The Blessed Trinity and Our Christian Vocation The

The Blessed Trinity and Our Christian Vocation

The Blessed Trinity Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Understanding the Trinity

Chapter Objectives The student will be able to • Christianity’s unique • What Scripture reveals about understand: conception of one God in God the Father, God the Son, • • three Persons God’s Revelation to Abraham The Shema God’s Revelation to Moses about his own nature Some attributes of God The importance of the doctrine of the Trinity The distinction among the Persons of the Trinity How the Trinity is revealed in Scripture • • • and God the Holy Spirit. How the relationship between God and the human person has changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament Development of Christological and Trinitarian doctrine Heresies that threatened the early Church Heroic figures in the early Church Ecumenical Councils

Keys to Chapter 2 • The one, perfect God, who is worthy to be loved above all else, is himself a loving unity of three divine Persons. • The Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds. • The Trinity was foreshadowed in the Old Testament, revealed by Christ, and defined and defended in the early Church. • The Blessed Trinity dwells in the souls of the baptized as in the Temple.

For Discussion: • How did God reveal himself throughout history? • Why is God called Yahweh, and why is this significant? • What are some of the attributes of God? • What is meant by one God in three Persons?

For Discussion: • How did God reveal himself as a Trinity of Persons? • How did the Apostles and the early Church Fathers develop the Christian understanding of the Blessed Trinity and defend Christian beliefs against the heresies of their day? • What were some mistaken beliefs about the Trinity?

God’s Self. Revelation in the Old Testament Lesson Objectives • Christianity’s unique conception of one God in three Persons • God’s Revelation to Abraham • The Shema • God’s Revelation to Moses about his own nature

God’s Self-Revelation in the Old Testament Basic Questions What is unique about Christianity’s conception of God? Christianity is unique in its proclamation that God is not only one but within that unity is a Trinity of Persons.

God’s Self-Revelation in the Old Testament Basic Questions What did God reveal to Abraham? Beginning with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, God revealed he was the only God who created all that is.

God’s Self-Revelation in the Old Testament Basic Questions What is the Shema? The Shema is the great prayer of Judaism; it reveals the fundamental obligation to love the one God above all things and to pass on this teaching to the next generation.

God’s Self-Revelation in the Old Testament Basic Questions What did God reveal to Moses about his own nature? God revealed to Abraham’s descendants, through Moses, his name is YHWH.

Anticipatory Set Review quotes from Sts. Augustine and Athanasius (p. 44), and then discuss the following question: How is this passage from the Athanasian Creed, in effect, a summary of what St. Augustine wrote in On the Trinity?

Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share using the following question: What does it mean for the Catechism, no. 234 (p. 44), to say the mystery of the Blessed Trinity “is the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them?

Focus Question What is unique about Christianity’s conception of God? While a number of religions proclaim there is only one God, only Christianity proclaims the one God is a community of three Persons.

Focus Question Why is the Blessed Trinity the central mystery of the Christian Faith and life? It is the mystery of the nature of God himself, who is the source and summit of the Christian life.

Focus Question What is the source of the knowledge of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity? God gradually revealed it through the covenants, his prophets, and finally through Jesus Christ.

Focus Question What claim did Christ make about the knowledge of God the Father? He is the only one who knows the Father. He can reveal this knowledge to anyone he pleases.

Focus Question How did Christ bear witness to God the Holy Spirit? He sent the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles at Pentecost and charged them to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Focus Question What mission, unique in the ancient world, were the Jews given? They were chosen by God to proclaim monotheism in a polytheistic world.

Focus Question Why is Ur noteworthy? It was a large, port city with a large ziggurat where many gods were worshiped.

Focus Question Who is Abraham? God made a covenant with him, and he became the father of the Jewish people.

Focus Question What is the Shema? It is a monotheistic prayer from the Book of Deuteronomy; faithful Jews pray it in their morning and evening prayers.

Focus Question What are mezuzahs and tefillins (or phylacteries)? A mezuzah is a small box containing the Shema; a Jewish family places one on the doorpost of the home. . A tefillin is the same as a muzuzah but placed next to the heart and forehead.

Focus Question What was Christ’s attitude toward the Shema? He taught it is the Greatest Commandment.

Focus Question How successful were Abraham’s descendants in being faithful to the one God? At times they were heroically faithful to monotheism; at other times they fell into the polytheism of neighboring peoples.

