Details for Trinity

This unit is designed to enable students to understand and explain the doctrine of the Trinity, and to appreciate its significance for theology, faith and mission.   

The unit Trinity is part of the subject area Theology and is offered as a part of the following Awards: Master of Arts (Christian Studies) (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)).

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

At the successful completion of this units, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate a solid understanding of the historical development and contemporary formulations of the doctrine of the Trinity;
2. critically analyse contemporary interpretations and applications of the doctrine;
3. relate Trinitarian doctrine to other theological loci and to the life and mission of the church;
4. dialogue with lay Christians and those of other faiths about the doctrine and its significance. 

Subject Content

1. Theological development: Scripture, heresy, creeds, church fathers
2. Contemporary formulations: Barth, Rahner, Moltmann
3. Feminism and the naming of God
4. The triune God and creation
5. Trinity, spirituality and ecclesiology
6. Trinitarian theology and inter-religious dialogue
7. Communicating complex concepts to congregations

Assessment Methods

Forum responses, essay, group project.

Prescribed Text

Hunt, A. Trinity: Nexus of the Mysteries of Christian Faith. New York: Orbis Books, 2005.

Representative References

Bloesch, D. God, the Almighty. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP, 2006.

Flett, J.G. “In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: A Critical Reflection on the Trinitarian Theologies of Religion of S. Mark Heim and Gavin D’Costa”, International Journal of Systematic Theology 10/1 (2008): 73-90.

Johnson, E. She Who Is: the mystery of God in feminist theological discourse. N.Y.: Crossroad, 2001.

Kärkkäinen, V. Trinity and Religious Pluralism. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2004.

Ormerod, N. The Trinity: Retrieving the Western Tradition.  Milwaukee:  Marquette University Press, 2005.

Ormerod, N.J.“Two Points or Four?- Rahner and Lonergan on Trinity, Incarnation, Grace and Beautific Vision.” Theological Studies 68/3 (2007): 661-673.

O’Collins, G. The Tripersonal God. New York: Paulist Press, 1999.

Rea, Michael, Oxfordreadings in philosophical theology, Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Swanson, M. “The Trinity in Christian-Muslim Conversation.” Dialog: A Journal of Theology 44, no. 3 (2005): 256-263.