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New Studies in Dogmatics
The Triune God
New Studies in Dogmatics seeks to retrieve the riches of Christian doctrine for the sake of contemporary theological renewal. Following in the tradition of G. C. Berkouwer’s Studies in Dogmatics, this series will provide thoughtful, concise, and readable treatments of major theological topics, expressing the biblical, creedal, and confessional shape of Christian doctrine for a contemporary evangelical audience. The editors and contributors share a common conviction that the way forward in constructive systematic theology lies in building upon the foundations laid in the church’s historic understanding of the Word of God as professed in its creeds, councils, and confessions, and by its most trusted teachers.
254 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2016
72 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
About the author
Fred Sanders
75 books211 followersFred Sanders is professor of theology at Biola University's Torrey Honors College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 24, 2025
4.5/5 (rounded up)
The Triune God is an excellent work of dogmatics in an age where the church desperately needs to recover an understanding of God that is big, classical, and Trinitarian. Sanders calls the Trinity “top shelf” theology, and his work lives up to it.
Fair warning: this is not Trinity 101; it’s more like 301. This is not the place to begin going deeper on Theology Proper. A solid grasp that God is one Being yet three Persons is absolutely essential first. It would also be helpful to be generally aware of key areas within Trinitarian theology - especially the processions and missions - and recent historical trends. For example, I know a little of the resistance towards and decline in Trinitarian theology that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries yet found those chapters difficult to follow.
Given this high bar, is reading The Triune God worth the effort? Unequivocally. Sanders discusses with great detail the relationship between the Trinity and revelation, the eternal relations of origin, inseparable operations, and Trinitarian exegesis, just to name a few. If I was limited to only one takeaway, however, the reflections on God’s self revelation as Father, Son, and Spirit in connection to salvation were beautiful. “Theoretically speaking, God could have accomplished a kind of salvation for us without especially communicating himself or his identity to us. There is nothing conceptually incoherent in doing the former without the latter, and in fact recognizing the possibility of this counterfactual, this redemption without revelation, turns our attention to the unexpected graciousness of God in making redemption serve the end of revelation.” (106) In other words, God could have saved us without making Himself known, yet He chooses to reveal Himself in the acts of the Father sending the Son and Spirit. What sweet joy! God freely gives not merely salvation but Himself.
I’ll close with a quote from Hilary of Poitiers, “Since we are to discourse of the things of God, let us assume that God has full knowledge of Himself, and bow with humble reverence to His words. For He Whom we can only know through His own utterances is the fitting witness concerning Himself. (234)
The Triune God is an excellent work of dogmatics in an age where the church desperately needs to recover an understanding of God that is big, classical, and Trinitarian. Sanders calls the Trinity “top shelf” theology, and his work lives up to it.
Fair warning: this is not Trinity 101; it’s more like 301. This is not the place to begin going deeper on Theology Proper. A solid grasp that God is one Being yet three Persons is absolutely essential first. It would also be helpful to be generally aware of key areas within Trinitarian theology - especially the processions and missions - and recent historical trends. For example, I know a little of the resistance towards and decline in Trinitarian theology that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries yet found those chapters difficult to follow.
Given this high bar, is reading The Triune God worth the effort? Unequivocally. Sanders discusses with great detail the relationship between the Trinity and revelation, the eternal relations of origin, inseparable operations, and Trinitarian exegesis, just to name a few. If I was limited to only one takeaway, however, the reflections on God’s self revelation as Father, Son, and Spirit in connection to salvation were beautiful. “Theoretically speaking, God could have accomplished a kind of salvation for us without especially communicating himself or his identity to us. There is nothing conceptually incoherent in doing the former without the latter, and in fact recognizing the possibility of this counterfactual, this redemption without revelation, turns our attention to the unexpected graciousness of God in making redemption serve the end of revelation.” (106) In other words, God could have saved us without making Himself known, yet He chooses to reveal Himself in the acts of the Father sending the Son and Spirit. What sweet joy! God freely gives not merely salvation but Himself.
I’ll close with a quote from Hilary of Poitiers, “Since we are to discourse of the things of God, let us assume that God has full knowledge of Himself, and bow with humble reverence to His words. For He Whom we can only know through His own utterances is the fitting witness concerning Himself. (234)
January 16, 2025
There is so much about this book that is excellent. I love the way that Sanders interweaves his unpacking of the Trinity with a pretty thoroughgoing doctrine of revelation. I loved the focus on the missions of the Son and the Spirit, the really judicious engagement with tradition and particularly with the powerhouses of twentieth century Trinitarian reflection, the careful qualifying of our vocabulary, and the insistence on eternal generation. He has a great opening chapter, beginning with praise. I loved the adoption of Warfield's scheme: the Trinity is revealed in neither the old testament nor the new, but in the coming of the Son and the Spirit. And he's always so irenic to boot. So winsome. I was particularly thankful for Sanders' thoroughgoing commitment to the Bible throughout: I thought at so many points he articulated just my frustration with the way the Trinity is often taught. His 11 theses at the end are brilliant, and the 10th had me whooping with delight: 'The revelation of the Trinity in Scripture is perfect.' Amen. The paragraph that follows that heading is worth at least half the price of the book. His two page articulation of the Rule of Faith had me physically nodding along! And I loved the way that he combined an appropriate gratitude to the patristics with a ready willingness to refine their interpretive methods. This is TIS/retrieval that I can definitely get on board with!
