. Matthew Barrett provides a synthesis that combines both classical categories and in an engaging, accessible style. My only quibble is with how he critiques a few positions.
September 18, 2021
This book is death, literal death to any form of Social Trinitarianism and especially to the doctrine of the Eternal Functional Subordination of God the Son. As the author points out, even if such views are not "technical heresy" that get out of jail card still does not pass the smell test. When taken to their logical conclusion, such views lead to semi-Arianism or tritheism. They contradict both the doctrines of the equality of the divine persons and the simplicity of the divine essence. The whole idea of looking to the immanent Trinity as a guide to social or gender relations is beyond ridiculous and has led to the construction of a Trinity in the image of man. If you have not read this book already, move it to the top of your "to read" list as soon as possible.
June 15, 2021
Great work by Barrett here. There is an accessibility to his style that is hard to match, which led several church members to finish at my recommendation. For a work on eternal relations of origin and classical theism that is an accomplishment in and of itself but Barrett also succeeds in pulling back the wool from Evangelical emphasis errors. His theological and dogmatic approach is scriptural but not biblicist or proof texting this kind of work is incredibly refreshing and worthwhile to the conversation about getting the Trinity right.
August 2, 2024
My theology read for sabbatical. Very accessible. Answered questions that have stirred around in my head for a while. Enjoyable and even devotional.
May 23, 2021
Barrett is a superb scholar and communicator. He offers here a modest unpacking of basic trinitarian theology that can be digested by normal laymen. There has been a resurgence of interest in the Trinity over the last several decades, which unfortunately in some corners of broader evangelicalism has lead to distorted doctrine (and potentially practice). So, the real impetus of this book is to help the average churchgoer understand the controversies surrounding the heresy of "eternal relations of authority and submission" (aka ERAS or EFS or ESS). This significant distortion from orthodoxy has been especially popularized by Wayne Grudem, Bruce Ware, and Owen Strachan. Barrett is able to level sustained criticism from biblical, theological, philosophical, and historical grounds. And he's able to do this in a firm but irenic manner, speaking as former pupil of Ware, honoring his superiors according to the 5th commandment.
There are several rhetorical and literary conceits utilized that I found distracting but aren't major flaws.
There are several rhetorical and literary conceits utilized that I found distracting but aren't major flaws.
April 25, 2023
I was reluctant, but eventually Barrett won...
This is a hard book to review. The author is attacking the view that Jesus Christ is, functionally, eternally subordinate to the Father even while being ontologically equal with Him. This view is known as eternal functional subordination (EFS). Barrett’s tone at the beginning was so unnecessarily off-putting to me that I had to get over my irritation before I was ready to fairly assess his argument. Eventually he was able to convince me.
As far as the positives go, Barrett is clearly an accomplished expert on the church fathers, both pre- and post- Nicene. His arguments are firmly grounded in logic, philosophy, and the historical development of the theology of the Trinity. The vast bulk of his assertions come from these quarters, less so from Scripture (though he handles the Scripture well). Unfortunately, Barrett dismisses opposing arguments that rise from Scripture by perjoratively labeling his opponents as “biblicist,” as though they were unaware of the context and larger narrative of Scripture.
Barrett’s main argument is that the only distinctions between the persons within the ontological Trinity (ad intra) are “eternal relations of origin:” the Father is unbegotten, the Father eternally begets (generates) the Son (meaning the Father eternally communicates to the Son His own essence and nature), and the Father and the Son spirate, or send forth, the Holy Spirit. Barrett admits to additional distinctions in the outward operations (ad extra) of the economic Trinity.
In chapter three, Barrett does a good job in tracing modern liberalism’s illegitimate reconstruction of the Trinity to fit their own agenda for society. But in my opinion, he wrongly accuses conservative, biblical theologians of doing the same thing: starting with their desired construct of social relations and then imposing that construct on the Trinity. This seems to me to be a grossly uncharitable charge: is it not possible that those theologians derive their view of the Trinity (even though incorrect) from their honest understanding of Scripture and then see analogs in human relationships? Barrett gets in the way of his own message repeatedly with accusations like this. Another example is found on page 36 where he throws out the accusation that sola scriptura has been interpreted as “me and my Bible alone.” This is unfortunate: Barrett’s debate is with theologians, not the average believer in the pew. Does he really think any credible theologian would hold such a silly view?
Occasionally Barrett appears to overstate his point. On page 104 we find this statement:
Well, yes. And, no. While belief that Jesus is the divine Son of God was (and is) crucial to salvation, there was still much confusion, even among believers, as to exactly how that truth was to be reconciled with the historic monotheism of the Jews. Barrett’s confident assertion flies in the face of 400 years of church history, in which godly men were seeking to untangle the mystery of the Trinity. Barrett seems to claim that the first century Christians had it all figured out. But does not the early history of the church record their debates, disagreements, and difficulty in fitting the pieces together?
