3.1.1

The Trinity

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One God as a Trinity of Persons

Catholics are monotheistic, meaning that they believe there's only one God. This one God is believed to have revealed himself as three persons (the Trinity): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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God in people's lives

  • Belief in the Trinity helps Catholics to understand the ways in which God is present in their lives:
    • God the Father is also often called the Creator.
    • God the Son took human form as Jesus, who is divine and human.
    • God the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles at Pentecost and is believed to be the active presence of God in the world today.
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The Trinity in quote

  • ‘Christians are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…. The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity.’ [CCC 232]
    • (CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church, a summary of Catholic beliefs and teachings).
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The Trinity as one?

  • For some Christians, belief in the Trinity is confusing because it appears to contradict belief in one God.
    • If there were many gods, God could not be all-powerful.
  • In fact, Christians believe that God is three persons, but just one God.
  • Some have described the persons of the Trinity as being three persons with one shared ‘substance’, meaning that they are three persons with one shared divine nature.
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Analogies

  • Some Christian writers have tried to describe the Trinity using analogy (by comparing it to something else).
    • St Patrick said that the Trinity is like a shamrock, which has three clear parts to it but is only one leaf.
    • Others have pointed to the three forms of H2O: ice, water and steam.

God as Three Persons in Scripture

Roman Catholics believe that the idea of God as three persons in one is supported by scripture.

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God the Father

  • God the Father is seen in the Old Testament as the Creator in the Book of Genesis (and references to God as Creator can be found elsewhere, e.g. in the Psalms) and as the Lawgiver in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, among others.
  • God the Father is also seen in the New Testament, for example at Jesus’ baptism and at his Transfiguration.
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God the Son

  • Catholics believe that Isaiah’s prophecies (9:6-7) refer to Jesus as Son of God, describing a child who will be Mighty God and Prince of Peace.
  • The idea that Jesus is the Son of God is seen in the New Testament:
    • E.g. at the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel tells Mary she has conceived God’s son.
    • E.g. when the voice of God the Father refers to Jesus as his son at his baptism.
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God the Holy Spirit

  • Roman Catholic teaching says that the Spirit that surrounds the unformed world at the moment of creation is the Holy Spirit.
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Jesus' baptism

  • Some Catholics think that all three persons of the Trinity are present in the Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism, for example in Mark 1:9-11.

Jump to other topics

1Buddhism

1.1Key Beliefs

1.1.1The Dhamma

1.1.2The Five Skandhas

1.1.3Aspects of Human Life

1.1.4The Buddha

1.1.5The Ascetic & Enlightened Life

1.1.6Dhukka

1.1.7Samudaya

1.1.8Nirodha

1.1.9Magga

1.1.10The Wheel of Life

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Buddhism Key Beliefs

1.2Practices

1.2.1Places of Worship

1.2.2Objects of Worship

1.2.3Puja

1.2.4Meditation

1.2.5Death

1.2.6Festivals

1.2.7End of Topic Test - Buddhism Practices

1.3Ethics

1.3.1Kamma

1.3.2Five Moral Precepts

1.3.3End of Topic Test - Buddhism Ethics

2Christianity

2.1Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God

2.1.2The Problem of Evil

2.1.3Monotheism

2.1.4Creation

2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation

2.1.6The Trinity and Creation

2.1.7Afterlife

2.1.8Heaven and Hell

2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs

2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs

2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation

2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human

2.2.3The Crucifixion

2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal

2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension

2.2.6Sin

2.2.7Original Sin

2.2.8Punishment

2.2.9The Means of Salvation

2.2.10Achieving Salvation

2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation

2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation

2.2.13Theories of Salvation

2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.3Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship

2.3.2Prayer

2.3.3Sacrament

2.3.4Baptism

2.3.5Other Sacraments

2.3.6Eucharist

2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations

2.3.8Christmas & Easter

2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals

2.4Community

2.4.1Local Community

2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

2.4.3Worldwide Church

2.4.4Reconciliation

2.4.5Persecution

2.4.6Caring for Those in Need

2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community

2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

3Catholicism (Christianity)

3.1Key Beliefs

3.1.1The Trinity

3.1.2Creation

3.1.3Incarnation

3.1.4Redemption

3.1.5Life After Death

3.1.6Heaven and Hell

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs

3.2The Seven Sacraments

3.2.1Meaning & Significance

3.2.2Baptism

3.2.3Confirmation

3.2.4Reconciliation

3.2.5Anointing of the Sick

3.2.6Marriage

3.2.7Holy Orders

3.2.8The Eucharist

3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Seven Sacraments

3.3Practices

3.3.1Prayer

3.3.2Popular Piety

3.3.3Pilgrimage

3.3.4Pilgrimages HyperLearning

3.3.5Funeral Rites

3.3.6The Duty to Love Our Neighbour

3.3.7Catholic Agencies

3.3.8Catholic Social Teaching

3.3.9Justice

3.3.10War

3.3.11Mission & Evangelism

3.3.12End of Topic Test - Catholic Practices

4Islam

4.1Key Beliefs

4.1.1Oneness of God

4.1.2Six Articles of Faith

4.1.3Five Roots of Usul

4.1.4The Nature of God

4.1.5Angels

4.1.6Freedom

4.1.7Life After Death

4.1.8Human Responsibility

4.1.9End of Topic Test - Muslim Key Beliefs

4.2Authority

4.2.1Prophethood

4.2.2The Holy Books

4.2.3The Imamate

4.2.4End of Topic Test - Muslim Authority

4.3Practices

4.3.1Worship

4.3.2Ten Obligatory Acts

4.3.3Shahadah

4.3.4Salah & Its Significance

4.3.5Mosques

4.3.6Rak'ahs

4.3.7Sawm

4.3.8Zakah

4.3.9Hajj

4.3.10Jihad

4.3.11Festivals & Commemorations

4.3.12End of Topic Test - Muslim Practices

4.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Muslim Practices

5Judaism

5.1Key Beliefs

5.1.1The Nature of God

5.1.2God as One

5.1.3God's Name

5.1.4God as Creator

5.1.5Free Will

5.1.6God as Law Giver and Judge

5.1.7The Divine Presence & Beliefs

5.1.8Role of the Messiah

5.1.9End of Topic Test - Jewish Key Beliefs

5.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Jewish Beliefs

5.2Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.2.1The Promised Land

5.2.2Abraham

5.2.3The Covenant

5.2.4The Covenant at Sinai

5.2.5The Covenant at Sinai 2

5.2.6Key Moral Principles

5.2.7End of Topic Test - Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.3The Synagogue & Worship

5.3.1The Synagogue & Its Importance

5.3.2Public Acts of Worship

5.3.3Shabbat

5.3.4Worship & Law

5.3.5End of Topic Test - Synagogue & Worship

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Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

Creation