It's not perfect. I thought that the final two chapters were the weakest in the book. The chapter on New Testament attestation felt strangely thin: good on the baptismal formula (but dare I say it, a little over reliant on the baptismal formula?) But I'm sure there's more to say on the Trinity in the New Testament than we had here. This is maybe a problem with the ordering of the book (which had many benefits): having treated the missions of the Son and the Spirit earlier, he didn't say much about them here. But surely John and Luke-Acts for a start have an awful lot to say about those missions that takes us right to the heart of the Bible's explicit Trinitarianism? He had an excellent couple of pages in the final chapter on the way that old and new testament function together to exert a strongly Trinitarian pressure, and cited Bauckham as one example of the kind of thing he had in mind. But there was surely more to say on that score as well? Likewise, there must be more to say on his category of hyperfulfilment and eschatology. Again, I think a definite downside of the ordering of his book was that he treated the Old Testament primarily as something that we reread in the light of the coming of Jesus (true enough), rather than as something that sets up its own expectations for the eschatological arrival of the LORD. Maybe we needed two OT chapters, rather than one? And maybe a movement that goes OT-missions-NT-OT is actually more faithful to the pattern of biblical revelation than missions-NT-OT? Instead, he gave what I'd suggest was slightly undue, and slightly confusing, attention to prosoponic exegesis as his almost parting shot. I probably need to read Bates on that score, as having read both Carter and Sanders I'm still not entirely clear on the difference between prosoponic exegesis and sensitive literary exegesis with an eye to whole Bible context on the one hand (where Sanders seems to be), and straight-up allegory on the other. To me, it felt like the focus on prosoponic exegesis had more to do with tipping the cap to the 'retrieval agenda' of the series (on which Sanders was refreshingly light overall!) than a clearly established case that this was the best possible place to end the book. But as I said, maybe I'm just not getting it. Finally, there's the written style, which is smart, but sometimes slightly too smart - there was more than one occasion when a good one liner got in the way of real clarity.
But what am I doing? This was an excellent book: measured, fresh, thought-provoking, clear, helpful. I'll definitely be reading this one again. I loved it.
It's not perfect. I thought that the final two chapters were the weakest in the book. The chapter on New Testament attestation felt strangely thin: good on the baptismal formula (but dare I say it, a little over reliant on the baptismal formula?) But I'm sure there's more to say on the Trinity in the New Testament than we had here. This is maybe a problem with the ordering of the book (which had many benefits): having treated the missions of the Son and the Spirit earlier, he didn't say much about them here. But surely John and Luke-Acts for a start have an awful lot to say about those missions that takes us right to the heart of the Bible's explicit Trinitarianism? He had an excellent couple of pages in the final chapter on the way that old and new testament function together to exert a strongly Trinitarian pressure, and cited Bauckham as one example of the kind of thing he had in mind. But there was surely more to say on that score as well? Likewise, there must be more to say on his category of hyperfulfilment and eschatology. Again, I think a definite downside of the ordering of his book was that he treated the Old Testament primarily as something that we reread in the light of the coming of Jesus (true enough), rather than as something that sets up its own expectations for the eschatological arrival of the LORD. Maybe we needed two OT chapters, rather than one? And maybe a movement that goes OT-missions-NT-OT is actually more faithful to the pattern of biblical revelation than missions-NT-OT? Instead, he gave what I'd suggest was slightly undue, and slightly confusing, attention to prosoponic exegesis as his almost parting shot. I probably need to read Bates on that score, as having read both Carter and Sanders I'm still not entirely clear on the difference between prosoponic exegesis and sensitive literary exegesis with an eye to whole Bible context on the one hand (where Sanders seems to be), and straight-up allegory on the other. To me, it felt like the focus on prosoponic exegesis had more to do with tipping the cap to the 'retrieval agenda' of the series (on which Sanders was refreshingly light overall!) than a clearly established case that this was the best possible place to end the book. But as I said, maybe I'm just not getting it. Finally, there's the written style, which is smart, but sometimes slightly too smart - there was more than one occasion when a good one liner got in the way of real clarity.
But what am I doing? This was an excellent book: measured, fresh, thought-provoking, clear, helpful. I'll definitely be reading this one again. I loved it.
November 14, 2024
Very good.
February 3, 2023
the parts I understood, though infrequent and sporadic, were great!
May 11, 2020
One of the most accessible, resourced, and well organized treatments on the Trinity I ever read.
January 30, 2023
Fred Sander's work on the doctrine of the Trinity is a very helpful work for those (like me) who seek to better understand the nature of the God who is three in one. Sanders explores historical theology as well as biblical in order to come to his conclusions. While it can be a bit hard to read at some points, Sanders does well to give a full view of this essential doctrine in a short page-count. One of the most powerful points that Sanders is constantly driving home is how God's triune nature is primarily revealed in the act of salvation history: the very sending of the Son and Spirit from the Father. This is the perfect book for anyone who would like a more detailed and academic introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity.
September 26, 2023
One of my favorites on the doctrine of the Trinity. Most helpful in thinking about how the triune nature of God has been revealed, and thus how one should construct the doctrine. Also appreciated how Sanders starts with doxology, which unfortunately is easy to leave out when doing theology.
Book for God and Humanity at CTS.
Book for God and Humanity at CTS.
July 31, 2019
A book of this size is never going to comprehensively cover the subject of the Holy Trinity, that said this book opened my mind to a whole world of current thinking I had never imagined. I was studying the book as part of a theology degree course and so had the added bonus of watching the really helpful videos by the author that accompany the book. This really added to the experience, and somehow earthed the academic in my mind making him seem a little more mortal (sic).
A great read, and I'd thoroughly recommend it.
A great read, and I'd thoroughly recommend it.
October 13, 2017
My review of this book is very much predicated on my personal reasons for deciding to read it; so this isn't a thoroughgoing assessment of it as a whole, just a review of how it addressed the questions with which I came to it.
Recently, I've had to re-examine assumed/inherited views on the Trinity, inherited as defaults from my conservative evangelical circles:
1. The eternal submission of the Son (which had its own furore last year) - something widespread and assumed among complimentarians such as myself, thanks to the likes of CBMW
2. The clarity of Trinitarian revelation in the Old Testament. Most evangelicals are still fairly reserved on this, but the current preoccupation with "reclaiming" the Trinity seems to have led more people to be open to believe in a historically unusual level of OT clarity. The increasing popularity of Mike Reeves and Glen Scrivener has contributed to that significantly. I've found their position, at varying times and degrees, quite attractive)
Now, Sanders' book is in no way a direct response to either of those issues. However, knowing that Sanders was a strong advocate of classical Trinitarianism, I went to this book looking for the resources and groundwork to provide strong defences of the classical and historic Christian views on the above topics - namely, that the Son is not eternally and essentially submissive to the Father, and that the Trinity is a progressively revealed.