On the other hand, there are places in which Barrett is able to condense his argument to a single, brilliant statement, and this constitutes a large part of the value of his book. For example, on page 123 Barrett states:
In my view, Barrett makes his strongest argument against EFS on pages 138-9. He builds a case that to be one in essence but manifested in three persons, means of necessity that there cannot be three different wills. Because the three (persons) are one in essence, there can only be one unified (simple) will. The one shared will of the Trinity rises out of the one shared divine nature of the Trinity. The problem with EFS is this: if Christ is eternally submitted to the Father’s will (rather than sharing the one and same will), it implies that there are two different wills—the Father’s, and Christ’s—which would then argue for two different natures. This creates an untenable division in the ontological Trinity; such a thing cannot be.
Barrett makes another powerful argument on page 239:
Barrett goes on to flesh out the thought. I think this is the point in which I finally allowed Barrett to sharpen my understanding, by understanding the Son’s submission to the Father to be connected to his redemptive mission but not to his eternal relation to the Father. Barrett deals with 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 on page 243, stating that it applies not to the Son in the form of God, but to the Son in the form of a servant: “The context is not the immanent Trinity but the economy, the redemptive mission of the incarnate Son.”
Like Barrett’s book, this review has already gone on too long. In conclusion I believe Barrett makes his principal point, demolishing EFS and asserting that the distinctions in the immanent Trinity have to do with eternal relations of origin. It is unfortunate that Barrett occasionally gets in his own way by unnecessary and uncharitable characterizations of people on the other side of the fence. For his excellent command of the early church fathers, Barrett gets five stars. For his at-times-uncharitable tone and the excessive length of the book and the sense of repetition, three stars. For the fact that he did ultimately convince me that my former position (EFS) on the Trinity was wrong, we’ll settle with four stars. Recommended.
If you don’t have the time to read Barrett’s book, read Mike Riccardi’s excellent five-page blog post entitled, “EFS Redux: Aiming for Closure on the Trinity Debate.” Google it. Riccardi gets right to the point (in five short pages), and his logic is unassailable.
This is a hard book to review. The author is attacking the view that Jesus Christ is, functionally, eternally subordinate to the Father even while being ontologically equal with Him. This view is known as eternal functional subordination (EFS). Barrett’s tone at the beginning was so unnecessarily off-putting to me that I had to get over my irritation before I was ready to fairly assess his argument. Eventually he was able to convince me.
As far as the positives go, Barrett is clearly an accomplished expert on the church fathers, both pre- and post- Nicene. His arguments are firmly grounded in logic, philosophy, and the historical development of the theology of the Trinity. The vast bulk of his assertions come from these quarters, less so from Scripture (though he handles the Scripture well). Unfortunately, Barrett dismisses opposing arguments that rise from Scripture by perjoratively labeling his opponents as “biblicist,” as though they were unaware of the context and larger narrative of Scripture.
Barrett’s main argument is that the only distinctions between the persons within the ontological Trinity (ad intra) are “eternal relations of origin:” the Father is unbegotten, the Father eternally begets (generates) the Son (meaning the Father eternally communicates to the Son His own essence and nature), and the Father and the Son spirate, or send forth, the Holy Spirit. Barrett admits to additional distinctions in the outward operations (ad extra) of the economic Trinity.
In chapter three, Barrett does a good job in tracing modern liberalism’s illegitimate reconstruction of the Trinity to fit their own agenda for society. But in my opinion, he wrongly accuses conservative, biblical theologians of doing the same thing: starting with their desired construct of social relations and then imposing that construct on the Trinity. This seems to me to be a grossly uncharitable charge: is it not possible that those theologians derive their view of the Trinity (even though incorrect) from their honest understanding of Scripture and then see analogs in human relationships? Barrett gets in the way of his own message repeatedly with accusations like this. Another example is found on page 36 where he throws out the accusation that sola scriptura has been interpreted as “me and my Bible alone.” This is unfortunate: Barrett’s debate is with theologians, not the average believer in the pew. Does he really think any credible theologian would hold such a silly view?
Occasionally Barrett appears to overstate his point. On page 104 we find this statement:
“For the first-century believer, to become a Christian was to embrace the salvation given and accomplished by none other than the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…. For these early Christians, to believe the gospel was to believe that the one God of Israel was triune. Anything less was simply not Christian. A gospel that was not trinitarian was no gospel at all.”
Well, yes. And, no. While belief that Jesus is the divine Son of God was (and is) crucial to salvation, there was still much confusion, even among believers, as to exactly how that truth was to be reconciled with the historic monotheism of the Jews. Barrett’s confident assertion flies in the face of 400 years of church history, in which godly men were seeking to untangle the mystery of the Trinity. Barrett seems to claim that the first century Christians had it all figured out. But does not the early history of the church record their debates, disagreements, and difficulty in fitting the pieces together?
