Posted on 02/27/2022 1:03:56 PM PST by circlecity
I teach Sunday school at my Church. For our next study we will be doing a class on the Trinity - which I see the world and false Christians attacking more and more in contemporary society. The primary text I will be using is “The Forgotten Trinity” by Dr. James White. It is aimed at the layman and should be an excellent resource. But whenever I teach a subject I like to get immersed in it so I can respond to the inevitable tough questions the class always ends up throwing at me. Accordingly, I am looking for some other books on on the subject to use in educating myself on the subject. If anyone knows of any good books on this subject I would be very grateful if you could point them out to me. Free Republic has lots of very smart and well versed Christians so I knew I couldn’t find a better place to ask.
(Excerpt) Read more at amazon.com ...
St. Augustine’s work is great, but difficult to find a translation easy to read. The tendency to be formulaic to the point of unsatisfying exactitude makes this subject a difficult one to convey. After all, we are dealing with the Creator Who undertook to purchase all human flesh at the expense of His Only-Begotten Son, Whose name is preached among us by the Holy Spirit so that we may live and abide in Him forever.
Thank you. This is a subject where I don’t see much conflict between the Catholic and Protestant perspective. When it comes to theology proper even Calvin’s Institutes are straight Catholic dogma.
You are correct. It’s a hard subject but I make a point of attacking and teaching hard subjects. Anyone who teaches Sunday School seriously, knows that you learn much more than the class does in the process of preparation. Everybody has their gift that God has given them and mine is researching, understanding and teaching scripture. I really love doing it as does everyone when it comes to their own spiritual gifts.
This is a great book, unfortunately out of print and now only with exorbitantly priced used copies. I don’t know why they haven’t made an audiobook or Kindle edition. Someone should!
I always remember a quote from some Paul Tournier book (can’t remember who he cited though):
“Whatever your arguments about The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are...leave them. Just make sure They are in you.”
Two very good lines of inquiry (never see it taught this way, though); both lead to the Trinity:
1. Who raised Jesus from the dead?
2, Who comes to indwell the believer?
Wow, I sure don’t have $100 dollars to spend on it. A lot of these out of print books you can find a web version of but I did a search and couldn’t find this one.
Of course it's ultimately a mystery; created intellect cannot perfectly grasp or fully understand the relationships within the Godhead.
The trouble you have with both of those inquiries is dealing with the arguments of the modalists and Sabellians.
I love Sproul - thanks for the heads up.
How about The Good Book?! Were I tackling your ambitious project, I would begin by collecting every Bible reference, explicit and implicit.
Perhaps White does that--I can't imagine writing or teaching on that subject without it (indeed, if he doesn't, his book is suspect). Of course, a concordance would be useless, but Nave's ought to serve. An online query should yield others' efforts.
Yes, Nave’s is an awesome resource I come back to time and time again. Logos software makes it so easy to use.
The Trinity by Bickersteth. Fantastic and very apprehendable
Also the Westminster Confession of Faith, available free online, the sections pertaining to the topic. Scripture proofs attached.
I found it on Amazon and it was only $1.99 - I just ordered it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Wow, I just finished reading Bickersteth’s introduction. This is a powerful work. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were asking for some ideas for teaching the Trinity. I didn't know you were trying to set the modalists and Sabellians straight. I've only ever met one, and he's a contrary lunatic. Can't tell him anything. Can't even offer him a suggestion or two. That's because he already knows everything.
I just want to be completely prepared to respond to objections and the modalist argument always comes up. I didn’t mean mean to denigrate your your very perceptive post.
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