Introduction

[Krsto]

The formalized doctrine, like many other early church biblical doctrines, did not happen until a response was needed due to new heretical attacks on orthodoxy. The beliefs were held, sometimes in a pre-theoretical way, before creeds and councils.

Jesus, Paul, John, Luke, Matthew, Mark, Peter, etc. were trinitarian before Tertullian, etc.

Trinitarianism is a "theory" so before the theory there was no "ism." Is is just as phoney and intellectually dishonest to call someone a trinitarian before the theory came along as it is to call someone an evolutionist before Darwin, unless that person actually thought of the theory before Darwin.

Does admitting the trinity doctrine was invented after the apostles threaten your relevancy or what grulz? Why do you have such a hard time with this when so many Evangelical scholars don't? You sound like so many ignorant pastors who preach about this without actually looking at the history. They just parrot what they read in a book that was written by someone else who really didn't look into the history of it.

You really need to understand what you are talking about before being so dogmatic about it.

 

[godrulz]

The history of dogma shows formalization of doctrines already held by believers, but in a less systematic, formal way. We do not read about a complete eschatological chronology in any given passage. Paul addressed misconceptions in Thess., etc. We are still working on eschatological details in our life time, but we can trace pre-mill. views earlier than Augustinian amill., etc.

The triune understanding must be argued from Scripture (which predates later church fathers, creeds, councils). The trinity is not the only important truth that was developed in detail over time in response to heretical attacks that did not exist from the beginning. The church is still dealing with issues, but it does not mean the belief did not precede the defense of it.

Church Fathers are fallible and disagree with each other. The trinity can be argued from Scripture and was held by the early believers even if they did not articulate it the way our systematic theology books do today (the Bible is not written like a text, but historical narrative with didactic sections).