Question 1

What is the doctrine of the Trinity?&#10;A) God has three natures in one manifestation&#10;B) God is three persons with one nature&#10;C) There are three Gods&#10;D) God is composed of three separate parts

Accepted Answer

The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that God exists as three persons with one nature. These three persons are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This means that there is one God, but three distinct persons who are co-equal and co-eternal. This doctrine is a central belief in Christianity.

Question 2

What was the driving force behind the development of the doctrine of the Trinity?&#10;A) The polytheism of their Roman culture&#10;B) The Greek concepts of person and substance&#10;C) Their experience of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as divine&#10;D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The doctrine of the Trinity developed from early Christians' experiences and understanding of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all of whom were perceived as divine.

Question 3

Which of the following is true regarding the Trinity?&#10;A) The Didache uses the three-fold formula: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit&#10;B) The word &#34;Trinity&#34; is not in the Bible&#10;C) The early Christians acknowledge all three of the persons of the Trinity as divine.&#10;D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

A) The Didache, an early Christian document from the first or second century, includes the three-fold formula of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, suggesting an understanding of the Trinity.
B) While the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, the concept of God's triune nature is present in various passages, such as Matthew 28:19-20 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.
C) The early Christians recognized and affirmed the divinity of all three persons of the Trinity, although there were some debates and disagreements about the precise relationship and nature of the Trinity.

Question 4

Monarchists emphasized what?&#10;A) Jesus as the only Son&#10;B) The oneness of God&#10;C) One judgment for all people&#10;D) One holy apostolic faith.

Accepted Answer

Monarchists emphasized the oneness of God, particularly in opposition to the concept of the Trinity as developed by the Christian Church.

Question 5

Economists:&#10;A) The threeness of God&#10;B) The unity of the Church and the state&#10;C) The legitimacy of house churches&#10;D) Jesus was an adopted son of God.

Accepted Answer

Economists are not theologians and do not have any expertise in the nature of God.

Question 6

According to Modalism:&#10;A) Ultimate Reality manifests in different modes according to religion&#10;B) Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three modes of the one God&#10;C) each of the persons of the Trinity could adopt different modes of being&#10;D) you can clearly distinguish between the three persons of the Trinity.

Accepted Answer

Modalism asserts that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are different modes of the one God, rather than being distinct and separate persons within the Godhead. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Options A, C, and D do not accurately reflect the teachings of modalism.

Question 7

Why is Patripassionism a problem for Modalists?&#10;A) If Christ was born of a virgin, there could be no Father&#10;B) If Father and Son are separate, there can be no Holy Spirit&#10;C) It implies polytheism&#10;D) If Christ is identical with the Father, then when Christ suffered and died then the Father suffered and died.

Accepted Answer

Patripassionism is the belief that the Father suffered alongside the Son during the crucifixion. This is problematic for Modalists who believe that the Father and Son are one and the same person. If Christ is identical with the Father, then when Christ suffered and died, the Father would also have suffered and died, leading to the conclusion that God suffered and died on the cross, which is a contradiction to the nature of God.

Question 8

Which of the Church Fathers was instrumental in the development of the doctrine of the Trinity?&#10;A) Sabellius&#10;B) Paul of Samosata&#10;C) Tertullian&#10;D) Valentinus

Accepted Answer

Tertullian was one of the earliest Church Fathers to use the Latin term "Trinitas" to describe the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He also defended the doctrine of the Trinity against challenges from various heresies, including Modalism and Adoptionism.

Question 9

Athanasius argued that&#10;A) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the same person&#10;B) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of the same essence&#10;C) the divinity of the Holy Spirit is not essential&#10;D) Jesus, while eternal, was a creation of the Father.

Accepted Answer

Athanasius is known for his defense of the doctrine of the Trinity, which teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons but of the same essence. This is different from A and D, which deny the Trinity in different ways, and from C, which minimizes the importance of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Question 10

According to the Cappadocian Fathers, what makes the three persons of the Trinity truly one in nature?&#10;A) Their simplicity&#10;B) Their unity&#10;C) Their indivisibility&#10;D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

According to the Cappadocian Fathers, the three persons of the Trinity are truly one in nature due to their simplicity, unity, and indivisibility. Therefore, option D, "all of the above," is the correct choice.

Deck 9: Trinitarian Debate