St. Patrick and the Trinity
On this, St. Patrick’s Day, I think it’s worth recalling that St. Patrick is known not only for converting Ireland to Christianity, and not only for banishing all the snakes from Ireland, but also for being a major advocate and defender of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Which, when you think about just how difficult a feat that really is, may be the most stunning element of Patrick’s resume. For how do we explain or even understand that God is one God, indivisible, and yet also three persons, distinct in identity?
When I was a child, my Mom tried to help me understand the Trinity by comparing it to water. Although H2-O is one thing, she explained, it can be expressed as liquid, steam, or ice. That worked for me pretty well for quite a while – actually, until I got to seminary and discovered it was a heresy! (Well, Mom, I never said I loved you because you are orthodox.)
By and large, my mom’s in pretty good company. For as this video explains, it’s pretty darn hard to explain the Trinity and not fall into heresy. But as Phil Krey, one of my favorite church history professors, once explained, it takes two things to be declared a heretic. 1) You need to have bad theology and 2) you need to be in a position to do damage to the Church. Which means that must of us, I think, are safe, on St. Patrick’s Day and the rest of the year to boot, just to believe and enjoy the Trinity, even if we don’t understand it!
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Well, I always have like the explanation of the Trinity that it is like neopolatin ice cream – three flavours but all ice cream. Not sure which of the heresies this qualifies for, but it sure tastes good and everybody loves an ice cream cone after church in June!!!
Cute and informative, up until the “stab you in the face” comment and the end…getting drunk and throwing up in the river. Explaining the Trinity shouldn’t include suggestions of violent acts and self destructive behavior, especially when coming from the Lutheran church. If we claim to seek peace and inclusiveness we shouldn’t poke fun at aggression and misuse of alcohol. I thought this would be a video I would want to share with new Lutherans and youth. Now I am sorry I watched it.
Funny!! Thanks for sharing.
Love it, thanks for that. A great way of explaining the different misconceptions of the Trinity! I’d like to transcribe that and use it as a sketch .. not sure what my church would make of it though…