Those who reject the notion of hierarchy in the imminent Trinity often point to B. B. Warfield as a supporter of their position. In his article in ISBE on the Trinity,1 Warfield discusses at length his reservations about reading what we see in the economic Trinity back into the immanent Trinity. 19. The Implications of “Son” […]
subordination
Gunton on Taxis in the Trinity
I know I’ve been doing a lot of quoting recently, but my blogging time is limited and quoting is easier than writing—not to mention that you’d probably rather read Gunton’s perspective on the Trinity than mine anyway. I stumbled across this relevant bit from Colin Gunton in his The Promise of Trinitarian Theology, which I […]
Moulton on 1 Corinthians 15:28
I just installed the new Moulton-Howard-Turner Greek Grammar Collection from Logos. It comes with the four volumes of A Grammar of New Testament Greek: Vol. 1: Prolegomena by James H. Moulton Vol. 2: Accidence and Word-Formation by James H. Moulton and Wilbert F. Howard Vol. 3: Syntax by Nigel Turner Vol. 4: Style by Nigel […]
Hierarchy Does Not Necessitate Opposition
I’m baffled when I read egalitarians who think that functional hierarchy presupposes disunity or the prospect of it. Take, for example, this statement by Gilbert Bilezikian: One of the weirdest heresies that has been generated in the last century pertains to the postulation of a hierarchical order within the members of the Trinity—as if there […]
Essential Equality and Functional Subordination: A Complementarian Novelty?
Did complementarians invent the notion that beings can be equal in essence and yet one be subordinate to the other in terms of function or role? That’s what many egalitarians claim. Here’s an interesting selection from Ambrosiaster: The subjection of Christ to the Father means that every creature will learn that he is subject to […]
The Failed Strategy of “Trinity & Subordinationism”
Kevin Giles’s The Trinity & Subordinationism is easily one of the worst books I have ever read.1 I say that not because I disagree with the position he defends (i.e., the Son is not in any sense eternally subordinate to the Father); I’m still in the process of evaluating the evidence. Rather, I make that […]
The Father = The Trinity
This is the assertion of Kevin Giles in The Trinity and Subordinationism (IVP, 2002): Here it is to be recalled that in the Bible and in the early church, the title “Father” is used in two cognate ways: in reference to the Godhead and to the person of the Father. Torrance argues that the Cappadocians’ […]
Economic Trinitarian Relations
Pastor Timothy Mills recently submitted a review of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology to our PastorBookshelf Reviews website. His comments were generally positive, but not as positive as I would have hoped for such a fine introduction to biblical doctrine. One area where he disagreed with Grudem was in his handling of the Trinity. His choice, […]