Guided Exercise Complete a focused reading on the Shema (p. 46, Dt. 6: 4 -5) using the following question: What duties does the Shema impose on a Jew?

Focus Question What was the unlikely promise God made to Abraham? God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. This was unlikely because his wife, Sarah, was barren and they were both advanced in years.

Focus Question What was the sacrifice God demanded as a test of Abraham’s faithfulness? God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. When Abraham showed his faithfulness and obedience in such a great matter, God stopped him at the last moment from killing Isaac.

Focus Question Who are some of Abraham’s famous descendants? His descendants include Moses, David, and Jesus Christ.

Guided Exercise Mini-lecture about the polytheism of Israel’s neighbors. • The polytheism of the ancient Middle East did not simply involve worshiping different or multiple gods that did not really exist. These religions also involved gross immorality.

Guided Exercise Mini-lecture about the polytheism of Israel’s neighbors. • They required human sacrifice, especially child or infant sacrifice. • They involved prostitution of women, girls, and boys in their temples as part of worship. • They sanctioned sexual immorality.

Focus Question Why were some biblical figures given new names by God? A new name indicates a new role or mission from God. For example, Simon was renamed Peter (“rock”) to indicate Christ would build his Church on the leadership of St. Peter.

Focus Question Before the time of Moses, what was the name of Israel’s God? His name was what it always is; God does not change. However, the Israelites did not know his name. Terms such as Almighty, All-High, Lord, and God were used.

Focus Question Where did God reveal his own name to Moses? He did so in the burning bush.

Focus Question What is God’s name? God’s name is “I AM WHO I AM. ” Taking the first letter from each of these words in Hebrew results in the tetragrammaton YHWH.

Focus Question What does the name YHWH reveal about God’s nature? God is the one whose existence is “the fullness of Being and of every perfection, without origin and without end” (CCC 213).

Focus Question Why did the Jews refuse to say God’s name aloud? They refused out of sincere respect and reverence, not wanting to say it in vain.

Focus Question What was unusual about the burning bush? Though it was on fire, it was not consumed by the flames.

Focus Question How did the voice from the burning bush identify itself? The voice said it was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Focus Question How was Moses’ initial response similar to that of other prophets? Moses was reluctant but eventually agreed to carry out God’s mission.

Attributes of God Lesson Objectives • Some attributes of God

Attributes of God Basic Questions What are some attributes of God? God is Perfect, Pure Spirit, Immutable, Eternal, Omnibenevolent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent.

Anticipatory Set St. Anselm presented an argument for the existence of God based on the idea God is “that than which nothing greater can be conceived. ” Use this idea of God as the perfection of every good human characteristic and value to brainstorm what some of the characteristics (or attributes) of God must be.

Focus Question How can the divine attributes (or inherent qualities or characteristics) of God be learned? People can learn about them through the various acts of God in Sacred Scripture.

Focus Question Can a person ever fully grasp who God is? No; while God is infinite, the human ability to understand speak of God is finite.

Focus Question What can be said of God? God can be described in terms of who he is, what he can do, and what he is not.

Focus Question What are the eight attributes of God this lesson will explore? God is Perfect, Pure Spirit, Immutable, Eternal, Omnibenevolent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent.

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is Perfect? God possesses each characteristic (or attribute) to a perfect or infinite degree.

Focus Question What is man’s relationship to God’s attributes? People participate or share in the life of God by being close to him and, thus, possess to some lesser degree goodness, love, knowledge, and happiness.

Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share using the following question: What does it mean to say God is goodness itself or love itself?

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is Pure Spirit? God is not a material being and, as such, does not have the attributes of physical matter such as the potential of nonexistence, change, or division. Thus, he is eternal, unchanging, and indivisible.

Focus Question How is God nowhere and everywhere? Because God is not a physical being, he does not occupy a specific physical space, so he is nowhere. Because he encompasses and permeates all material creation, he is everywhere.

Focus Question How does the Christian life recognize God’s omnipresence? Part of each Christian’s vocation is to live in continual awareness of the presence of God.

Guided Exercise Complete a paragraph shrink on the Catechism, no. 1374 (p. 52).

Focus Question What does it mean to say the physical world is mutable? It and everything in it can change by movement, addition, or division.

