Reflecting upon the Holy Trinity by Rev. Nicole A.M. Collins

The desire to want to reflect upon this came from once again planning Sunday worship to include the Athanasian Creed.  Yes, it’s that creed that is profoundly long, and begins and seemingly ends on an “old natured” unwelcoming note.  Some hymnals and traditions do not even feel the importance of continuing to include the creed in litany for Holy Trinity Sunday worship.  I’m one of those pastors however, that feels that we need to look at aspects of the creed and think in general, what do we truly feel about the Holy Trinity?  Do we see the human view of Christ when our mind begins to reflect upon the Trinity or do, we see them separate?  What do we see as the genuine image, role and work of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

These are very basic questions but came up as well when asking the Christian couple my husband and I are staying with, how they see or think about the Holy Trinity. Basically, the wife believes in seeing a Fatherly figure for the Father, Jesus as the Shepherd and the Holy Spirit she sees first as the Cross.  In the commentary on the Book of Acts I was skimming through for this coming Sunday’s Holy Trinity message; the author refers to the Book of Acts as the Gospel of the Resurrection.  I have always envisioned the Book of Acts as more or less the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. I have also been one to affirm the notion spiritually of thinking of Jesus as our Crucified Lord.

Jesus as our Crucified Lord; putting this back to back with Jesus is Lord, the first creed essentially in Paul’s letter to the Philippians chapter 2:

^“5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

When I had this scripture memorized by heart and performed it, I would bend my knee, extend my arm over and around to motion to my mouth speaking that Jesus is indeed Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.  At moments in reflecting upon my daily prayers and journey of each day, I would feel the image of Christ somehow or another shining through me.  We all have our moments of thinking and praying about God, but how do we connect with Him in feeling as St. Paul even reflected in yet another letter putting on Christ Jesus?  In his letter to the Romans, chapter 13, Paul tells us to put on Christ.  In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6 he has us think of God prepares us for the spiritual warfare of everyday:

^“10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

These are beautiful ways to seeing God truly with you and working through you.  Teaching this however in a growing secular age is getting more and more difficult.  The age of Enlightenment actually took us backwards in thinking about a God with us in our everyday lives in our waking moments and in our strained moments of alone time with God. As someone who’s tried to be in 21^st century variations of religious orders…  It ultimately still and most completely comes down to the need to finding your own solitary moments with God on your own.  For me it is always in the very early morning hours I pray and genuinely feel I am talking to God about what “I’ve done and left undone” from the previous day and asking through prayer, where He really needs me to go next.

Venturing on back to Illinois had many moments of deep prayer especially traveling precariously up and down giant 12,000-foot mountains in Utah and Colorado in a “mini” Penske semi-truck without hyperventilating or leaving a smartphone will recording in case I went sailing off the chasm next the mountain highways!  I heard Jesus speaking to my heart to be calm.  I really did(!) as well as remembering and repeating way too often—remember to “hug the line!” (the yellow highway dividing lines…)  I learned that from one of the wonderful congregants I served back in Las Vegas who was actually trained as a truck driver.  That whole trip back is just one journey I have had with God and thinking of His roles in my life, prayerfully. 

At this point, let us try to imagine what Athanasius of Alexandria was thinking about in penning his creed.  Is it merely an exercise of academic theologizing or is it truly a formalized struggle of one individual to try to define the elements of the Holy Trinity, more specifically the role of the Holy Spirit?  I would say both.  Below is the actual creed and following that is what I devised to engage my congregants in prayerfully hearing/ thinking about the creed:

“Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith unless everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise, the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So, the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise, the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so, God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.”

The beginning and the end of his creed I have struggled with because I believe it shuts the door on people receiving it in a welcoming way.  What I have done to address this as well as engage my congregation in reflecting on this creed is by presenting it like this:

Sermon Nuggets

The Athanasian Statement of Faith

_{(Variation created by Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins)}

Why do many Christians look at this statement every Trinity Sunday? St. Athanasius deemed it necessary in order to hold the catholic (meaning universal) faith that we wrestle spiritually with what the Trinity means. This very faith is created by a saving Grace, and we are to hold this faith in our hearts, whole and undefiled; without doubt ... Thus, the universal faith is this:

That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost.

Athanasius wanted to make sure though that we understand that the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal.

Athanasius realized as well for us to come to ponder: And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise, the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty.

So, we can now understand and see that the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise, the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord.

We are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, there are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding.

So, the light has been shed that there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity, none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

In realizing the costliest Grace given to us through Christ Jesus; it is necessary that we also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, Mary the Mother of Our Lord, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood.

Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so, God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sits at the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all people will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic—universal faith; which all gathered here, have come to believe truly and firmly attest to.

 I am still incorporating an interactive reading of the creed, but I am hoping that the congregation can hear aspects of what is said in a more prayerful and perhaps new way.  New way does not mean being revisionist but “revelationary” to yet another struggling generation of Christians who are both post-Enlightenment and its damaging effects as well as are post-modern.  Whether or not many want to bravely join me in confessing that we are in a transitional era that definitely does squelch and quiet the Spirit and its work in our lives…  I believe it is a profound, dare I say, prophetic truth to the times we are living in, that we must be vocal about.  We are less prophetic about God and more prophetic about the death works of politics in our everyday lives.

We are not doing enough to reflect on God in a cross-shaped discipleship.  We are not perhaps, seeing Jesus enough in ourselves working through us.  We don’t go there enough with thinking of the Heavenly Father and seeing ourselves truly as those children of Grace and Promise that the Gospel has genuinely laid before us spiritually to see.  We don’t hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, the Cross of Christ reaching down to us holding us in the palm of His hands.  To begin a deep prayerful faith, you have to aspire past your saint/sinner reality to have moments of agape love.  Existentially speaking, this is living, praying and loving God and neighbor beyond the self.  The moments we do have genuine feelings of agape is the moment when we see the Living Word come profoundly to life as costly and timeless Grace.  These are wonderful moments we can and do have a deep faith in the power of God and the power of obedience to let God work through us.

I am going to close this article with the poetic lyrics from a little-known acoustic guitarist, Phil Keaggy.  Much like Cat Stevens and even Jim Croce, his singing days were very few. Phil Keaggy today, more or less plays beautiful abstract acoustic guitar music and no longer sings as he did in his 1973 album ‘What a Day.’  It is very much from the era of hippie 70’s Jesus music, but says a lot about thinking of the totality of God working in our lives as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Now I Can See

Phil Keaggy

I can feel a warmth inside filling me,

A hand touched my eyes.

Now I believe the Son did rise

And He will be my Everlasting Light.

Now I can see what He wants me to see.

I then shall be like a tree planted by a river.

And I shall not be moved.

Come and walk with Me, He said

Talk with Me, I am your Friend, your Friend.

Greater love hath no man than this;

That a man lay down his life for his friends.

And He did, yes He did.

That was God's love for man.

He took upon Him all of our sins

And this was His plan. His plan.

Now I can feel that warmth inside filling me,

His hand touched my life.

Now I can see what He wants me to see.

I then shall be like a tree planted by a river.

And I shall not be moved.

Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins