The Trinity

One God in Three Persons)
Note: The Bible does not use the word “Trinity,” but both Christian Science and mainline Christianity incorporate the term into their doctrines.

Christian Science:
Christian Science defines the Trinity as Life, Truth, and Love, which are three of the seven synonyms that Mrs. Eddy uses to describe God. (The seven synonyms are Principle, Soul, Mind, Spirit, Life, Truth, and Love.)

“Life, Truth, and Love constitute the triune Person called God, – that is, the triply divine Principle, Love. They represent a trinity in unity, three in one, – the same in essence, though multiform in office: God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of sonship; divine Science [i.e., Christian Science] or the Holy Comforter. These three express in divine Science the threefold, essential nature of the infinite. They also indicate the divine Principle of scientific being, the intelligent relation of God to man and the universe.” (Science and Health, 331:26-332:3)

“The name Elohim [a Hebrew term for God] is in the plural, but this plurality of Spirit does not imply more than one God, nor does it imply three persons in one. It relates to the oneness, the tri-unity of Life, Truth, and Love.” (Science and Health, 515:17-20)

“The theory of three persons in one God (that is, a personal Trinity or Tri-unity) suggests polytheism rather than the one ever-present I AM.” (Science and Health, 256:9-11)

The Bible:
Biblical Christianity teaches that God exists as three distinct Persons who make up one “godhead” (the godhead refers to the nature or essence of God). This perplexing concept finds it roots in the Bible, which declares that there is only one God, but yet assigns the name “God” to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Father is called God:
“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 1:7)

The Son is called God:
“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Heb 1:8)

(See, also, the section on the deity of Jesus.)

The Holy Spirit is called God:
“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land. . . . thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” (Acts 5:3-4)

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are called Persons because they exhibit personality features such as emotion and will. The Bible lists them without a particular ranking.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Mat 28:18-19)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (2 Cor. 13:14)