For many years the Trinity was an obscure field of study which only strange academic sorts actually cared about. All this has changed in the recent decades. There has been a revival of interest in the doctrine of the Trinity and its history. What was once an arcane theological subject, has for a variety of reasons come to be a “hot” topic. Some of them are seeking rationalistic explanations and are well on their way to Unitarianism or some other form of ancient heresy. Others, however, are looking for the opportunity to reconnect to the very roots of their Christianity.
This Festival of Holy Trinity is unique in the Church year in that it really celebrates a doctrine, a doctrine that was subscribed to at what can be thought of as the mother of all voters meetings, the councils of Nicea and Constantinople in the years 325 and 381 respectively. Since this is a while ago, perhaps a bit of review is in order.
The Bible had referenced all three members of the Trinity in a number of places, but the relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had never really been explicitly stated in Scripture, at least not in a way that everyone could agree to. We know that this was an issue for some in the first centuries of the Church because as early as Tertullian in the late second century and Origen in the 3rd Century, there are statements about the Trinity. This simmered along for some time. It was not that the Church did not care about such things, but it was making the transition from movement to institution and for several decades in here it was facing brutal persecution by the Roman Empire. Other matters seem to have occupied them, naturally.
But by the time Constantine ascended to the throne, he needed to deal with this. In some large cities the Trinitarian debate was spilling out of the Church into the streets, with various proponents of one or another teaching about Christ’s relationship to the Father nearly rioting. It was because he wanted to solve this problem, giving him a united Church behind him as he stood in the gap against the barbarians, that he called the first council in Nicea.
Everyone was concerned that they maintain continuity with the Old Testament where it was clearly stated that there was only one God (Deut 6:4, Is 40-43, etc) But how did one then account for the Son and the Father? Two Gods was out, but what were they if not a singular One?
The debate continued and building on the word of John some would suggest that Jesus was a human body with a divine soul. Through centuries of debate, the Western church professes One God with Three Persons. All revolves around the cross and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which gives the gift of salvation which we celebrate. On the Feast of the Holy Trinity we say the words of the Nicene Creed because we believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Our Lutheran Church is a creedal church which means we regularly join together in professing our faith by using the Apostle’s Creed or Nicene Creed which helps us to strengthen our faith in the Triune God.