Trinity and Reality: An Introduction to the Christian Faith: An Introduction to the Christian Faith

by Ralph Allan Smith

The Trinity is the heart of the Christian gospel, but Father, Son, and Holy Spirit seldom occupy that position in contemporary discussions of the Christian worldview. This book helps fill the need by unveiling the Trinity at the center of reality. Ralph Smith shows how Trinitarian life shapes covenants, creation, revelation, miracle, kingdom, self, church, and eternity. He compares the Trinity to opposing viewpoints, including secularism and other religions, highlighting the practical implications of Trinitarian and non- Trinitarian views for the individual and society. This book provides basic training for all Christians, especially students, high school and up, who desire to transform the foundations of culture. Ralph Smith (M.Div. Grace Theological Seminary) is pastor of Mitaka Evangelical Church in Tokyo, Japan and serves as director of the Covenant Worldview Institute. See his online articles at berith.org. He and his wife Sylvia have three children, all with Hebrew names. But they live in Tokyo.

Genres: Theology

226 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Ralph Allan Smith (M.Div. Grace Theological Seminary, 1978). Pastor of Mitaka Evangelical Church since 1981; Director of Covenant Worldview Institute since 1988. Ralph and Sylvia married in 1976 and have been serving the Lord in Tokyo, Japan, since 1981.

Reviews

[Heather Denigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty formative book for me. Read it in my early teens. Smith presents the beauty, glory, joy, creativity, music and community within the Christian Trinitarian God. Read this to have a better taste of Who your God is.

[G Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was written for highschoolers, I think it can (read here should) be read and enjoyed by any from all ages. This is an important book, because it shows simply, concisely and practically the vital importance of a robust Trinitarian faith.
Smith is a very good communicator. While this book is accessible, it is NOT simplistic... Lots of rich theology is contained in these pages (Smith has done his spade work!)... I genuinely wish that more lay peoples would engage this book - their lives would be richer for doing so, perhaps in some way that would help the plight of the modern evangelical church.
Smith does have some weaknesses, in my view, especially in his Pneumatology (at times this work and elsewhere he almost makes the Holy Spirit sound like "the force", or a "bond of love") but simultaneously he affirms historical Christian orthodoxy... perhaps more my fault in my reading of him than anything else.
Great book! Truly so! Worthy of buying multiple copies to share as giveaways... Check out his other works on the Trinity too... His monographs (presently published by Canon Press) are worth their weight in gold and have brilliant insights. That said, his other works are deeper and less accessible (though still very much accessible!) than this work.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent introduction to Trinitarian studies, and I really enjoyed it when I first read it. Several (slight) problems:

1) There seems to be a veiled "Van Tillianism" lurking in the shadows of this book (e.g., the argument that without the Trinity you can't explain reality. This might be true but it is not what the early theologians of the church had in mind).

2) It is light on Trinitarian terminology and in dealing with the problems that theologians have had to wrestle with.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 2007, My comments were: "This book deserves to be added to the pantheon of useful books. It is subtitled "introduction to the Christian Faith" but it is a survey of Trinitarian thinking to the whole of Christian life. It is also a primer on covenantal theology".

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Trinity, what's the bid deal?" Answer, everything! The Trinity explains why the world is the way it is. The Trinity impacts society, philosophy, eternity, revelation, etc. This work should be the launching-pad for many more extensive works alone the same vein!

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great.

[Jason Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

helpful and insightful.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic.

Read in 2009. Again in 2013.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Smith is discussing the Trinity proper it's great, but he spends lots of time doing other things that aren't nearly as edifying.

[Bruce Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book was originally intended as a high school textbook, the writing is very profound and deep. This is a great study on the Triun God.