Sanders gives a masterful overview of historic Trinitarian theology, landing the reader well in the present state of affairs. Despite the series title of New Studies in Dogmatics, Sanders isn't trying to introduce innovation, but rather to ultimately defend and clarify classical Trinitarianism. The most "innovative" thing he does is reclaim things lost or obscured in contemporary Trinitarian theology. The two most notable examples of this are:
- advocate a return to the historic language of "internal processions" and "external missions" to describe Triune action
- advocate a reclaiming of "prosoponic exegesis" - discerning the different persons of the Trinity "speaking" to one another in OT texts, especially the Psalms; this would be a reclamation of the practice of the Church Fathers who formulated the doctrine in the first place
After reading this, I feel much more robustly grounded in the classical positions on the issues I've mentioned at the start - not because the book addressed them or their advocates head on, but because it firmly established what the orthodox consensus has always been, making it much easier to see why a belief in eternal submission, or extreme OT clarity, are rightly regarded as fringe views.
Also, Sanders is a funny guy. There's a Thomas Aquinas pun deftly woven into one section of the book which had me laughing out loud on the train.
Recently, I've had to re-examine assumed/inherited views on the Trinity, inherited as defaults from my conservative evangelical circles:
1. The eternal submission of the Son (which had its own furore last year) - something widespread and assumed among complimentarians such as myself, thanks to the likes of CBMW
2. The clarity of Trinitarian revelation in the Old Testament. Most evangelicals are still fairly reserved on this, but the current preoccupation with "reclaiming" the Trinity seems to have led more people to be open to believe in a historically unusual level of OT clarity. The increasing popularity of Mike Reeves and Glen Scrivener has contributed to that significantly. I've found their position, at varying times and degrees, quite attractive)
Now, Sanders' book is in no way a direct response to either of those issues. However, knowing that Sanders was a strong advocate of classical Trinitarianism, I went to this book looking for the resources and groundwork to provide strong defences of the classical and historic Christian views on the above topics - namely, that the Son is not eternally and essentially submissive to the Father, and that the Trinity is a progressively revealed.
Sanders gives a masterful overview of historic Trinitarian theology, landing the reader well in the present state of affairs. Despite the series title of New Studies in Dogmatics, Sanders isn't trying to introduce innovation, but rather to ultimately defend and clarify classical Trinitarianism. The most "innovative" thing he does is reclaim things lost or obscured in contemporary Trinitarian theology. The two most notable examples of this are:
- advocate a return to the historic language of "internal processions" and "external missions" to describe Triune action
- advocate a reclaiming of "prosoponic exegesis" - discerning the different persons of the Trinity "speaking" to one another in OT texts, especially the Psalms; this would be a reclamation of the practice of the Church Fathers who formulated the doctrine in the first place
After reading this, I feel much more robustly grounded in the classical positions on the issues I've mentioned at the start - not because the book addressed them or their advocates head on, but because it firmly established what the orthodox consensus has always been, making it much easier to see why a belief in eternal submission, or extreme OT clarity, are rightly regarded as fringe views.
Also, Sanders is a funny guy. There's a Thomas Aquinas pun deftly woven into one section of the book which had me laughing out loud on the train.
July 5, 2025
I am persuaded- now totally - that the Trinity is the fundamental doctrine that all Christians should get to know (surely that’s no surprise?) and that we don’t teach it well enough in most evangelical churches. We’re generally good with exegetical preaching, but strangely diminish the need for Biblical and Systematic Theology. These are the threads that make better sense of our overall bible understanding, and through the Holy Spirit, lead us to a fuller praise and glory of God. This book has simply served to reinforce that conviction.
Sanders’s book is exemplary, but it’s not quite what I’d expected. Rather than an explanation, It’s a methodology for getting to know the trinity, and so it feels as though it needs an accompanying book that applies his methods (Scott Swain’s book ‘an introduction to the Trinity is next, and that may do just that). Yet there are some essential truths here that can be dwelt upon deliciously. Here’s one example, we need to come to the trinity with a better doctrine of revelation: think carefully now; how does God reveal himself? And the answer is through the visible (to us) generation of his son and the procession of the Spirit. Not so much revealed in scripture but attested to, particularly with the New Testament. And so on and so forth.
The penultimate chapter on how the Old Testament speaks of the trinity is the most obscure and one I found tougher to grasp, and at times the whole book can be a little tricky to read but it pays back the effort. Ultimately it is bookended in praise; rightly so that is where the subject should start and finish. It comes across as a vivid methodology rather than something purely crisp and academic.
Firmly and warmly recommended.
Sanders’s book is exemplary, but it’s not quite what I’d expected. Rather than an explanation, It’s a methodology for getting to know the trinity, and so it feels as though it needs an accompanying book that applies his methods (Scott Swain’s book ‘an introduction to the Trinity is next, and that may do just that). Yet there are some essential truths here that can be dwelt upon deliciously. Here’s one example, we need to come to the trinity with a better doctrine of revelation: think carefully now; how does God reveal himself? And the answer is through the visible (to us) generation of his son and the procession of the Spirit. Not so much revealed in scripture but attested to, particularly with the New Testament. And so on and so forth.
The penultimate chapter on how the Old Testament speaks of the trinity is the most obscure and one I found tougher to grasp, and at times the whole book can be a little tricky to read but it pays back the effort. Ultimately it is bookended in praise; rightly so that is where the subject should start and finish. It comes across as a vivid methodology rather than something purely crisp and academic.
Firmly and warmly recommended.
November 3, 2023
Really good, yet not much a systematic/dogmatic treatment as I first thought. I was surprised by the matters Sanders decided to deals with and others he didn't. For exemple, much time is given to hermeneutical considerations and not much directly on the procession of the Son and the spiration of the Spirit per se. I would surely not recommend this book to someone for a first dogmatic treatment of the blessed Trinity, but it is really good for someone go want to go further and deepen his thoughts and maybe discover new fields of considerations.