On the other hand, there are places in which Barrett is able to condense his argument to a single, brilliant statement, and this constitutes a large part of the value of his book. For example, on page 123 Barrett states:
“[Christ’s] eternal relation to the Father constitutes his redemptive mission to the world, but not vice versa. Get that order right, and we see the gospel in proper trinitarian perspective; get that order wrong, and we misuse the gospel to redefine the Trinity in eternity.”
In my view, Barrett makes his strongest argument against EFS on pages 138-9. He builds a case that to be one in essence but manifested in three persons, means of necessity that there cannot be three different wills. Because the three (persons) are one in essence, there can only be one unified (simple) will. The one shared will of the Trinity rises out of the one shared divine nature of the Trinity. The problem with EFS is this: if Christ is eternally submitted to the Father’s will (rather than sharing the one and same will), it implies that there are two different wills—the Father’s, and Christ’s—which would then argue for two different natures. This creates an untenable division in the ontological Trinity; such a thing cannot be.
Barrett makes another powerful argument on page 239:
But EFS is asking the wrong question. The right question is this: is submission ad intra or ad extra; is it intrinsic to the immanent Trinity, or is it something that occurs in the economy (in the context of salvation history)? Biblical Christian orthodoxy has always acknowledged that the economy of salvation involves the incarnate Son submitting to the mission his Father has given to him for the purpose of salvation.
Barrett goes on to flesh out the thought. I think this is the point in which I finally allowed Barrett to sharpen my understanding, by understanding the Son’s submission to the Father to be connected to his redemptive mission but not to his eternal relation to the Father. Barrett deals with 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 on page 243, stating that it applies not to the Son in the form of God, but to the Son in the form of a servant: “The context is not the immanent Trinity but the economy, the redemptive mission of the incarnate Son.”
Like Barrett’s book, this review has already gone on too long. In conclusion I believe Barrett makes his principal point, demolishing EFS and asserting that the distinctions in the immanent Trinity have to do with eternal relations of origin. It is unfortunate that Barrett occasionally gets in his own way by unnecessary and uncharitable characterizations of people on the other side of the fence. For his excellent command of the early church fathers, Barrett gets five stars. For his at-times-uncharitable tone and the excessive length of the book and the sense of repetition, three stars. For the fact that he did ultimately convince me that my former position (EFS) on the Trinity was wrong, we’ll settle with four stars. Recommended.
If you don’t have the time to read Barrett’s book, read Mike Riccardi’s excellent five-page blog post entitled, “EFS Redux: Aiming for Closure on the Trinity Debate.” Google it. Riccardi gets right to the point (in five short pages), and his logic is unassailable.
March 18, 2024
This is a very good “popular” treatment of the doctrine of the Trinity, which is one that is vital that we get right (read the Athanasian Creed!). The distortions (heresies?) of EFS and social Trinitarian teachings are dealt with, and orthodox doctrine very clearly laid out. I gave it 4 stars because I thought his “Zipporah” stories were too imaginative and detracted from the rest of the book. Sometimes I thought it repetitive, but in this case maybe that’s a good thing.
April 23, 2022
A really helpful survey of how 20th century theology (including evangelical theology) abandoned historic trinitarianism AND An accessible intro to historic trinitarianism. In particular this book sets the doctrine of the Trinity in contrast to Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware's teaching which it accuses of novelty.
I am in two minds about this book
I think pretty much everything the books says is right and it sets it out in a really helpful way. Unlike other books I've read on similar material I could lend this to average member at my church and expect them to have a good go at understanding it. BUT, the knowledge of God should be sought out to inspire our worship of him. So much of this book seems to exist to explain how wrong modern theologians have been, and comparatively little time (that I noticed anyway) was spent worshiping God for his wondrous nature - though it did end in worship which I greatly appreciated.
Brief overview
Chapters 1-3 are primarily historical, they explain that the doctrine of trinity was historically sought as an end in itself - knowledge of God to inspire our worship of him. In the face of modernism and liberal theology such knowledge was seen as irrelevant, speculative/not practical. And hence the doctrine of the Trinity was eclipsed. It was later revived but manipulated to support various agendas - "a social trinity" could be a pattern for society and societal projects hence different theologians came up with various different doctrines of the trinity to support political and social agendas.
Chapters 4-6 and 9-10 present a positive presentation of trinitarian doctrine:
- chapter 4 covers the importance of understanding God as he is (the Immanent Trinity) as more than what we see in the works of God (the Economic Trinity)
- chapter 5 teaches divine simplicity (the unity of God) as a pre-requisite for trinitarianism; we should learn to say God is One before we move on to speaking of God as three.
- chapter 6 teaches Eternal Generation (the son as eternally begotten of the Father) as the only way we can understand the distinction between Father and Son.
