Pagan Influences on the Development of the Trinity

In this audio interview, Kegan Chandler talks about the history of trinitarian theology and about his book, The God of Jesus in Light of Christian Dogma. If you are at all interested in the history of ideas that influenced what Christians believed about Jesus in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries, this episode is for you. Chandler discusses how Plato’s Greek philosophy influenced Christian theologians as well as how the Gnostics not only anticipated much trinitarian language, but also how they influenced “orthodox” theology. After exposing the pagan influences on the development of the Trinity, Chandler goes on to offer a better way of reading the New Testament: through the lens of second temple Judaism rather than reading Greek metaphysical ideas into scripture.

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Author: Kegan Chandler

Keywords: trinitarianism, Tri-unity, Jesus is God, God the Son, hypostasis, Trinity, Trinitarian, Deity of Christ, Deity of Jesus, Triunity, Arianism, Arian, Three in one, Three gods, Three gods one person, Three persons, Johannine comma, Johanine comma, Johanine coma, Johannine coma, Comma, False doctrine, False teaching, Arius, Arias, Nicene Creed, Nicaea, Nicea, Athanasian Creed, Athanasius, Father son holy spirit, Father son holy ghost, Triune, Three persons in one God, eternal sonship, god manifest in the flesh, God incarnate, incarnation, incarnate, God made flesh, God manifestation, eternal son, eternal son of God, Christology, Christologies, Binitarian, Binitarianism, Jesus is divine, Christ is divine, God in three persons, divinity of Jesus, divinity of Christ, Homoiousian, Homoousian, Homoousion, Adoptionism, adoptionist, gnosticism

Bible reference(s): Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 28:19, John 1:1-3, John 1:14, John 1:18, Joh 10:30, Joh 17:3, Joh 20:28, 1Co 8:6, Eph 4:6, 1 Tim 2:5, 1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 5:7-8, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Source: Sean Finnegan, “Interview 9: Pagan Influences on the Development of the Trinity (Kegan Chandler),” restitutio.org.

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