Here is a quote where Sanders kind of resume his book : "Our preliminary exercises were a call to worship (chapter 1) and a strategic revision of the doctrine of revelation (chapters 2 and 3). We began our treatise on the Trinity proper with a thick dogmatic description of the events of incarnation and Pentecost, that is, the actual revelatory interventions of the Son and the Holy Spirit into the economy of salvation (chapter 4), and then traced its implications for the being of God (chapter 5). We then proceeded, after some hermeneutical considerations (chapter 6), to the New Testament’s attestation of the Trinitarian revelation (chapter 7) and finally to the Old Testament’s adumbration (chapter 8). Methodus est arbritraria (see chapter 4) [...]" (p.211)
Here is a quote where Sanders kind of resume his book : "Our preliminary exercises were a call to worship (chapter 1) and a strategic revision of the doctrine of revelation (chapters 2 and 3). We began our treatise on the Trinity proper with a thick dogmatic description of the events of incarnation and Pentecost, that is, the actual revelatory interventions of the Son and the Holy Spirit into the economy of salvation (chapter 4), and then traced its implications for the being of God (chapter 5). We then proceeded, after some hermeneutical considerations (chapter 6), to the New Testament’s attestation of the Trinitarian revelation (chapter 7) and finally to the Old Testament’s adumbration (chapter 8). Methodus est arbritraria (see chapter 4) [...]" (p.211)
February 4, 2023
The book is a decent introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity. I would say that it suffers from Sanders’ writing style which I would characterize as unnecessarily erudite. The book also lacks conciseness. The book is full of Sanders’ personal tangents on systematic theology which clearly demonstrate his very high level of learning, but often creates a lack of clarity. If you’re really knowledgeable about the Trinity already, I think you will enjoy dialoging with Sanders and appreciate his insights.
March 21, 2020
This book started off a bit slowly. Dense and technical, but I think it accomplished it’s purpose in drawing the reader into greater awe and deeper worship of the trinity. It approached the topic in a unique way, beginning with a discussion on the nature of revelation. I look forward to reading his other book on the trinity
September 10, 2022
A slightly eccentric (in structure/argumentation) but ultimately workmanlike volume on the Trinity. I recently read Jamieson and Wittman's Biblical Reasoning, which was exceptional, and Sanders seemed weak, by contrast, in his dogmatic formulations; but then the last chapter, on Old Testament adumbrations of the Trinity, made everything worth it.
January 16, 2025
An excellent work! I appreciate Sanders’ focus on bringing all theological discussion back to doxology, and for his clarity in parsing theological issues, with a particularly helpful representation and investigation of voices from the church’s past.
April 22, 2019
I was looking forward to reading this but found it wasn't for me in the end. The style with its overdose of academic words just made for heavy reading. Sorry, Mr Sanders.
January 7, 2020
Generally a very helpful and orthodox treatment of the Trinity. My only complaint is that the section on the New Testament texts on Trinitarian theology was rather truncated.
August 22, 2021
Very enjoyable
April 27, 2018
Fred Sanders is Professor of Theology in the Torey Honors Institute at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He received an MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary and a PhD from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Sanders is the author or editor of numerous books, including Advancing Trinitarian Theology: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics and The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything. Still, Sanders’ most significant contribution to the contemporary conversation regarding Trinitarian theology is undoubtebly his recent volume in the New Studies in Dogmatics series.
The Triune God seeks to secure the reader’s knowledge of the triune God by rightly ordering the theological language more closely to the manner that the Trinity was revealed—a gift of divine revelation before theological achievement of the Christian church. Sanders showcases the heart of the New Studies in Dogmatics series, as he labors to retrieve the riches of classical Christian doctrine regarding the nature of God for the sake of contemporary theological renewal. Sanders is persuasive and articulate, and he does much to offer the readers a demonstration of Trinitarian exegesis that leads doctrinal conviction expressed in worship.
The Triune God is organized unconventionally, as Sanders acknowledges (p. 19). In the initial chapter, Sanders places the doctrine of the Trinity as “a doxological movement of thought that gives glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (p. 20). This directs the reader’s heart and mind towards a necessary attunement to begin the exploration. The following chapters set the doctrine of the Trinity within a biblical theology of mystery, the communicative missions of the Son and Spirit, and then the Scriptural form of that communication is examined from the Incarnation to Pentecost. The remaining chapters explore the implications of God’s redemptive actions in the sending of himself and positions the reader towards a model of Trinitarian exegesis, which is then used to explore the Trinitarian presences in the Old Testament. This structure indicates a crucial order to be observed in the reader’s knowledge of the Trinity: revelation in the missions, attestation in the New Testament, and adumbration in the Old Testament (p. 23).
The strengths of The Triune God are evident as the reader exits the initial chapters. Sanders is a gifted communicator and well-acquainted with conversations new and old about the Trinity. The book is carefully written and wonderfully presented. The structural organization of the book is somewhat odd in comparison to other works on the market of similar scope. But, as the reader discovers the intentionality behind such approach and witnesses impact therein, it is hard to see this as a shortcoming. In fact, accompanied by Sanders’ logical coherence of the subject matter, it is easily one of the book’s biggest strength. Readers will especially appreciate Sanders keen ability to bring the reader back to Scripture while remaining in conversation with Christians from nearly every era of redemptive history. This is definitely an academic engagement on the subject and some readers will do better to explore other options. Nevertheless, this is also one of the best treatments on the Trinity available today.
The Triune God by Fred Sanders is simply excellent. It begins with worship and ends with a deep adoration for God. Sanders is rooted in Scripture and centered on the missional nature of the Son and Spirit. It is clearly written and persuasively presented. If you are looking for a tour de force journey into the most important theological conviction of the Christian faith, then The Triune God is an essential read. It comes recommended without hesitation!
The Triune God seeks to secure the reader’s knowledge of the triune God by rightly ordering the theological language more closely to the manner that the Trinity was revealed—a gift of divine revelation before theological achievement of the Christian church. Sanders showcases the heart of the New Studies in Dogmatics series, as he labors to retrieve the riches of classical Christian doctrine regarding the nature of God for the sake of contemporary theological renewal. Sanders is persuasive and articulate, and he does much to offer the readers a demonstration of Trinitarian exegesis that leads doctrinal conviction expressed in worship.
The Triune God is organized unconventionally, as Sanders acknowledges (p. 19). In the initial chapter, Sanders places the doctrine of the Trinity as “a doxological movement of thought that gives glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (p. 20). This directs the reader’s heart and mind towards a necessary attunement to begin the exploration. The following chapters set the doctrine of the Trinity within a biblical theology of mystery, the communicative missions of the Son and Spirit, and then the Scriptural form of that communication is examined from the Incarnation to Pentecost. The remaining chapters explore the implications of God’s redemptive actions in the sending of himself and positions the reader towards a model of Trinitarian exegesis, which is then used to explore the Trinitarian presences in the Old Testament. This structure indicates a crucial order to be observed in the reader’s knowledge of the Trinity: revelation in the missions, attestation in the New Testament, and adumbration in the Old Testament (p. 23).
