1. Trinity, huh? A try to understand something that's beyond reason (per definition).

2. Jesus: One person of Trinity Jesus Christus Son of God Savior The old christian confession ICHTHYS In the 3rd century some intellectual christians tried to fathom the relation between Jesus and God philosophically! 3. The personas of the Trinity They stated that Jesus is one persona (=mask of an actor in a theater) of the three personas of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit 4. But which relation do they have? The church fathers agreed: They all are uncreated, older that the world... and hence beyond human reason. Do they have a boss? Are they equal? Is one the function of another one? 5. After many conflicts the church determined a dogma: The persons of the trinity are homoousios, coessential. 6. The relationship between the Father and the Son was determined as undiffused and unseperated 7. Jesus: One person of Trinity This kind of terminology somehow reminds me on mixed drinks... Did the church fathers visit cocktail bars during their council recesses? 8. Jesus: One person of Trinity Aside from these speculative distinctions I try to add two approaches of understanding trinity (at least parable-like) At least, every kind of knowledge should have some plausibility inner logic benefit compatiblity with other sources of knowledge 9. Someone told me that trinity is easy to understand if you consider what it does: Reveal the word of God #1 10. God world Relationship between God and the world (3 variants) The next one isn't that easy. It tries to reflect the relationship between God and the world. #2 ?? 11. world God is immanent: God If God is immanent, i.e. equals the world (or the matter, or the evolution?), then: How is that the world exists? This makes no sense, and the biblical statement is quite clear: God is the creator of the world. Hence: This model can be dropped. 12. God world God is transcendent: If God is transcendent, i.e. completely outside of the world, the creation of the world is no problem. However, nothing of God is inside the world then. God is useless and irrelevant to us. Prayers will not be granted. There is no base for any kind of revelation, too. 13. world God is immanent and transcendent: God Christianity bases on revelation. So, whatever others may think: We believe that God is outside the world and inside as well. But how can we conceive this double presence? (we'll see that it results in a triple presence) 14. world Holy Spirit God is immanent and transcendent: God The Holy Spirit is the persona of god that blows through the whole creation, animating, vivifying, enchanting everything. It is the breath of God. Without it, we would die instantly. 15. world Holy Spirit God is immanent and transcendent: God However, the spirit needs a direction, as the world needs a destination, and the thinking beings need comfort and enlightenment in the face of the misery of their unlasting existence. In love God sends out his word, and for us humans his word became flesh in the person of Jesus. 16. world Holy Spirit God is immanent and transcendent: God So, the word, spoken by the father acts through the spirit. changes the world with love changes the world with love provides orientation provides orientation liberates and redeems liberates and redeems K i n g P r o p h e t P r i e s t 17. That's it! Let us check if the approach #2 is a valuable one: Plausible: Logical: Beneficial: Compatible with other sources of knowledge: I think it is. But everone has to decide that on his own behalf. At least, every kind of knowledge should have some plausibility inner logic benefit compatiblity with other sources of knowledge At least, every kind of knowledge should have some plausibility inner logic benefit compatiblity with other sources of knowledge I see no contradictions. Tell me if you find some. I think the benefit is that I get a pattern how God communicates and gives me comfort. The decisive point: Is it compatible with the Bible's statements? - I think so.