THE HOLY TRINITY

IN SCRIPTURE, HISTORY, THEOLOGY, AND WORSHIP

REVISED AND EXPANDED

ROBERT LETHAM

p.o. box 817 • phillipsburg • new jersey 08865-0817

© 2004, 2019 by Robert Letham

First edition 2004

Revised and expanded edition 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—except for brief quotations for the purpose of review or comment, without the prior permission of the publisher, P&R Publishing Company, P.O. Box 817, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865-0817.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (niv) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Quotations from Augustine, On the Trinity, are taken from NPNF1 (Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, eds., A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 1st ser. [repr., Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1995]).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Letham, Robert, author.

Title: The Holy Trinity : in scripture, history, theology, and worship / Robert Letham.

Description: Revised and Expanded [edition]. | Phillipsburg : P&R Publishing, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018051567| ISBN 9781629953779 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781629953786 (epub) | ISBN 9781629953793 (mobi)

Subjects: LCSH: Trinity.

Classification: LCC BT111.3 .L48 2019 | DDC 231/.044--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018051567

For Joan

CONTENTS

Foreword by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Preface to the First Edition

Preface to the Revised and Expanded Edition

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part 1: Biblical Foundations

1. Old Testament Background

2. Jesus and the Father

3. The Holy Spirit and Triadic Patterns

Excursus: Ternary Patterns in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians

Part 2: Historical Development

4. Early Trinitarianism

5. The Arian Controversy

6. Athanasius

7. The Cappadocians

8. The Council of Constantinople (a.d. 381)

9. Augustine

10. East and West: The Filioque Controversy

11. East and West: The Paths Diverge

12. John Calvin (1509–64)

Excursus: A Post-Reformation Development

Part 3: Modern Discussion

13. Karl Barth (1886–1968)

14. Rahner, Moltmann, and Pannenberg

15. Under Eastern Eyes: Bulgakov, Lossky, and Staniloae

16. Thomas F. Torrance (1913–2007)

Part 4: Critical Issues

17. The Trinity and the Incarnation

18. The Trinity, Worship, and Prayer

19. The Trinity, Creation, and Missions...