- chapter 9 teaches the procession of the Spirit, the spirit proceeding from Father and Son as the way we understand the distinction between the Spirit, the Father and the Son; I thought this chapter was not argued quite as clearly as chapters 5 and 6 though as I was listening rather than reading it's hard to say precisely why.
- chapter 10 teaches inseparable operations - that all the works of God (outside of himself) are the works of all 3 persons of the trinity; historically this was a key pillar of trinitarian understanding , we know that the Son is the same God as the Father as they do the same work e.g. "my father is working until now and I am working". There was also a discussion of the doctrine of divine appropriations and how the Covenant of Redemption (the pre-creation agreement of Father, Son and Spirit to bring about the plan of salvation) relates to these doctrines. This was a helpful chapter, though it felt oddly placed as it's focused on unity - why wasn't it earlier on, perhaps between chapters 5 and 6?
Chapter 7 teaches that Eternal generation is critical to the gospel, this chapter argues that alternative modern doctrines of the trinity that sacrifice Eternal generation ultimately undermine our hope, if the Son of God is not eternally the son of the Father how can we be sure of adoption as sons through union with him?
Chapter 8 teaches that Eternal Functional Subordination, the idea that the Son eternally submitted to the father is a serious error that verges on heretical and if pushed consistently actually rips the heart out of the gospel.
Concluding Thoughts
Reading a book like this should inspire worship - and it does, and it rightly ends by declaring the praises of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Much of the style is really helpful for bringing a reader into it - many anecdotes are used some personal to the author, some fictitious (identified as such) that make it feel very relatable. A recurring motive of using the DeLorean (from Back to the Future) to go back in time and find better doctrine may draw some readers in.
Part of me wants to reccomend this far and wide and buy a stack to give away but I'm not sure.... So much of this book is polemical, and maybe that's unavoidable but it feels painful to think about that such wonderful truths are being fought over inside the camp of evangelical christians. So as I said at the start of this brief review; I'm in two minds.
I am in two minds about this book
I think pretty much everything the books says is right and it sets it out in a really helpful way. Unlike other books I've read on similar material I could lend this to average member at my church and expect them to have a good go at understanding it. BUT, the knowledge of God should be sought out to inspire our worship of him. So much of this book seems to exist to explain how wrong modern theologians have been, and comparatively little time (that I noticed anyway) was spent worshiping God for his wondrous nature - though it did end in worship which I greatly appreciated.
Brief overview
Chapters 1-3 are primarily historical, they explain that the doctrine of trinity was historically sought as an end in itself - knowledge of God to inspire our worship of him. In the face of modernism and liberal theology such knowledge was seen as irrelevant, speculative/not practical. And hence the doctrine of the Trinity was eclipsed. It was later revived but manipulated to support various agendas - "a social trinity" could be a pattern for society and societal projects hence different theologians came up with various different doctrines of the trinity to support political and social agendas.
Chapters 4-6 and 9-10 present a positive presentation of trinitarian doctrine:
- chapter 4 covers the importance of understanding God as he is (the Immanent Trinity) as more than what we see in the works of God (the Economic Trinity)
- chapter 5 teaches divine simplicity (the unity of God) as a pre-requisite for trinitarianism; we should learn to say God is One before we move on to speaking of God as three.
- chapter 6 teaches Eternal Generation (the son as eternally begotten of the Father) as the only way we can understand the distinction between Father and Son.
- chapter 9 teaches the procession of the Spirit, the spirit proceeding from Father and Son as the way we understand the distinction between the Spirit, the Father and the Son; I thought this chapter was not argued quite as clearly as chapters 5 and 6 though as I was listening rather than reading it's hard to say precisely why.
- chapter 10 teaches inseparable operations - that all the works of God (outside of himself) are the works of all 3 persons of the trinity; historically this was a key pillar of trinitarian understanding , we know that the Son is the same God as the Father as they do the same work e.g. "my father is working until now and I am working". There was also a discussion of the doctrine of divine appropriations and how the Covenant of Redemption (the pre-creation agreement of Father, Son and Spirit to bring about the plan of salvation) relates to these doctrines. This was a helpful chapter, though it felt oddly placed as it's focused on unity - why wasn't it earlier on, perhaps between chapters 5 and 6?
Chapter 7 teaches that Eternal generation is critical to the gospel, this chapter argues that alternative modern doctrines of the trinity that sacrifice Eternal generation ultimately undermine our hope, if the Son of God is not eternally the son of the Father how can we be sure of adoption as sons through union with him?
Chapter 8 teaches that Eternal Functional Subordination, the idea that the Son eternally submitted to the father is a serious error that verges on heretical and if pushed consistently actually rips the heart out of the gospel.
