Trinity: The God We Don't Know

by Jason Byassee

Most people assume they know what they mean when they use the word “God.” They mean a powerful old guy in the sky ready to obliterate us if we do wrong but basically benevolent, if a little senile. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity shows us God is vastly more interesting. God is actually fleshed among us in Jesus, poured out on us in the Holy Spirit’s intoxication of the church. God is three divine persons in perfect harmony and beauty—and God invites us into that unimaginable intimacy. We don’t know this God, but we should. Trinity uses scripture, the Early Church tradition, and some modern theology to argue that God is a mystery whom we can’t understand but who can shape our misunderstanding to allow for faithful living and holy love of God and neighbor.“JasonByassee thinks like a theologian, writes like a journalist, andcommunicates like a storyteller. We live in a time of trinitariandissonance, when the central doctrine of the Christian faith isstrangely neglected by most Christians. Byassee’s wonderful explorationof the Trinity offers a remedy for that by providing a meat-and-potatoesintroduction to the God who is at once Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Anexcellent spiritual guide for both mature Christians and those brandnew to the Christian faith.” —Rev. Dr. Andrew C. Thompson, AssistantProfessor of Historical Theology &Wesleyan Studies, MemphisTheological Seminary, Memphis, TN, and Wesley Scholar for the ArkansasConference of the United Methodist Church“Intrying to communicate the trinitarian relationship, Byassee succeeds inmaking the indescribable a little more coherent while reminding us ofthe all-consuming love of God. Trinity is a little book ofrigorous thought and deep devotion. It is rare these days to find a workof theology that stirs the intellect, the heart, and the spirit. And Ihave to admit, in reading this book, I fell in love with the Holy Spiritall over again." —Enuma Okoro, Nigerian-American writer, speaker, andaward-winning author of Reluctant Pilgrim, Silence, and Common A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

Genres: Theology

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2015

Reviews

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are of course dissenting views, but it is safe to say that the vast majority of Christians around the world confess God as Trinity (One God in three persons). Of course, you won’t find the word Trinity in the Bible, which is sufficient proof to some that it is an unbiblical idea, and best left aside. That said, most Trinitarians (myself among them) would respond that while the word is not there and a precise formula isn’t present, the foundations for what became the doctrine of the Trinity is present in the New Testament (not just Matthew 28:19-20). It probably would have been much simpler if the emerging church had not chosen to embrace Trinitarianism, but to do so made it more difficult to understand the place of Jesus in the conversation. Even Arius, who rejected Trinitarianism as an innovation, believed that even if Jesus wasn’t equal to God he was more than merely a human being. Having wrestled with what to do with Jesus, the church began to recognize that the Holy Spirit had to be dealt with. Thus, over time, a fully formed doctrine of the Trinity emerged (even if it took nearly four centuries to accomplish.

Theologians have been haggling over the meaning of the Trinity for nearly two millennia. Many lay people confess God to be Trinity, but aren’t sure what to do with the doctrine. Complicating things today is the pressure to deal with the masculine language used by the church to describe/confess the Trinity. Many attempts to either simplify the conversation or to address language concerns leave us something less than a robust Trinitarian doctrine. One could, of course, declare that since theology/creeds divide we are better off putting our focus on deeds not creeds. Why bother with the Trinity when there are more important matters to be dealt with? Jason Byassee (along with series editor William Willimon) would beg to differ with this assessment. As the title of the series suggests, “belief matters.” Willimon writes in this introduction to this contribution to a new series of books written with lay persons in mind, “we wouldn’t have needed to believe that God is triune, the Trinity, if we had not met God as Jesus Christ. What Jesus said and how Jesus acted forced us into trinitarian theology” (p. xiii). The problem, as Byassee, notes is that many have bought the claim that “Trinitarian thought is recondite, obscure, unedifying nonsense” (p. xv). Since the Trinity is a difficult concept to explain, let alone embrace, we would rather just say the words and move on. That solution, however, is simply unacceptable to Byassee. In this brief book he sets about to rectify the situation.

To read the full review, go to my blog -- http://www.bobcornwall.com/2015/05/tr...

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I was seeking, so that is reflected in my rating. I needed a study book for my faith group, and this would be better as a reference book for a leader. I think the specified target audience of the “educated layperson” was misleading. I read the summary on Amazon and did the peek inside the book to read the introduction prior to purchase.

[Sandi G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough, intelligent, and enlightening discussion of what can be an abstract and ethereal subject.

[Brad Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a Pastor Theologian

Great little book from someone who is a theologian as well as a pastor. If I teach course of study again I will have to consider using it.

[Dave Pettengill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated this small book on the Trinity. It was a challenging read especially for some of the lay people in my group so I gave it a 4/5 for accessibility of a broad group