The strengths of The Triune God are evident as the reader exits the initial chapters. Sanders is a gifted communicator and well-acquainted with conversations new and old about the Trinity. The book is carefully written and wonderfully presented. The structural organization of the book is somewhat odd in comparison to other works on the market of similar scope. But, as the reader discovers the intentionality behind such approach and witnesses impact therein, it is hard to see this as a shortcoming. In fact, accompanied by Sanders’ logical coherence of the subject matter, it is easily one of the book’s biggest strength. Readers will especially appreciate Sanders keen ability to bring the reader back to Scripture while remaining in conversation with Christians from nearly every era of redemptive history. This is definitely an academic engagement on the subject and some readers will do better to explore other options. Nevertheless, this is also one of the best treatments on the Trinity available today.
The Triune God by Fred Sanders is simply excellent. It begins with worship and ends with a deep adoration for God. Sanders is rooted in Scripture and centered on the missional nature of the Son and Spirit. It is clearly written and persuasively presented. If you are looking for a tour de force journey into the most important theological conviction of the Christian faith, then The Triune God is an essential read. It comes recommended without hesitation!
July 4, 2017
Such a great and necessary work. Sanders does a fine job at identifying the actual problems at the heart of various trinitarian debates which have occurred and will certainly continue to occur. The strength of this book is its emphasis on methodology: how does one formulate dogmatic statements about the doctrine of the Trinity? There a few major ideas that resurface over the course of the book, and they are (among others: the notion that doctrine of the Trinity should be understood in terms mission (ad extra) and procession (as intra), that the definitive revelation of the doctrine of the Trinity is the mission of the Trinity executed in the incarnation and Pentecost (the mission of God the Father sending the Son and the Spirit), and that the NT documents are inspired Revelation that recount that act of revelation (which is why one shouldn't expect to find rigid formulaic summaries about the Trinity explicitly in Scripture: God's triune nature is assumed and alluded to in every biblical theological category--they can't function properly unless God *is* triune).
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What is especially important is Sander's emphasis on a canonical reading of Scripture--that Scripture is a unified work comprised of two testaments that mutually depend on one another. This point led to a fascinating and encouraging discussion on the patristic hermeneutic; Sanders takes the best that modern scholarship has to offer by way of historical criticism and exegesis and willingly grants that the patristics made some horrible exegetical moves in their own time. Nevertheless he points out why these infractions ought to be quickly forgiven (albeit not repeated), and also explains why their imperfect hermeneutic led to dogmatic statements that have proven dependable through the ages: their overall understanding of the Trinity was correct because of their canonical hermeneutic--they may have missed some of the trees, but saw and grasped the forest. This is why some modern exegetes may be able to do rigorous and impressive scholarship on the micro-level (something like, Paul's use of *this* word in *this verse*) and thereby disprove any given patristic interpretation of a single text, while simultaneously being light years behind said Patristic when it comes to having a true, biblical, robust doctrine of the Trinity. The exegete must be given permission to read the Scriptures like a *christian* in order for his exegesis to finally be true and *biblical* in a meaningful sense. That is, he must be given permission to reject the atomistic impulse to isolate texts from one another, and see them instead as composite parts of a whole.
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All in all, Sanders' contribution with this book is that he demonstrates that a true trinitarianism falls short of nothing less than an understanding of the whole history of salvation as Trinitarian mission (and self-revelation); it cannot be sidelined as a distant, abstract doctrine. The gospel and the revelation of the Trinity go hand in hand, they need one another. We would not have the gospel without God's self-Revelation in his Triune execution of his Triune mission, and we would not know that God is Triune without His mission to save us through the gospel.
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What is especially important is Sander's emphasis on a canonical reading of Scripture--that Scripture is a unified work comprised of two testaments that mutually depend on one another. This point led to a fascinating and encouraging discussion on the patristic hermeneutic; Sanders takes the best that modern scholarship has to offer by way of historical criticism and exegesis and willingly grants that the patristics made some horrible exegetical moves in their own time. Nevertheless he points out why these infractions ought to be quickly forgiven (albeit not repeated), and also explains why their imperfect hermeneutic led to dogmatic statements that have proven dependable through the ages: their overall understanding of the Trinity was correct because of their canonical hermeneutic--they may have missed some of the trees, but saw and grasped the forest. This is why some modern exegetes may be able to do rigorous and impressive scholarship on the micro-level (something like, Paul's use of *this* word in *this verse*) and thereby disprove any given patristic interpretation of a single text, while simultaneously being light years behind said Patristic when it comes to having a true, biblical, robust doctrine of the Trinity. The exegete must be given permission to read the Scriptures like a *christian* in order for his exegesis to finally be true and *biblical* in a meaningful sense. That is, he must be given permission to reject the atomistic impulse to isolate texts from one another, and see them instead as composite parts of a whole.
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All in all, Sanders' contribution with this book is that he demonstrates that a true trinitarianism falls short of nothing less than an understanding of the whole history of salvation as Trinitarian mission (and self-revelation); it cannot be sidelined as a distant, abstract doctrine. The gospel and the revelation of the Trinity go hand in hand, they need one another. We would not have the gospel without God's self-Revelation in his Triune execution of his Triune mission, and we would not know that God is Triune without His mission to save us through the gospel.
September 12, 2018
Fred Sanders does a fine job explaining our Triune God in this volume that’s part of the New Studies in Dogmatics series published by Zondervan. You may have heard about this series being in the tradition of Berkouwer’s Studies in Dogmatics. It’s fair to label it a success as it excels in theological penetration and is at times dogmatic! Scholars have lined up to praise it and it’s easily one of the better volumes on the subject of the Trinity.
He doesn’t consume himself with the historical development of the doctrine but approaches the doctrine head on instead. That is, to my mind, a great approach. Many books drown in the history and make little contribution to actual understanding so this book will be more effective for most readers.
He begins with doxology which is the perfect approach for such a far-reaching doctrinal subject about our God. He describes trinitarian doctrine as “a doctrine about God, spoken in the presence of God, to the end of praising God.”
Next, he looks at the revelation of this doctrine. He probes deeply, interacts with other scholars, and explains “mystery”. The following chapter on the communicative mission of Each Person of the Trinity is key to his overall argument. There’s plenty of help here.
Chapters 4 and 5 look at the Incarnation and gets into procession within the Trinity. As you will see, there are plenty of ways to go off the rails here. Chapters 7 and 8 look at each Testament and its contribution to trinitarian doctrine separately. Chapter 9 is a wonderful summary of what we learned.
You will want at least two or three books in your library on the Trinity. Make this one of them!
I received this book free from the publisher. 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.
He doesn’t consume himself with the historical development of the doctrine but approaches the doctrine head on instead. That is, to my mind, a great approach. Many books drown in the history and make little contribution to actual understanding so this book will be more effective for most readers.
He begins with doxology which is the perfect approach for such a far-reaching doctrinal subject about our God. He describes trinitarian doctrine as “a doctrine about God, spoken in the presence of God, to the end of praising God.”
Next, he looks at the revelation of this doctrine. He probes deeply, interacts with other scholars, and explains “mystery”. The following chapter on the communicative mission of Each Person of the Trinity is key to his overall argument. There’s plenty of help here.
Chapters 4 and 5 look at the Incarnation and gets into procession within the Trinity. As you will see, there are plenty of ways to go off the rails here. Chapters 7 and 8 look at each Testament and its contribution to trinitarian doctrine separately. Chapter 9 is a wonderful summary of what we learned.
You will want at least two or three books in your library on the Trinity. Make this one of them!
I received this book free from the publisher. 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.
January 3, 2021
Having completed The Deep Things of God by Sanders only recently, I was encouraged by that to continue with The Triune God, a book I was having a hard time getting my head into.
Sanders has a very large brain. In a bid to apply the Trinity to those of us whose brains are smaller and in a practical way, Deep Things was written. For those who want a bit more of the philosophy and history of Trinitarian thought, The Triune God was written.
Had I not already completed Deep Things, I might have simply given up on Triune God and, sadly, perhaps have retreated from what I think are truths that lay more bedrock down under the practicalities Sanders outlines in his former work.
I think I read them in the right order. Start off with Deep Things. Then, if you fancy a taste of something deeper than… er… Deep Things, get hold of Triune God. In it, Sanders will help you understand things like ‘procession’ and grapple with old chestnuts like what term to use for each ‘person’ of the Trinity.
But although there is a lot of technical stuff in here, there are two standout things that I appreciated in Sanders’ approach. Firstly, he begins with praise, he starts with a doxology to the Trinity itself. He then points out that the purpose of Trinitarian study should be to help us fully understand God as he has revealed himself and that the purpose of this is praise. Definitely preaching to the choir here. Right up my street.
Secondly, he makes clear the distinction between the Old Testament adumbration (shadowing) of the Trinity and its New Testament revelation (showing). This was when I started to have thoughts which brought a lot into clarity. He takes some time to unpack the fact that, to those in the Old Testament period, God would, from the outside, appear to be a monolith and thus convey the essential nature of God as one.
Once the Son and the Spirit had been sent, we were therefore allowed a glimpse into who God is in himself. We’ve spent our time ever since trying to get our heads around the immensity of this.
This also provides great clarity into why both Jewish and Muslim followers cannot bear us Christians going on about the Trinity. Their faiths allow no glimpse into God. For them, God has never approached them, come near and given them the right to become his children. They view him as outsiders. It’s no wonder then that, to them, God appears inscrutable and that, to us, he has characteristics we describe as Father, Son and Spirit. As Sanders put it himself:
"The only way to “view God” from an inside perspective is if the eternal relations of origin, in which the one God subsists these three ways, have been graciously made open to us in their salvation-historical extensions—the sendings of the Son and the Holy Spirit from the Father. Because that is what has happened, we confess three persons in the one God."
There’s an awful lot packed into Sanders’ book and, if you can get hold of the audio lecture series that accompanies it as I did, then you’ll have a great deal to chew over. This is a not a book that you read once and then put away to gather dust. It should be a reference and I should return to it again in years to come to further bed in these truths. Otherwise, I might just not be giving the God who has revealed all of himself to me all of the praise I can.
More reviews and the 1001 Books Spreadsheet at http://arukiyomi.com
Sanders has a very large brain. In a bid to apply the Trinity to those of us whose brains are smaller and in a practical way, Deep Things was written. For those who want a bit more of the philosophy and history of Trinitarian thought, The Triune God was written.
Had I not already completed Deep Things, I might have simply given up on Triune God and, sadly, perhaps have retreated from what I think are truths that lay more bedrock down under the practicalities Sanders outlines in his former work.
I think I read them in the right order. Start off with Deep Things. Then, if you fancy a taste of something deeper than… er… Deep Things, get hold of Triune God. In it, Sanders will help you understand things like ‘procession’ and grapple with old chestnuts like what term to use for each ‘person’ of the Trinity.
But although there is a lot of technical stuff in here, there are two standout things that I appreciated in Sanders’ approach. Firstly, he begins with praise, he starts with a doxology to the Trinity itself. He then points out that the purpose of Trinitarian study should be to help us fully understand God as he has revealed himself and that the purpose of this is praise. Definitely preaching to the choir here. Right up my street.
Secondly, he makes clear the distinction between the Old Testament adumbration (shadowing) of the Trinity and its New Testament revelation (showing). This was when I started to have thoughts which brought a lot into clarity. He takes some time to unpack the fact that, to those in the Old Testament period, God would, from the outside, appear to be a monolith and thus convey the essential nature of God as one.
Once the Son and the Spirit had been sent, we were therefore allowed a glimpse into who God is in himself. We’ve spent our time ever since trying to get our heads around the immensity of this.
This also provides great clarity into why both Jewish and Muslim followers cannot bear us Christians going on about the Trinity. Their faiths allow no glimpse into God. For them, God has never approached them, come near and given them the right to become his children. They view him as outsiders. It’s no wonder then that, to them, God appears inscrutable and that, to us, he has characteristics we describe as Father, Son and Spirit. As Sanders put it himself:
"The only way to “view God” from an inside perspective is if the eternal relations of origin, in which the one God subsists these three ways, have been graciously made open to us in their salvation-historical extensions—the sendings of the Son and the Holy Spirit from the Father. Because that is what has happened, we confess three persons in the one God."