Concluding Thoughts
Reading a book like this should inspire worship - and it does, and it rightly ends by declaring the praises of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Much of the style is really helpful for bringing a reader into it - many anecdotes are used some personal to the author, some fictitious (identified as such) that make it feel very relatable. A recurring motive of using the DeLorean (from Back to the Future) to go back in time and find better doctrine may draw some readers in.
Part of me wants to reccomend this far and wide and buy a stack to give away but I'm not sure.... So much of this book is polemical, and maybe that's unavoidable but it feels painful to think about that such wonderful truths are being fought over inside the camp of evangelical christians. So as I said at the start of this brief review; I'm in two minds.
April 5, 2021
Wow. Loved it. Was like drinking from a fire hydrant. Read Barrett’s “none Greater” followed by “simply Trinity” and I don’t think you will be disappointed
May 29, 2024
Fantástico! Leitura obrigatória para quem quiser meditar na verdade mais fundamental do cristianismo.
March 20, 2021
Excellent! While probably not the book I’d recommend to those who have not read on the Trinity (I’d recommend Sander’s The Deep Things of God for that) before, this serves as an excellent primer on the orthodox understanding of the doctrine and it’s many distortions. The chapter on EFS is worth the price of the book.
April 26, 2021
Lots to like here. An accessible and robust defence of Nicene Trinitarian theology. The chapter arguing against the Eternal Subordination of the Son was pretty convincing and probably the most scriptural argument, somewhat ironically, (though I haven't read Grudem, Ware or really any others so maybe I'm missing something). However, maybe I'm just a "biblicist", but something didn't seem quite right. If you are going to call yourself an "evangelical" who believes in the ultimate authority of Scripture it does seem a little odd to make so many arguments that seem so detached from the simplicity of the biblical revelation of God. Had some quibbles with the silly illustrations as well. But a topic I want to read more on and, to be fair, I probably will try and go read some of the Church Fathers in the near future.
May 28, 2021
The main thrust of this book is articulating/retrieving Nicene Orthodoxy and its language in a context where theology drifts away from the classical doctrine of Trinity (i.e social trinitarianism). There's a lot of great stuff in here (the chapters on EFS and eternal generation are simply great) and, while it may not be an easy introduction to the topic, I'm convinced it will be a rewarding read.
December 31, 2021
There’s been a lot of discussion about controversies about the Trinity among Evangelical circles the last few years and do you want to not only be informed about these discussions but also see a defense of the historic view? Specifically the book examines Social Trinitarianism across the theological spectrum and also the doctrine of the Eternal Functional Subordination (EFS). The author Matthew Barrett who is the Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has given us a great resource for not only Baptists but the greater Reformed world and Evangelicals and Protestants. I found the book engaging, biblical, informative, fair to those whom he disagree with and at times funny and witty yet also God exalting and worshipful.
The book consists of ten chapters grouped in two parts. After the opening chapter on “Trinity adrift” part one is on “How Did we Drift Away?” followed by part two “How do we find our way home?” Part one consists of two chapters with the first on why we can trust the Church fathers with the Trinity and the second gives us a survey and history of Social Trinitarianism. Part two is explains the historic Orthodox view of the Trinity and also its defense along with critiques of Social Trinitarians and EFS advocates’ error. There’s quite a lot of discussion about the Members of the Trinity relations and also the economic versus and Immanent Trinity.
For some readers of this review, the question might arise “Why is this book important?” The danger that Barrett sees with Social Trinitarianism that is prevalent among some circles is that it is not only unbiblical but also to have a view of the Trinity in terms of the members as “society” also risks being Tritheism (there are three gods instead of One God). There’s also the issue of some Evangelicals not engaging or even being aware of some of the lobbed against the historical view of the Trinity has already been dealt with in church history. What was extremely helpful for me as I read this is to read of the author’s own journey as part of the regular everyday Evangelical Christian in college and seminaries hearing some of these teachings that he’s critiquing. I give the author much credit for representing EFS correctly as I have seem some people online equivocate EFS as the same thing as Arianism. Still Barrett does think EFS is problematic and his evaluation and criticism lands where its suppose to instead of on strawman. I think a big factor of this is the author’s own tutlege under Evangelical EFS advocate Bruce Ware and also the author’s reading of Wayne Grudem.
