There are religious groups that claim the title of Christian that do reject the Divinity of Jesus and thus the historical understanding of the Trinity as espoused in both the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.
Two Groups in particular come to mind, the Jehovah's Witnesses (Further Reading, here and here) and the Mormons (Further Reading, here and here), the latter's most Famous adherent would have made and may still yet make a good president, that would be Mitt Romney.
The Jehovah's Witnesses for example have gone so far in their desire to do away with the trinitarian dogma that they have authored their own translation of the bible called the New World Translation, with numerous translations errors (I am being charitable here), done specifically to deny Christ his divinity. This translation has led many and unprepared Christian, both Catholic and non-Catholic (Sadly mostly Catholic Though) to leave their tradition and join with this pseudo-Christian Group. As Demonstrated in my previous post the Scriptures as well as the constant teaching of traditional Christianity is quite clear on the Divinity of Jesus.
The Mormons are something entirely different. They accept a Traditional version of Scripture in the King James Version (which has it's own problems but not to the extent of the New World Translation). This translation does establish the Trinitarian dogma quite clearly, however in order to justify their anti-traditional trinitarian view they state that their acceptance of this translation is conditional. The difference between them and the JW's is that they accept continuing revelation as expressed through their own office of Apostles and Prophets and in a second inspired Scripture called the Book of Mormons. It Must be noted by the way that this is not their only inspired text, they also believe all documents emerging from their governing body located in Salt Lake City, such as The Pearl of Great Price, is also inspired and on equal footing with Scripture, in this ongoing revelation they have developed a truncated version of The Trinity
Note in the article linked their notion of the Godhead and three gods forming one God Head. I heard a Mormon one state is as Three god that are one in purpose. This is completely different from the Traditional and Apostolic teachings regarding the Trinity as expressed in the Creeds.
It is important that As Christians we are clear, The Trinity is an undeniable dogma of all Christians. It is what makes other non-Catholic traditions Christians even if they do not hold to the fullness of faith as expressed by the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Faith. One cannot be a Christian and not Accept the Trinity. Thus the JW's and the Mormons are not true Christian Faiths even if they insist in claiming that title (I say this in all charity, but it is true).
This Column from Marcellino D'Abrossio is intereting in light of this post.
5 comments:
Yes, indeed, Jehovah's Witnesses have made a fresh new translation of their own Bible, and this was certainly because they wanted to make the Bible say what they wanted it to say, they wanted it to say the truth. They believed an effort should be made to provide a more accurate version of the Holy Bible - hence, "The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures." For more information on this and other related subjects, I encourage your consideration of the following website and its referenced links:
http://www.goodcompanionbooks.com
Agape, Alan.
john1one@earthlink.net
The problem is that the NWT is not a tranlation, it is in essense a praphrase where the translators inpute their thoughts into the translation. I will wait eagerly for the new, new world translation. I wonder how this version will translate John 20:28
Greetings Richard Lamb
It is important that As Christians we are clear, The Trinity is an undeniable dogma of all Christians. ... One cannot be a Christian and not Accept the Trinity.
These are incredible, bold words.
Considering the fact, that neither Jesus nor any of his disciples, nor even the Scriptures assert such things!!
Where in Holy Scripture does it even come close to stating "One cannot be a Christian and not Accept the Trinity??"
The trinity was something that was foisted on to Christianity, hundreds of years after Christ & his Apostles.
It would be wiser to stick to Scripture, and the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who never spoke of a trinity;
but rather believed in solely ONE GOD, his Father, who he identified as the only true GOD.
[John 17.3]
Therefore, on the subject of the trinity,
I recommend this video:
The Human Jesus
Take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you to reconsider "The Trinity"
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor
PS I am neither a JW nor a Mormon! :-)
Greetings Mr. Pastor;
My Statement is not so bold given that it is a matter of dogmatic teachings since the apostolic age. On the Previous POst to this Titles Is Jesus God I point to several scripture verses that establish Jesus as beeing Divine in Nature and since there is but one divine beeing Jesus is therefore God. Mathew 1:23 Calls him emaunel (Which means God with us) Referncing the Prophet Isaia who prophesied thir regarding Jesus. Revelations Uses the Term Alpha and Omega to refer to Both God the Father and Jesus Reference
; Rev 1;6, 21;6 and 22,13.
TDoubting Thomas refered to him as "My Lord and My God when in his precense after the Resurection (John 20:28)
That Jesus was Divine, that Jesus claimed to Be Divine by Stating "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8;58) and that the Aposltes thought him to be God is unmistikable.
The reference to the Triny beeing Foisted Upon Christianity is often a reference to the Council of Nicea, that Defined (not invented) the Dogma as a response to the Aryan Heresy that denied the Divinity of Christ. Councils do not foist they define and protect Apotolic teaching.
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