Focus Question Why is the potential for change an imperfection? A perfect thing can get neither better nor worse. Anything that can change can get better or worse.

Focus Question In biblical language, why is it appropriate for God and St. Peter to be called rock? For the writers of the Old Testament, nothing seemed as permanent and unchanging as the stones of the earth. Therefore, God’s nature is metaphorically called Rock. Christ changed Simon’s name to Peter (“rock”) to indicate he would be the steadfast and

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is immutable? He is incapable of changing; he is perfect.

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is Eternal? He has no beginning or end.

Focus Question What makes man finite? Each person was brought into being “in time” by something other than him- or herself.

Focus Question How does God’s name reflect his eternality? “I AM WHO I AM” speaks of a being who always was, is, and ever shall be.

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is Omnibenevolent? He is all-loving (or all-good).

Focus Question According to Scripture, what is God’s motive for each action? His motive is love.

Focus Question How did St. John summarize the nature of God? “God is love” (1 Jn 4: 8, 16).

Focus Question What did Christ reveal about God’s nature? God is a merciful Father.

Focus Question Besides his or her actions, what does God know about a person? God knows his or her thoughts, desires, and intentions.

Focus Question Why does God know all things? He is the ultimate cause of all things.

Focus Question Why is knowledge of past, present, and future one vision for God? Because he is outside of time, everything is eternally present for him. Time is the measure of change; the passage of time is dependent upon movement and interplay between physical objects and space.

Focus Question Why do some people consider God to be evil or nonexistent? Because there is evil and suffering in the world, some people think this is incompatible with the existence of a good and all-merciful God.

Focus Question What is the source of most of the evil and suffering in the world? People’s misuse of free will is the origin of most of the evil and suffering people experience.

Focus Question Why does God not stop man’s evil actions? He respects the free will he gave man. Extension: God can bring good out of evil.

Focus Question What example should be followed with respect to suffering? People should follow the example of Christ, who both alleviated suffering and voluntarily underwent it himself.

Guided Exercise Compose a bullet-point summary of the goods that can be derived from suffering based on the sidebar “The Problem of Evil” (p. 55).

Focus Question What are some of the examples of the omnipotence of God? God’s omnipotence can be seen in the creation and maintenance (law of physics and motion) of the universe as well as the miracles recorded in Scripture.

Focus Question What are three levels of God’s omnipresence? God is Omnipresent by his presence, everything before his eyes; by his power and providence, extending to all creatures; and by his essence, being in all things and giving them being.

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is transcendent? He surpasses all limits of human experience and knowledge.

Focus Question What does it mean to say God is immanent? God is intimately present in the life of every person and thing. God dwells in the soul of each person in the state of grace as in a temple.

God as a Trinity of Persons Lesson Objectives • The importance of the doctrine of the Trinity • Distinctions among the Persons of the Trinity • How the Trinity is revealed in Scripture

God as a Trinity of Persons Basic Questions What is the place of the doctrine of the Trinity in the Christian Faith? The inner life of the three Persons who are the one God is the greatest mystery and most important doctrine of Christianity. It is not contrary to human reason, yet it cannot be fully understood by reason.

God as a Trinity of Persons Basic Questions What are the distinctions among the Persons of the Holy Trinity? The Trinity is one God in three divine Persons; the Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds.

God as a Trinity of Persons Basic Questions How is God revealed as Trinity in the Old and New Testaments? Though God is definitively revealed as one in the Old Testament, the inner life of the Trinity is only foreshadowed there and revealed definitively in the New Testament.

Anticipatory Set Incorporate the Baptism of Christ (Mt 3: 1317) into the opening prayer. Discuss the presence of the Holy Spirit in Baptism.

Focus Question What are some examples of the mysteries of faith? Examples include the Blessed Trinity, the eternal nature of God, a human soul that will live forever, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Focus Question On what basis are mysteries of faith accepted as true? God has revealed them, so they are believed on trust in his authority.

Focus Question What is the basic tenet of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity? There is only one God, who is three distinct, divine Persons.

Focus Question How does a human person participate in the life of the Blessed Trinity? By living in a state of grace, the Blessed Trinity dwells within a person.