I appreciate the author’s use of analogies and his own stories from his life to help us better understand what he’s trying to teach; this was quite helpful and also puts the readers at ease as the topic at first glance can be quite intimidating for some! I won’t be able to write down everything I learned from this book in this review as the subject matter is heavy and the pages the author has in this book is quite a decent amount. But it is worth pointing out that a powerful point that the author made in this book is that it is important to make a distinction between the Economic Trinity versus the Immanent Trinity. There’s a relationship with both though we can see the distinction between the Trinity as the Trinity is (Immanent Trinity) and the Trinity in the work and relations with Creation for things such as the act of Creation and Salvation (Economic Trinity). This important category must be kept in mind as EFS advocates makes the faulty assumption that simply showing roles that seems subordinate between the Son to the Father must mean in eternity must mean the Son is subordinate to the Father. The works of the Triune God is always from eternity even with the Economic Trinity. Here the author then consider the contexts of these passages and notes the subject manner has to do with the Triune God saving us so its economic Trinity that is in view. And we must be careful not to read the economic Trinity back into Immanent Trinity. One thing (of many things) that I did learn that was new as a result of reading this book is the doctrine of Divine Appropriation. I’ve wondered from time to time about how we reconcile God’s act as being one while also the Biblical data makes clear that Members of the Trinity plays different roles with certain acts like Salvation that suggests many acts. This is the doctrine that God works is one when considered as Ad Extra but in that single act there are personal properties unique to each Members of the Trinity Ad Intra. Even as I read this book I also realize there’s so much I still need to learn and do further study such as the one authored by the theologian who wrote the forward: Scott Swain.
I do recommend this book. It might not be the first book on the Trinity I recommend but as one studies more the Biblical Data, wrestle with historical theology, systematic theology, confront heresies and face new concepts of the Trinity (that are actually not totally all new) this book will be important.
The book consists of ten chapters grouped in two parts. After the opening chapter on “Trinity adrift” part one is on “How Did we Drift Away?” followed by part two “How do we find our way home?” Part one consists of two chapters with the first on why we can trust the Church fathers with the Trinity and the second gives us a survey and history of Social Trinitarianism. Part two is explains the historic Orthodox view of the Trinity and also its defense along with critiques of Social Trinitarians and EFS advocates’ error. There’s quite a lot of discussion about the Members of the Trinity relations and also the economic versus and Immanent Trinity.
For some readers of this review, the question might arise “Why is this book important?” The danger that Barrett sees with Social Trinitarianism that is prevalent among some circles is that it is not only unbiblical but also to have a view of the Trinity in terms of the members as “society” also risks being Tritheism (there are three gods instead of One God). There’s also the issue of some Evangelicals not engaging or even being aware of some of the lobbed against the historical view of the Trinity has already been dealt with in church history. What was extremely helpful for me as I read this is to read of the author’s own journey as part of the regular everyday Evangelical Christian in college and seminaries hearing some of these teachings that he’s critiquing. I give the author much credit for representing EFS correctly as I have seem some people online equivocate EFS as the same thing as Arianism. Still Barrett does think EFS is problematic and his evaluation and criticism lands where its suppose to instead of on strawman. I think a big factor of this is the author’s own tutlege under Evangelical EFS advocate Bruce Ware and also the author’s reading of Wayne Grudem.
I appreciate the author’s use of analogies and his own stories from his life to help us better understand what he’s trying to teach; this was quite helpful and also puts the readers at ease as the topic at first glance can be quite intimidating for some! I won’t be able to write down everything I learned from this book in this review as the subject matter is heavy and the pages the author has in this book is quite a decent amount. But it is worth pointing out that a powerful point that the author made in this book is that it is important to make a distinction between the Economic Trinity versus the Immanent Trinity. There’s a relationship with both though we can see the distinction between the Trinity as the Trinity is (Immanent Trinity) and the Trinity in the work and relations with Creation for things such as the act of Creation and Salvation (Economic Trinity). This important category must be kept in mind as EFS advocates makes the faulty assumption that simply showing roles that seems subordinate between the Son to the Father must mean in eternity must mean the Son is subordinate to the Father. The works of the Triune God is always from eternity even with the Economic Trinity. Here the author then consider the contexts of these passages and notes the subject manner has to do with the Triune God saving us so its economic Trinity that is in view. And we must be careful not to read the economic Trinity back into Immanent Trinity. One thing (of many things) that I did learn that was new as a result of reading this book is the doctrine of Divine Appropriation. I’ve wondered from time to time about how we reconcile God’s act as being one while also the Biblical data makes clear that Members of the Trinity plays different roles with certain acts like Salvation that suggests many acts. This is the doctrine that God works is one when considered as Ad Extra but in that single act there are personal properties unique to each Members of the Trinity Ad Intra. Even as I read this book I also realize there’s so much I still need to learn and do further study such as the one authored by the theologian who wrote the forward: Scott Swain.
I do recommend this book. It might not be the first book on the Trinity I recommend but as one studies more the Biblical Data, wrestle with historical theology, systematic theology, confront heresies and face new concepts of the Trinity (that are actually not totally all new) this book will be important.
April 20, 2023
Why are groups like Oneness Pentecostals and Latter-Day Saints considered to be outside the bounds of acceptable expressions of the Christian faith, despite their confessing to believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? It’s because these groups have tampered with expressions and redefined these names, corrupting or outright rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity, a foundational truth of Christianity. So it should make us very nervous when people who purport to teach God’s Word come along with expressions or explanations of this historic creedal doctrine that depart from what has been received, held, and defended by the universal church since the days of the church fathers. It is against these historically novel innovations that this book is written.