There’s an awful lot packed into Sanders’ book and, if you can get hold of the audio lecture series that accompanies it as I did, then you’ll have a great deal to chew over. This is a not a book that you read once and then put away to gather dust. It should be a reference and I should return to it again in years to come to further bed in these truths. Otherwise, I might just not be giving the God who has revealed all of himself to me all of the praise I can.
More reviews and the 1001 Books Spreadsheet at http://arukiyomi.com
October 28, 2023
Fantastic yet Frustrating
Thought provoking, stimulating and not what I expected.
This book focusses on what approaches to reading scripture fit with faith in a plurality within divinity.
As a study in Dogmatics focussed on the Trinity I was expecting a similar book to Butner's "Trinitarian Dogmatics" and this is not that at all several significant aspects of the doctrine are affirmed but only touched on in passing (such as Simplicity and Inseparable Operations).
Summary
Triune worship seeking explanation is the entry point from there Sanders considers how this relates to our doctrine of scripture, the unity of the old and new testaments as one narrative of God's salvation centred upon the Incarnation and Pentecost.
He argues that these Divine Missions are extensions into Creation of eternal divine Processions (the Generation of the Son and Spiration of the Spirit) and as such serve to reveal those realities. Some time is spent considering the theological implications of those truths before closing with discussion of how this approach should impact our exegesis of specific types of passage in scripture.
Who's it for?
This should be a very useful book for people intending to read widely on the Nature of the Trinity OR the Study of Scripture, I would not recommend it for someone beginning to study these topics OR intending to finish their study with this book it is very clearly intended as an intermediate or advanced primer for further study.
Thought provoking, stimulating and not what I expected.
This book focusses on what approaches to reading scripture fit with faith in a plurality within divinity.
As a study in Dogmatics focussed on the Trinity I was expecting a similar book to Butner's "Trinitarian Dogmatics" and this is not that at all several significant aspects of the doctrine are affirmed but only touched on in passing (such as Simplicity and Inseparable Operations).
Summary
Triune worship seeking explanation is the entry point from there Sanders considers how this relates to our doctrine of scripture, the unity of the old and new testaments as one narrative of God's salvation centred upon the Incarnation and Pentecost.
He argues that these Divine Missions are extensions into Creation of eternal divine Processions (the Generation of the Son and Spiration of the Spirit) and as such serve to reveal those realities. Some time is spent considering the theological implications of those truths before closing with discussion of how this approach should impact our exegesis of specific types of passage in scripture.
Who's it for?
This should be a very useful book for people intending to read widely on the Nature of the Trinity OR the Study of Scripture, I would not recommend it for someone beginning to study these topics OR intending to finish their study with this book it is very clearly intended as an intermediate or advanced primer for further study.
December 12, 2020
Not an easy read, but a really rewarding one. In seminary, theology proper felt like the class I had the least preparation for and felt the most behind in. Sander's book was helpful to bring me along. I loved the quotations from Gerhohus the Great. He added custom-tailored versions of the Gloria Patri to each of the Psalms in his commentary. They are worshipful and rich! In his discussion of revelation, it was helpful to consider Warfield’s distinction between God’s revelation and the attestation in the NT. I really appreciated the connection between reading the Bible as a unified story and being able to observe the doctrine of the Trinity (he cites Irenaeus as an example of this). I was intrigued by how Sanders frontloads the relations of origin. In most handlings of the Trinity I have read, these are the final piece: the most speculative. He argues that the divine missions reveal the eternal relations and builds the concept of three persons off of their eternal personal properties.
The discussion of the usefulness of the terms immanent/economic Trinity left me a little confused. I think he doesn’t find the terms super helpful, but thinks they can be fine if those that use them clarify what they don’t mean. The section on prosoponic exegesis was fascinating! I was thankful for the clear illustration from Ps. 110. I will need to spend some time chewing on the introductory verses of Mark how he sees a Father-Son dialogue there!
The discussion of the usefulness of the terms immanent/economic Trinity left me a little confused. I think he doesn’t find the terms super helpful, but thinks they can be fine if those that use them clarify what they don’t mean. The section on prosoponic exegesis was fascinating! I was thankful for the clear illustration from Ps. 110. I will need to spend some time chewing on the introductory verses of Mark how he sees a Father-Son dialogue there!
March 3, 2023
Really great book! I loved Sanders' whole approach to the topic. Biblical, captivating, historical.
I particularly enjoyed how he tackled the issue of whether or not the Trinity is revealed in the Bible. His argument is that the Trinity was revealed supremely in the coming of the Son and Spirit so the Bible does reveal the Trinity because it prepares for that coming (OT) and gives us the apostolic outworking of their coming (NT). Brilliant answer!
Also enjoyed his argument against the idea of Economic and Ontological Trinity. If God is the One revealing Himself as Triune, thus giving us true revelation of Himself, then we are getting to know God in His essence, even if we can't fully know Him due to His greatness and our limitation.
My two critiques would be as follow:
1 - Sanders does expect his readers to know some of the vocabulary and ideas he is talking about. It got better at the end when he gave definitions for things like prosopological exegesis and converging hyperfulfilment.
2 - His argument for reading the Psalms prosopologically wasn't too convincing for me. It is true that the Psalms ultimately speak of Christ and point to Him. But it's also true that they were written by the human authors who themselves celebrated and struggled with the things they wrote. I wonder if Sanders overlooked that a bit.
All in all, a great book on the Trinity that will surely increase the understanding of the reader and lead him/her to praise our Triune God!
I particularly enjoyed how he tackled the issue of whether or not the Trinity is revealed in the Bible. His argument is that the Trinity was revealed supremely in the coming of the Son and Spirit so the Bible does reveal the Trinity because it prepares for that coming (OT) and gives us the apostolic outworking of their coming (NT). Brilliant answer!
Also enjoyed his argument against the idea of Economic and Ontological Trinity. If God is the One revealing Himself as Triune, thus giving us true revelation of Himself, then we are getting to know God in His essence, even if we can't fully know Him due to His greatness and our limitation.
