Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Spotify | Email | RSS
In this episode I discuss thirteen bad reasons for switching one’s theology from trinitarian to unitarian, reasons which I’ve actually encountered “in the wild.” Some of these claims are false. Others are true but not relevant enough. Others are vague (false on some interpretations but true on others) but never a good reason for switch.
These reasons are:
- “The Trinity” is incoherent (i.e. self-contradictory).
- Trinitarians simply confuse together Jesus and God.
- “The Trinity” amounts to three gods.
- Unitarian Christian theology is the only Christian way to be monotheistic.
- The Trinity was invented at Nicea – or at least at one of those councils.
- Trinitarians have always been vicious persecutors.
- “The Trinity” has pagan roots.
- The New Testament is Hebraic, not Hellenistic. But you need Hellenistic terminology to even state “the doctrine of the Trinity.”
- Jesus did not teach “the Trinity.”
- The word “Trinity” is not in the Bible.
- Trinity theories are confusing.
- Most Christians in officially trinitarian groups are confused about what “the Trinity” amounts to and are afraid to look into the matter.
- The most learned trinitarians disagree with one another about what “the doctrine of the Trinity” is.
I explain in detail why in my view each of these is a bad reason for switching. When I switched, it was not for any of these reasons.
Then I briefly mention two good reasons to switch, and answer some interesting listener questions.
Links for this episode:
You can support the trinities podcast at patreon.com.
The Standard Opening Move [of apologists re: “the Trinity”]
An argument against Son-modalism
on confusing Jesus together with God: “A letter from the Lord Jesus: About God and Me,” podcast 124 – a challenge to “Jesus is God” apologists, Debate – “Is Jesus Human and not Divine?” – Dr. Dale Tuggy vs. Chris Date
podcast 302 – The Stages of Trinitarian Commitment
podcast 260 – How to Argue that the Bible is Trinitarian
on getting clear about what monotheism is: podcast 164 – On Counting Gods
The Reluctant Theologian Podcast
podcast 13 – On Bauckham’s Bargain
Finnegan, Platonic Christianity – Rejecting the Kingdom of God as “Crude”
podcast 248 – How Trinity theories conflict with the Bible
podcast 189 – The unfinished business of the Reformation
podcast 191 – Ware’s Outline of the Testimony of Scripture Against the Trinity
podcast 260 – How to Argue that the Bible is Trinitarian
podcast 235 – The Case Against Preexistence
podcast 63 – Thomas Belsham and other scholars on John 8:58
podcast 62 – Dr. Dustin Smith on the preexistence of Jesus in the gospel of John
podcast 61 – Dr. Dustin Smith on preexistence in ancient Jewish thought
podcast 80 – Foreknowledge, Freedom, and Randomness
Boyd, God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction To The Open View Of God
podcast 316 – Review of Papandrea, Trinity 101: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
podcast 281 – Introducing the Unitarian Christian Alliance
The Church of God General Conference
podcast 227 – Who Should Christians Worship?
This week’s thinking music is “Mai Tai Beach” by Little Glass Men.”
Whoa, big speed bump here when you said in regard to John 3:13 that there are some Old Testament figures who have ascended into heaven. Elijah, Enoch and Moses were taken up or translated or transferred to another place in order to be replaced by successors, rather than being taken death. I have no problem with Jesus’ plain speaking in John 3:13. Nowhere in the Scripture does ‘translate’ mean ‘make immortal’. Paul paraphrases Jesus’ plain speaking in 1st Tim. 6:13-16:
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and [before] Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14 That thou keep [this] commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, [who is] the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Comments are closed.