I've been thinking about the previous thread that we have been discussing on Trinitarianism, along with the disussion on 'wholeness' in Kelly's recent 'Good Words' email. It brought to mind the words of Conrad Noel, in discussing the Athanasian Creed:
"And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must think thus of the Trinity."
"Whosoever wills to be safe or whole must thus think of the Trinity; wholeness, then, depends not so much on feeling as on thought; every man or woman must 'think.' Safety does not depend on action, for action must arise out of right thinking. Safety does not depend on emotion, for essential as is true emotion, emotionalism may be your ruin. Every one must use his mind according to the degree of intelligence which God has given him; if the mind is never used it will become atrophied. ... When the followers of St Athanasius declare that the doctrine of the Trinity is incomprehensible, they do not mean that we are to not to think it out and understand it so far as may be, but that in the last analysis God is beyond all human understanding; the Infinite is beyond the intelligence of the finite.
Let us consider the Blessed Trinity as the source of our own personal lives and the life of the world. Each one of us is a trinity in unity - body mind and spirit: the disunity between these is not according to the original intention of the Triune God. The world has in it plenty of variety, but the variety is not always healthy, is often antagonistic and discordant, because it is not a variety in unity, and does not yet express the 'Three in One and One in Three.' It cannot be said of the world that, as at present constituted, that it contains no differences or inequalities, or that within it 'none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another.' We look forward to a world of infinite variety in harmony, of living unity, not of dead uniformity,; if man is to create so delightful a world, he 'must thus think of the Trinity' for it is the will of the Triune God to inspire men to renew the world in such a way as to make it the perfect expression of His own Being." - Conral Noel [Jesus the Heretic]
Let us consider the Blessed Trinity as the source of our own personal lives and the life of the world. Each one of us is a trinity in unity - body mind and spirit: the disunity between these is not according to the original intention of the Triune God. The world has in it plenty of variety, but the variety is not always healthy, is often antagonistic and discordant, because it is not a variety in unity, and does not yet express the 'Three in One and One in Three.' It cannot be said of the world that, as at present constituted, that it contains no differences or inequalities, or that within it 'none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another.' We look forward to a world of infinite variety in harmony, of living unity, not of dead uniformity,; if man is to create so delightful a world, he 'must thus think of the Trinity' for it is the will of the Triune God to inspire men to renew the world in such a way as to make it the perfect expression of His own Being." - Conral Noel [Jesus the Heretic]
Thoughts?
The Creed of Saint Athanasius (select verses)
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord.
And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be both God and Lord,
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another;
But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved must think thus of the Trinity.
4 comments:
Just fyi, I've posted this week's Good Words over on my blog.
From Coach:
The word MUST to achieve salvation by means of the trinity seems ode to me when preaching harmony thru variety. I use ode for its suffix meaning-road. I see the trinity as a path chosen, not the only (MUST) road.
It seems to me that Noel is extremely antagonistic when he says we MUST believe in the trinity to achieve salvation. Who does he think he is? God?
If our faith leads us to God by way of the trinity, then blessed is he or she that arrives at the throne. No less are those who arrive by another faith. This is harmony without discord.
You MUST remember that M@M's come in more then three colors......Dr. are you fly fishing again? Peace to all Coach.
@Coach:
I don't think that Noel is trying to be antagonistic. I think he's presupposing that you are Christian and thus believe the Christian doctrine of the trinity (consider the audience for whom he wrote the book), and that he doesn't mean "must" in that you "need to" believe it, but instead that he's using the trinity as an example of harmony in variety. Noel makes use of the trinity as an example because his audience would all understand what he meant.
Coach - thanks for the comment. Not only was it amusing, but it highlighed something I have a tendency to overlook to some extent - that people can take wildy different meanings from the same piece of text.
Firstly, the word 'must' is used by Noel in reflection of its use in the Athanasian Creed (which is one of the founding documents of the Anglican church, found in the Historical Documents section of the BCP). Secondly, it seems to me (and please correct me if I'm wrong!) that your interpretation on reading was "MUST thinnk of the TRINITY", whereas my interpretation is closer to "must THINK of the Trinity." Thirdly, I should point out that Noel's theology was one of corporal salvation - that is salvation of humanity, rather than of personal salvation, by bringing about a more just and balanced world. He was certainly not suggesting that, in order to 'go to Heaven' one 'must think of the Trinity.' Indeed, he was effectively a universalist. As Kelly points out, his statement was written to those in the Anglican church, for whom the Trinity was an established and accepted theological contruct. Thus, Noel was actually trying to draw our attention to that fact that, unless we are able to think of many individuals who are all different, yet are of equal standing (worth); who collectively sum to the one Humanity, we have little chance of bringing about a the kind of Just earthly world that would more truly express the immanent God. He does not mean that thinking of the Trinity itself is necessart to this end - he meant it figuratively to represent a certain mindset, if you will.
Sorry for the very rushed response - I've got to catch a plane! Will write more from the UK :-)
All the best!
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