My two critiques would be as follow:
1 - Sanders does expect his readers to know some of the vocabulary and ideas he is talking about. It got better at the end when he gave definitions for things like prosopological exegesis and converging hyperfulfilment.
2 - His argument for reading the Psalms prosopologically wasn't too convincing for me. It is true that the Psalms ultimately speak of Christ and point to Him. But it's also true that they were written by the human authors who themselves celebrated and struggled with the things they wrote. I wonder if Sanders overlooked that a bit.
All in all, a great book on the Trinity that will surely increase the understanding of the reader and lead him/her to praise our Triune God!
March 11, 2020
This is a book about how to read your bible, and often the best books are. In fact, as I read on kindle there were a number of times where I looked forward to reading sections over again in a hard copy even that I had read second and third times. There is very few more loving things someone can do for you than help you read your bible with a bigger view of God and that is exactly what Sanders so clearly sets out to do in this book. As a book about hermeneutics, however, I was surprised how at times I couldn't go all the way with him on his doctrine of Scripture and in particular Holy Scripture itself as supernatural revelation in how we comprehend the doctrine of God. I know there would be agreement on it, however, and as a whole, this book felt like it filled a giant gap in my own theology and thinking for which I am very grateful. But again, what could make this an enduring standard work of dogmatics is precisely that it is a statement of the doctrine of God and yet is aimed so directly at helping us read our bibles, just amazing. Can't wait to read it again in hard copy, and not just because he said so. lol May all of our dogmatic theology be aimed for such real help and so by being principally concerned with doing justice to what the bible is saying we have not yet listened to find about God and what is he is doing!
July 15, 2019
Careful and rigorous discussion of the Trinity. Sanders excels in tying the Trinitarian statements of Christian tradition tightly with the content of Scripture. Understanding Scripture's teaching on the Trinity also requires careful consideration of how we ought to read and interpret the Bible. I was well-served by Sanders' comments there. He seems to have taken some of the best of the Theological Interpretation of Scripture trend and presented it in a way that is pastoral and useful, and brings makes biblical interpretation an attainable discipline.
His method of using the missions of the Trinity (sending the Son in the Incarnation and the Spirit at Pentecost) is simple and profound--I found it very helpful in clarifying proper habits in how we speak about and learn about the persons of the Trinity. I found his lack of comment on the filioque clause (that the Son with the Father sent the Spirit) confusing, and was often distracted while reading by that curious silence.
Extremely helpful and edifying book.
His method of using the missions of the Trinity (sending the Son in the Incarnation and the Spirit at Pentecost) is simple and profound--I found it very helpful in clarifying proper habits in how we speak about and learn about the persons of the Trinity. I found his lack of comment on the filioque clause (that the Son with the Father sent the Spirit) confusing, and was often distracted while reading by that curious silence.
Extremely helpful and edifying book.
June 2, 2022
This is not a book for those seeking quick answers on the Trinity. It rather aims at a more all-round remedying of the way we think about and demonstrate to others the doctrine of the Trinity.
This book is extremely insightful, and wise in its cautions to us, readers.
I began reading this book because I wanted to learn more about the inner relations of the Trinity. I can't say I walked away totally satisfied on this point, even though I learned a ton about the Trinity.
The author repeatedly says throughout the book: the missions of the Son and the Spirit in history (i.e., the sending of the Son and the Spirit for our salvation in history) reveal the relations of the Trinity in eternity. This is a massive pillar of the book. I just wish he did more work to actually prove this thesis. If he did this, I'd give this book 5 stars. I felt that he worked around the thesis without actually proving it. He discussed why it's important and the dangers of neglecting it, but what I needed was for the truth of this thesis itself to be Biblically demonstrated.
This book is extremely insightful, and wise in its cautions to us, readers.
I began reading this book because I wanted to learn more about the inner relations of the Trinity. I can't say I walked away totally satisfied on this point, even though I learned a ton about the Trinity.
The author repeatedly says throughout the book: the missions of the Son and the Spirit in history (i.e., the sending of the Son and the Spirit for our salvation in history) reveal the relations of the Trinity in eternity. This is a massive pillar of the book. I just wish he did more work to actually prove this thesis. If he did this, I'd give this book 5 stars. I felt that he worked around the thesis without actually proving it. He discussed why it's important and the dangers of neglecting it, but what I needed was for the truth of this thesis itself to be Biblically demonstrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2025
Begins with praise, as this is origin of the doctrine of the Trinity. Sander’s emphasis is that we can’t start with God’s being but with his speaking or action. The revelation of the Trinity comes through the sending of the Son and Spirit and thus is tied to salvation. Only after this can we talk about persons since Syst Theo and metaphysics must serve Scripture. Appreciated his approach to rereading the OT.
A good more advanced starting place for the Trinity. Some places felt a little drawn out and could have been shorter especially on the sending. Unsure how much the doxological movement is sustained in his approach. I often feel like this language is great, but what does it mean? Especially as the foundation of an approach (20).
90% is the focus still revelation?
A good more advanced starting place for the Trinity. Some places felt a little drawn out and could have been shorter especially on the sending. Unsure how much the doxological movement is sustained in his approach. I often feel like this language is great, but what does it mean? Especially as the foundation of an approach (20).
90% is the focus still revelation?
February 4, 2018
This book was promising for a variety of reasons: 1) this series, New Studies in Dogmatics, has proven to be promising and 2) Fred Sanders is a kind of authority within evangelicalism on the trinity.
That being the case, I don’t really know what to do with this book. Perhaps the fault is my own, but I found it at times to be a little scattered and even confusing because of Sanders witticisms. In addition it strikes an odd note between pastoral and academic, which I usually commend but not so much here.
That being said, there was really interesting bits, especially those about Rahner’s Rule and it’s history. But that being the case, I think the best of this one can find elsewhere.
That being the case, I don’t really know what to do with this book. Perhaps the fault is my own, but I found it at times to be a little scattered and even confusing because of Sanders witticisms. In addition it strikes an odd note between pastoral and academic, which I usually commend but not so much here.
That being said, there was really interesting bits, especially those about Rahner’s Rule and it’s history. But that being the case, I think the best of this one can find elsewhere.
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