Graphic Organizer Complete the following table about the language of the Blessed Trinity. Term Substance (or essence of nature) Person (or hypostasis) Relation Definition Application to the Trinity

The Persons of the Trinity in Scripture Lesson Objectives • What Scripture reveals about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit • How the relationship between God and the human person has changed from the Old Testament to New

The Persons of the Trinity in Scripture Basic Questions What does Scripture reveal about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Scripture reveals God the Father as Father of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity (Jesus Christ), Creator of the world, and merciful father of all humanity. continued

The Persons of the Trinity in Scripture Basic Questions What does Scripture reveal about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Scripture reveals God the Son as one with the Father, the Redeemer of the world, and the one who reveals the personal and immanent nature of God. continued

The Persons of the Trinity in Scripture Basic Questions What does Scripture reveal about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Scripture reveals God the Holy Spirit as the highest gift of God, who sanctifies the Church and all people.

The Persons of the Trinity in Scripture Basic Questions How did the relationship between God and the human person change from the Old Testament to the New? In contrast to the relatively remote and transcendent relationship between people and God in the Old Covenant, in the New Covenant, the Blessed Trinity dwells in the soul of each baptized person. This inaugurates a habitual, intimate

Anticipatory Set St. Paul once greeted the Corinthians in this way (2 Cor 13: 14): The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Write about what this greeting reveals about each of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity as they relate to each other and to

Focus Question To what extent can the idea of the Blessed Trinity be grasped on earth? On earth, people can understand it to greater or lesser degrees but never fully comprehend it.

Focus Question To what extent will the Blessed Trinity be understood in Heaven? It will be better understood in Heaven because human nature will be glorified; however, it will never be fully understood because no created intellect, however great, can comprehend God.

Focus Question How was the Blessed Trinity foreshadowed in the Book of Genesis? God used the plural to describe himself when preparing to make man; “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gn 1: 26).

Focus Question How does the creation of man as male and female reflect God as a Trinity of Persons? God is a “family” of Persons, the Father loves the Son; the Son returns that love; and the fruit of that love is the life-giving Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father through the Son. A husband loves his wife, and his wife returns that love; the fruit of that love is a child who proceeds from the husband through the wife.

Focus Question How does the creation of man as male and female reflect God as a Trinity of Persons? In this manner, the human family forms a community of persons in the image of the Blessed Trinity, thus reflecting God, who is a Trinity of Person. continued

Focus Question How does the creation of man as male and female reflect God as a Trinity of Persons? Extension: This is an example of how the Blessed Trinity sheds light on other mysteries. For example, marriage is analogous to the inner life of God. The image of God is similarly reflected; people in a relationship with each other can give life.

Focus Question How did Abraham and the three visitors foreshadow the Trinity? When the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, he was visited by three men. Christian iconography represents this scene as an image of the Blessed Trinity.

Focus Question Is it necessary to find hints of the Blessed Trinity in the Old Testament in order for this doctrine to be true? No; God’s plan of salvation developed and unfolded over time, including the Revelation of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. For Catholics, belief in the Blessed Trinity is a consequence of their faith in Jesus Christ, the inspired writers of the New Testament, and the

Focus Question What did St. John mean when he wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jnis 1: 1)? Christ the eternal and Only-Begotten Son of the Father.

Focus Question In what sense are Christians sons and daughters of God? When they are incorporated into the Mystical Body of Christ through Baptism, they become adopted sons and daughters of God the Father.

Graphic Organizer Complete the following table about the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity in the New Testament. Passage Lk 1: 35 Mt 3: 16 -17 Mt 28: 19 2 Cor 13: 14 Explanation

Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share using the following question: What are three meanings of the title Father as it refers to the First Person of the Blessed Trinity?

Focus Question What did Christ assert to be the relationship between himself and the Father? Christ (God the Son) and God the Father have a common nature and identical power.

Focus Question What do the teachings of Christ add to the Revelation of the Almighty, transcendent God of the Old Testament? They reveal God’s personal and immanent nature.

Focus Question Is Christ called the Son of God in the New Testament? Yes; St. Mark, Christ’s Apostles, and even demons acknowledge him to be the Son of God.

Guided Exercise Conduct a think/pair/share using the following question: What is the task of God the Holy Spirit in the Church?

Focus Question How is the Blessed Trinity present at the beginning of the Christian life? Each Christian is baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Focus Question How is Baptism Trinitarian? Through Baptism, each Christian is united to the Son, incorporated into his Mystical Body, and thus is an adopted son or daughter of the Father. This communion in Christ enables members of the Church to call upon God as “Our Father. ” Through Baptism, Christians receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within them; they

Focus Question What does it mean to be a temple of the Holy Spirit? Christ’s Person is the “temple” in which the fullness of God dwells. Through sanctifying grace, each Christian becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit in which the Blessed Trinity dwells. St. Paul asked, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit

Focus Question How is the idea of the indwelling of God in the soul of the Christian different from the Old Testament view of God? In the Old Covenant, Gold dwelt in the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber, hidden by a curtain, of the Temple in Jerusalem. Only the High Priest could enter this place one day of the year. In the New Covenant, God dwells in the heart of each baptized person.

Focus Question How is the idea of the indwelling of God in the soul of the Christian different from the Old Testament view of God? This new relationship was symbolized by the tearing of the curtain of the Holy of Holies from top to bottom when Christ died on the Cross, reconciling God with man. This symbolized the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New.

Focus Question What should be the relationship between a Christian and the Blessed Trinity? The Christian life is to be a habitual and intimate conversation with each of the divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity, a communion that will be fulfilled and perfected in Heaven.

Graphic Organizer Complete the following table about the roles of each of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity in the Christian Life. Divine Person God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit Role in the Christian Life

The Blessed Trinity in the Early Church Lesson Objectives • Development of Christological and Trinitarian doctrines • Heresies that threatened the early Church • Heroic figures in the early Church • Ecumenical Councils

The Blessed Trinity in the Early Church Basic Questions What brought about the fully developed theology of the Person of Jesus Christ and the Persons of the Blessed Trinity? A theology of the Person of Jesus Christ and of the Blessed Trinity developed during the first centuries of the Church in response to heresies that arose from defective understandings of the Deposit of Faith.

The Blessed Trinity in the Early Church Basic Questions What heresies threatened the early Church? Early heresies included Gnosticism, Marcionism, Montanism, Manichaeism, Docetism, Arianism, Appolinarianism, Nestorianism, Monophysitism, and Monthelitism.

The Blessed Trinity in the Early Church Basic Questions Who were some of the heroic figures of the early Church to combat heresy? Heroic figures who combated heresy included Sts. Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius.

The Blessed Trinity in the Early Church Basic Questions What role did the early Ecumenical Councils play in defining the orthodox Catholic Faith? Ecumenical Councils, beginning with Nicea, provided sound theological answers to the questions, “Who is Jesus Christ? ” and “What is the Blessed Trinity? ”

Anticipatory Set Incorporate the Nicene Creed into the Opening Prayer. Write down a statement in the Creed that surprises or confuses you.

Focus Question Was a fully developed theology of the Blessed Trinity present in the apostolic Church? While Christian belief in the Blessed Trinity was part of the Deposit of Faith from the very beginning, it took a number of centuries to develop a fuller understanding of it as well as the language used to describe it.

Focus Question What prompted the Church to develop a theology of the Blessed Trinity? Various heresies or false understandings about the Persons of the Trinity and their interrelationships arose, which the Church had to correct. This effort to clarify the true doctrine of the Church resulted in a theology of the Blessed Trinity.

Guided Exercise Complete a focused reading of John 14: 611 and Matthew 11: 27 using the following question: What did Christ claim about his relationship to God the Father?

Guided Exercise Using the table outlining ten early heresies in the Church, report on the following: 1. The historical origin of the heresy, if known. 2. The basic tenets of the heresy. 3. The main proponents of the heresy and the main Catholic opponents, if known. 4. The Catholic response to the heresy. 5. What Catholic doctrine the heresy helped

Focus Question What role did Ecumenical Councils play to clarify the correct understanding of the Blessed Trinity? The Ecumenical Councils of the early Church, beginning with Nicea AD 325, answered the questions, “Who is Jesus Christ? ” and “What is the nature of the Blessed Trinity? ”

Guided Exercise Review “Heroes in defense of the Faith” and the sidebar “St. Athanasius, Defender Against Arian Errors” (pp. 74 -75), and then conduct a think/pair/share using the following question: What personal price did some defenders of the Faith have to pay to uphold Catholic teaching on the nature of Christ and the Blessed Trinity?