beanpie
January 4, 2004, 01:26 PM
Is this true?
'...But someone may now say: "If the Trinity was not revealed by God
Almighty or Jesus (pbuh) then why does Christianity believe in it?"
The answer lies in the council of Nicea of 325 CE.
In "The New Catholic Encyclopedia" (Bearing the Nihil Obstat and
Imprimatur, indicating official approval) we get a glimpse of how the
concept of the Trinity was not introduced into Christianity until
close to four hundred years after Jesus (pbuh):
".......It is difficult in the second half of the 20th century to
offer a clear, objective and straightforward account of the
revelation, doctrinal evolution, and theological elaboration of the
Mystery of the trinity. Trinitarian discussion, Roman Catholic as
well as other, present a somewhat unsteady silhouette. Two things
have happened. There is the recognition on the part of exegetes and
Biblical theologians, including a constantly growing number of Roman
Catholics, that one should not speak of Trinitarianism in the New
Testament without serious qualification. There is also the closely
parallel recognition on the part of historians of dogma and
systematic theologians that when one does speak of an unqualified
Trinitarianism, one has moved from the period of Christian origins
to, say, the last quadrant of the 4th century. It was only then that
what might be called the definitive Trinitarian dogma 'One God in
three Persons' became thoroughly assimilated into Christian life and
thought ... it was the product of 3 centuries of doctrinal
development"...'
http://www.sharif.org.uk/big/content.htm
'...But someone may now say: "If the Trinity was not revealed by God
Almighty or Jesus (pbuh) then why does Christianity believe in it?"
The answer lies in the council of Nicea of 325 CE.
In "The New Catholic Encyclopedia" (Bearing the Nihil Obstat and
Imprimatur, indicating official approval) we get a glimpse of how the
concept of the Trinity was not introduced into Christianity until
close to four hundred years after Jesus (pbuh):
".......It is difficult in the second half of the 20th century to
offer a clear, objective and straightforward account of the
revelation, doctrinal evolution, and theological elaboration of the
Mystery of the trinity. Trinitarian discussion, Roman Catholic as
well as other, present a somewhat unsteady silhouette. Two things
have happened. There is the recognition on the part of exegetes and
Biblical theologians, including a constantly growing number of Roman
Catholics, that one should not speak of Trinitarianism in the New
Testament without serious qualification. There is also the closely
parallel recognition on the part of historians of dogma and
systematic theologians that when one does speak of an unqualified
Trinitarianism, one has moved from the period of Christian origins
to, say, the last quadrant of the 4th century. It was only then that
what might be called the definitive Trinitarian dogma 'One God in
three Persons' became thoroughly assimilated into Christian life and
thought ... it was the product of 3 centuries of doctrinal
development"...'
http://www.sharif.org.uk/big/content.htm