This document provides an overview of process theology's perspective on the doctrine of the Trinity. It discusses how process philosophy differs from substance philosophy and how that impacts understandings of the Trinity. The document also summarizes the biblical ideas around God, Jesus, and the Spirit; the historical development of the Trinity doctrine; and process theology's non-Trinitarian understanding of God.

1. More Process - Trinity

2. "There has been no
historical correlation of
the 'orthodox' doctrine
of the Trinity and
genuine faithfulness to
Jesus Christ. Indeed
willingness to affirm
what one does not
understand is far more
a sign of acceptance of
church authority than of
faith in God."
-John B. Cobb, Jr.

3. The Trinity
Biblical ideas
Philosophical ideas
Historical development of the doctrine
Classical trinitarianism: the pro-Nicene
consensus
Process reflections on the Trinity

4. Hebrew Bible
God, many names
Word of God
Spirit of God
Wisdom of God
Jewish understanding
of God was not
Trinitarian

5. New Testament: the
Jesus experience
people experienced
God in Jesus
After Jesus' death,
people continued
to experience the
presence of God

6. New Testament: Paul
'God in Christ'
Adoptionism
Son of God

7. New Testament: Mark
Spirit of God
entered Jesus
at his baptism
Son of God

8. New Testament:
Matthew, Luke
Spirit of God
impregnated
Mary
Son of God

9. New Testament: John
Word of God
incarnate
Son of God

10. Jesus had no thought
of turning God into a
Triune deity.
- John B. Cobb, Jr.

11. The doctrine of the
Trinity is not a
biblical idea. It is
second level
reflection on how
people experienced
God in Jesus and in
Christian community.

12. Process Substance
philosophy philosophy
Relational Events Substances

13. Substance philosophy
A substance is that which needs nothing
other than itself to exist.
Two different substances cannot occupy
the same space.

14. Problems and questions
How could the substance of humanity and
the substance of divinity both be in Jesus?
How is the divine in Jesus distinct from
the Father to whom he prays?
How does God interact with the world?
How could the God of the universe be
present in Jesus?
What is the relationship between Jesus and
the Spirit?

15. Historical development of the
doctrine of the Trinity
Ex. Jewish Philosopher Philo of
Alexandria 20 BCE - 50 CE
50-300s, diversity
325 Council of Nicaea
381 Council of Constantinople
400-1517 Creedal Orthodoxy
1054 east/west schism
1517-present, diversity

16. Classical trinitarianism:
the pro-Nicene consensus
God is one substance
in three persons
masks reflections

17. Classical trinitarianism:
the pro-Nicene consensus
God is one substance,
one single and
undivided essence
God is uncreated, immeasurable,
eternal, almighty.

18. Classical trinitarianism:
the pro-Nicene consensus
in three persons
Intimately intertwined, mutually
indwelling, the three are always
in each other and never alone
Every act of one person of the
Trinity is always caused by all 3

19. Classical trinitarianism:
the pro-Nicene consensus
In Jesus, divine and
human substances
were not mixed
The logos/Word was incarnate in
Jesus, but all three were present and
acting in him
The "person" of Jesus was divine,
Jesus' fully human nature was
impersonal, subordinate to his deity

21. Trinitarian
formulations
Western
Eastern Economic
Modalism
Immanent Feminist
Process

22. Not
particularly
Trinitarian
Some process theologians
Trinitarian

23. Process Substance
philosophy philosophy
Relational Events Substances

24. God is God:
YES!
transcendent and
immanent
God was really present in
Jesus, Jesus was a unique
incarnation of God in
history
God as Spirit is present in the natural
world and in the church, transforming
individuals and communities

26. God is Triune, one
undivided substance, NO!
three 'persons'
The human man, Jesus,
was co-equally God,
almighty, pre-existent,
second 'person' of the
Trinity
The Spirit is the third 'person' of the
Trinity, something other than God's
presence in the world

27. What's next?

28. Process theology sees the
universe as creative,
interrelational, dynamic, and
open to the future. In process
theology, God is relational,
present in every moment of our
lives and in all entities and
levels of being. The world is
interconnected, in effect a giant
ecosystem where what harms or
blesses one, harms or blesses all.