Far from ignoring or failing to handle the Word, Barrett demonstrates the orthodox, thoroughly biblical nature of the traditional creedal understanding of the God we worship in unity and Trinity, explaining how Sabellianism, Arianism, Subordinationism, Adoptionism, etc are errors that are not limited to the Trinity itself, but have unavoidable ripple effects to all other doctrines, including that of our own salvation.
Barrett begins by surveying the myriad of ways the Trinity has been co-opted toward the service of various often-conflicting human social models, including socialism, complementarianism, egalitarianism, and more. He also includes a chapter later on the modern view known as Eternal Functional Subordination (EFS, among other names for it), showing how it cannot be considered to be within the bounds of creedal orthodoxy. Those who teach it should give long thought to the implications of this point, and be cautious before dismissing the wisdom, logic, and biblical arguments of their theological forebears in favor of what might seem to be a reasonable view of the three Persons of the Trinity, but which in reality damages the Creator/creature distinction, destroys divine simplicity, and flirts with tritheism by embracing a “social Trinity.”
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio version, diving into several of the works Barrett references along the way. Thomas Aquinas’ work on eternal generation and spiration was one particularly enlightening example.
Pastors, teachers, take up and read. Laypersons, do the same. This edifying book will help you to better understand our great God, three in one, and defend the truth of Scripture and how he has revealed himself.
For reference: https://credomag.com/simplytrinity/?amp
Far from ignoring or failing to handle the Word, Barrett demonstrates the orthodox, thoroughly biblical nature of the traditional creedal understanding of the God we worship in unity and Trinity, explaining how Sabellianism, Arianism, Subordinationism, Adoptionism, etc are errors that are not limited to the Trinity itself, but have unavoidable ripple effects to all other doctrines, including that of our own salvation.
Barrett begins by surveying the myriad of ways the Trinity has been co-opted toward the service of various often-conflicting human social models, including socialism, complementarianism, egalitarianism, and more. He also includes a chapter later on the modern view known as Eternal Functional Subordination (EFS, among other names for it), showing how it cannot be considered to be within the bounds of creedal orthodoxy. Those who teach it should give long thought to the implications of this point, and be cautious before dismissing the wisdom, logic, and biblical arguments of their theological forebears in favor of what might seem to be a reasonable view of the three Persons of the Trinity, but which in reality damages the Creator/creature distinction, destroys divine simplicity, and flirts with tritheism by embracing a “social Trinity.”
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio version, diving into several of the works Barrett references along the way. Thomas Aquinas’ work on eternal generation and spiration was one particularly enlightening example.
Pastors, teachers, take up and read. Laypersons, do the same. This edifying book will help you to better understand our great God, three in one, and defend the truth of Scripture and how he has revealed himself.
For reference: https://credomag.com/simplytrinity/?amp
April 17, 2021
This was undoubtedly the most-anticipated title of 2021, and I’m thrilled to say it was worth every minute of the wait! As was the case with the equally-superb None Greater, Barrett explains incredibly complex technical issues with patience and lucidity. He also—and even more importantly—goes to great lengths to demonstrate why the classically orthodox formulations of the Trinity MATTER. The chapter on Eternal Functional Subordination alone is worth the price of the title, in my judgment.
My only real quibble with this book (and it is just that, the most minor of annoyances) is that some of the illustrative motifs are inconsistent or just don’t land well (e.g., the Back to the Future references seem really forced and unnecessary). That aside, this is a superb volume on Classical Trinitarianism that I recommend wholeheartedly to everyone. And read alongside Barrett’s None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God, this is a masterful introduction to the Doctrine of God that will stimulate the intellect and provoke the heart to worship and to the fear of the Lord.
My only real quibble with this book (and it is just that, the most minor of annoyances) is that some of the illustrative motifs are inconsistent or just don’t land well (e.g., the Back to the Future references seem really forced and unnecessary). That aside, this is a superb volume on Classical Trinitarianism that I recommend wholeheartedly to everyone. And read alongside Barrett’s None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God, this is a masterful introduction to the Doctrine of God that will stimulate the intellect and provoke the heart to worship and to the fear of the Lord.
February 10, 2023
Outstanding!
This book is honestly testimonial for me, and something I will return to time and again for both questions and refreshment. This book acts as basically a capstone on my study of Trinitarian theology in the last year and trying to plant my feet on a more solid doctrine of God.
Around January of last year I was in a very real crisis, theologically surrounding the Trinity and the doctrine of God for about a week. Might sound overreacting to some but it was honestly scary. I went to read Scott Swain’s “The Trinity: An introduction” book, published by Crossway, which I highly recommend, and he brought up the theological notion of eternal functional subordination of the Son. I had never heard of such a thing, formally. And yet there were theologians I highly respected, but apparently purported such a view. Something immediately felt off and didn’t sit right with me. And yet, the bare biblicist approach of the guys who supported it was hard to argue with, initially.
