The splendour of the three - 27 November 2009 |
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Here are some of the questions for session 8 of the Guided Reading Course.
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, pp. 82-99
1. What do the persons of the Trinity have in common? How are they distinguished?
2. What biblical texts could be adduced to support (a) the essential oneness of God; (b) the distinctions between the divine persons; (c) the essential deity of each of the divine persons?
3. What kind of ‘subordination’ exists between the persons of the Trinity (p. 88)? What kind of ‘subordination’ does not exist?
4. What trinitarian error(s) might lie behind the statement, ‘There is one God, and he shows himself as three persons’?
Calvin, Institutes, I.xiii
1. What two conclusions does Calvin draw from the statement in Hebrews 1:3 that ‘the Son of God is called “the stamp of the Father’s hypostasis”’ (I.xiii.2)?
2. After outlining some of the terminological confusion that had dogged trinitarian discussion over the centuries, Calvin defines the key terms (as he sees them) in I.xiii.6. What are these terms, and what do they mean?
3. How does Calvin prove the deity of the Son in sections 7-13? What do you make of his arguments?
4. How does Calvin prove the deity of the Spirit sections 14-15? What do you make of his arguments?
5. How, according to Calvin, do the NT texts concerning baptism establish the oneness of the Father, Son and Spirit? Do you agree with this argument?
6. What does Calvin think about ‘illustrations’ of the Trinity (I.xiii.18)? Given what we have learned in previous sessions about (a) the doctrine of ‘accommodation’ and (b) the relationship between God’s attributes and the created order, why might we be inclined to seek such illustrations? Can you think of any reasons why illustrations of the Trinity should be avoided in principle?
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Guided Reading Course, Minister's Blog