OpenTheo

Q&A#33 Why are there so many 'Binitarian' Formulations in the NT?

Alastair Roberts

Q&A#33 Why are there so many 'Binitarian' Formulations in the NT?

August 29, 2018
Alastair Roberts
Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Why are so many references to God in the NT binitarian (Father and Son) rather than trinitarian (Father, Son and Spirit)? I'm thinking of Paul's greetings, Stephen's vision, Jesus' speeches about unity with the Father, etc. Admittedly the Spirit grows more prominent after Pentecost, but I've wondered about this a lot. I've seen anti-trinitarians use this argument, but though I can explain it away, I'm not sure I can positively account for it. Thoughts?"

If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.

If you have enjoyed these videos, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged.

My new Soundcloud account is here: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More on OpenTheo

It's About Time
It's About Time
Alastair Roberts
November 26, 2024
The following was first published over on The Anchored Argosy Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/35-the-depths-of-time. A version of it was also
John 21: A Fitting Epilogue
John 21: A Fitting Epilogue
Alastair Roberts
November 19, 2024
The following was first published over on The Anchored Argosy Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/32-intellectual-salons-and-a-new. Follow my Sub
The Church and Politics (with Miles Smith IV)
The Church and Politics (with Miles Smith IV)
Alastair Roberts
October 15, 2024
Dr Miles Smith, Assistant Professor of History at Hillsdale College, joins me to discuss the complexities of the Church's relationship with politics.
Numbers and the Camp of Israel (with Michael Morales)
Numbers and the Camp of Israel (with Michael Morales)
Alastair Roberts
September 21, 2024
Michael Morales is the author of the recently released Numbers 1-19 volume (https://amzn.to/3XOgteK) in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series, a
Is the Principle of Double Effect Legitimate When It Comes to Abortion?
Is the Principle of Double Effect Legitimate When It Comes to Abortion?
#STRask
October 24, 2024
Questions about the legitimacy of the principle of double effect when it comes to abortion and saving the mother’s life, whether laws should protect t
Can Evil Spirits Come into Our Lives Through Certain Music and Movies?
Can Evil Spirits Come into Our Lives Through Certain Music and Movies?
#STRask
December 2, 2024
Questions about whether evil spirits can come into our lives through openings like certain music and movies and whether putting Bible verses under you
If I’m Not Being Persecuted, Does That Mean I’m Not Living a Godly Life?
If I’m Not Being Persecuted, Does That Mean I’m Not Living a Godly Life?
#STRask
November 28, 2024
Questions about whether a lack of persecution means you’re not living a godly life, what to think about your faith if your suffering doesn’t bring you
What Instruments in Church? w/ Will Drzycimski
What Instruments in Church? w/ Will Drzycimski
For The King
October 2, 2024
What instruments should the Church use on the Lord's day? Brother Will helps us think about this in a helpful way. This conversation was prompted from
Why Mordecai Did Not Bow
Why Mordecai Did Not Bow
Alastair Roberts
October 12, 2024
The following is a reading from this post: https://argosy.substack.com/p/breakfast-and-move-things. Follow our Substack, the Anchored Argosy at https
How Can I Help Someone Move Away from the Fact-Value Split?
How Can I Help Someone Move Away from the Fact-Value Split?
#STRask
September 23, 2024
Questions about how to help a friend move away from his belief that objective facts about religious issues, unlike scientific facts, are “just someone
Everyday Gospel with Paul Tripp
Everyday Gospel with Paul Tripp
Life and Books and Everything
November 6, 2024
Most Christians in conservative churches are familiar with Paul Tripp’s books. He’s one of the most popular authors in the church today, with a knack
How Is Biblical Inspiration Different from Automatic Writing?
How Is Biblical Inspiration Different from Automatic Writing?
#STRask
October 31, 2024
Questions about how biblical inspiration differs from automatic writing, whether or not we don’t know who wrote 74% of the New Testament, signing a ma
How Do We Know if the Good Things We Experience Are the Result of God’s Actions?
How Do We Know if the Good Things We Experience Are the Result of God’s Actions?
#STRask
October 7, 2024
Questions about how we know if the good things we experience are the result of God’s actions, whether something can be considered a miracle if it can
What Does It Mean to Be an Evangelical? With Andrew Atherstone and David Ceri Jones
What Does It Mean to Be an Evangelical? With Andrew Atherstone and David Ceri Jones
Life and Books and Everything
October 23, 2024
A few months ago, a prominent American scholar, Matthew Avery Sutton, published an article arguing there is no “through line” from Christians of the p
The Anglicanism of C.S. Lewis
The Anglicanism of C.S. Lewis
Alastair Roberts
October 29, 2024
The following is a reading of a reflection first published on our Substack: https://argosy.substack.com/p/lewis-the-anglican. A version of it was also