That of course then led to my curiosity and coming into contact with an entire Internet controversy regarding Trinitarian Theology in 2016 with various theologians involved. In about a week, I must’ve read 50 online articles and scholarly essays from various different people and outlets, learning what they considered as orthodox trinitarianism. Whether EFS, as it was known, would take the day, or classical theism, which others called the historic position. I distinctly remember at one point sitting on my bed at night with about five different systematic theologies spread across the bed and honestly confused on whether I actually worshiped the right God or not…scared, sad, and asking God for help. Whether the God I worshiped and had communed with for so many years was a god of my own making/idol, or the genuine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I eventually landed on the classical theistic position for many different reasons, most of which are outlined in this book in far better fashion than I could say. And after being convinced of it biblically and theologically, while doing various portions of reading, I came across this book, and added it to the list. In came out in the nick of time and I heard it’s the definitive contemporary book on such a subject that’s still accessible and not too academically heady. I’m glad I read it! So worshipful to say the least.
I’m thankful for men like Matthew Barrett, who are going to speak the truth in love, and I hope the church get this right.
God is not to be misrepresented, or there will be dire consequences.
This book is honestly testimonial for me, and something I will return to time and again for both questions and refreshment. This book acts as basically a capstone on my study of Trinitarian theology in the last year and trying to plant my feet on a more solid doctrine of God.
Around January of last year I was in a very real crisis, theologically surrounding the Trinity and the doctrine of God for about a week. Might sound overreacting to some but it was honestly scary. I went to read Scott Swain’s “The Trinity: An introduction” book, published by Crossway, which I highly recommend, and he brought up the theological notion of eternal functional subordination of the Son. I had never heard of such a thing, formally. And yet there were theologians I highly respected, but apparently purported such a view. Something immediately felt off and didn’t sit right with me. And yet, the bare biblicist approach of the guys who supported it was hard to argue with, initially.
That of course then led to my curiosity and coming into contact with an entire Internet controversy regarding Trinitarian Theology in 2016 with various theologians involved. In about a week, I must’ve read 50 online articles and scholarly essays from various different people and outlets, learning what they considered as orthodox trinitarianism. Whether EFS, as it was known, would take the day, or classical theism, which others called the historic position. I distinctly remember at one point sitting on my bed at night with about five different systematic theologies spread across the bed and honestly confused on whether I actually worshiped the right God or not…scared, sad, and asking God for help. Whether the God I worshiped and had communed with for so many years was a god of my own making/idol, or the genuine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I eventually landed on the classical theistic position for many different reasons, most of which are outlined in this book in far better fashion than I could say. And after being convinced of it biblically and theologically, while doing various portions of reading, I came across this book, and added it to the list. In came out in the nick of time and I heard it’s the definitive contemporary book on such a subject that’s still accessible and not too academically heady. I’m glad I read it! So worshipful to say the least.
I’m thankful for men like Matthew Barrett, who are going to speak the truth in love, and I hope the church get this right.
God is not to be misrepresented, or there will be dire consequences.
December 14, 2024
Barrett is a very accessible writer, meaning that this book is excellent for those who want to broach this topic without being bombarded by academic language that accomplishes precisely the opposite of what it means to. Author recommended by my pastor, it was a good recommendation. Barrett has no time to entertain heretics and cuts to the chase pretty quickly. Very helpful for an essay distinguishing truth and error!
March 14, 2021
It is Simply Great (did you see what I did there?).
But seriously, Barrett does a fantastic job spanning the gap between the pew and the lectern. I think you'll find this book to be both stretching and very doxological! Tolle Lege!
But seriously, Barrett does a fantastic job spanning the gap between the pew and the lectern. I think you'll find this book to be both stretching and very doxological! Tolle Lege!
November 3, 2025
Very good! It took me a long time to get through this book. Very heady and takes a ton of brain power to understand what the pages are communicating. Highly recommend but make sure you have a pen and a highlighter because you WILL be making notes in the margins.
May 6, 2022
Deserving of all the praise it's received, Barrett argues for historic, orthodox, Nicene trinitarianism from Scripture against novel form of social trinitarianism
October 29, 2024
This is by far the most helpful book on the Trinity I have read. So much rich truth packed in one place.
October 20, 2025
Fantastic book, but a lot to take in. It would make an excellent book for a Sunday School class, reading group, etc.
July 28, 2022
I’m extremely grateful for the work Matthew Barrett is doing to help evangelicals recover the Great Tradition, especially in regard to the doctrine of God and the trinity. This book covers all the essentials, but it was a little longer than it needed to be and as a result was hard to finish. But finishing it was worth it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews