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The statements of the early Church Fathers regarding the doctrine of the Trinity (pre-Nicea)

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In an article answering Georg Kaplan's 1 denials of the Trinitarian doctrine, Ken Temple states : >Even if the early Church had never applied the title θεός to Jesus, his deity would still be apparent in his being the object of human and angelic worship and of saving faith; the exerciser of exclusively divine functions such as creatorial agency, the forgiveness of sins, and the final judgment; the addressee in petitionary prayer; the possessor of all divine attributes; the bearer of numerous titles used of Yahweh in the OT; and the co-author of divine blessing. > >Faith in the deity of Christ does not rest on the evidence or validity of a series of ‘proof-texts’ in which Jesus may receive the title θεός **but on the general testimony of the NT** corroborated at the bar of personal experience.147 > >Apologetics and Agape - Wordpress - March 19, 2018 Nevertheless he publishes a list of texts as an example. However what attracted my attention and what prompts my question is his answer to the objection that the doctrine of the Trinity was formed in later centuries than the early church and the objector claims that the early church knew nothing of it until Nicea. So Ken Temple further states : >... Ignatius, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Athanasius and Hillary and others had expressions of the Trinity in centuries (and at the same time – Athanasius and Hillary) before Gregory of Nyssa. Ignatius is clear on the Deity of Christ in early second century (around 107-110 AD) and has a simple expression of the Trinity. So, Ken Temple then quotes from Ignatius (writing in 107-110 AD), which I shall not copy, it is in the linked document. But all he says of Tertullian is : >Also, Tertullian, around 190-220 AD, used the basic words, “Trinitas Unitas” (three in one) and “persona” (the Latin equivalent of hypostatis) over 1 century before the Cappadocian Fathers, as did Origen around 250 AD. My question is - Are there more susbstantial references available on this subject from Tertullian and Origen and Irenaeus ? ------------------------------------ 1 Georg Kaplan, a professed Unitarian, seems to be linked to the pseudonyms 'Gregory Blunt' and 'Thomas Pearne'. (Although, elsewhere it is spelt 'Kaplin'). Edit : Comment suggests that this is a third layer of pseudonym.
Asked by Nigel J (28844 rep)
Jul 16, 2020, 08:03 PM
Last activity: Aug 12, 2020, 01:22 AM