Required reading
Systematic Theology Volume 1 by Charles Hodge (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 6 (The trinity) by reading up to the heading '6. Examination of the Nicene Doctrine'.
My summary
This week Hodge continues to teach us about the trinity.
Firstly he outlines the difficulties in drawing up the Nicene creed. The difficulties included:
(i) the usage of certain important terms was not then determined;
(ii) the diversity of opinion among the Council's own members.
Secondly Hodge gives an overview of the origin of the Athanasian Creed in light of the Nicene Creed, particularly its clarificaiton regarding the person of the Spirit.
Thirdly Hodge demonstrates the points decided by the Councils. They ruled out:
(i) Sabellianism;
(ii) Arianism and semi-Arianism.
What grabbed me
I liked Hodge's comment on the subordination in the trinity: '1. The principle of the subordination of the Son to the Father, and of the Spirit to the Father and the Son. But this subordination does not imply inferiority. For as the same divine essence with all its infinite perfections is common to the Father, Son, and Spirit, there can be no inferiority of one person to the other in the Trinity. Neither does it imply posteriority ; for the divine essence common to the several persons is self-existent and eternal. The subordination intended is only that which concerns the mode of subsistence and operation, implied in the Scriptural facts that the Son is of the Father, and the Spirit is of the Father and the Son, and that the Father operates through the Son, and the Father and the Son through the Spirit.'
Just because persons are subordinate, that does not mean they are inferior.
Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 6 (The trinity).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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