The History of the Development of the Trinity Doctrine
(page 6 of 7)
1 With the passage of the centuries many ‘daughters’ were spawned as branches broke away from the ‘Mother’ Church at Rome. And in spite of their sometimes violent disagreement among themselves, they nearly always kept the adulterous mark of their Mother: many of her pagan-inspired doctrines and celebrations.
2 Speaking of the doctrine-forming ecumenical councils of the early Roman Catholic Church, starting with the Nicene Council of 325 we are told,
“Of these, the Protestant churches generally recognize [as authoritative today] the first four; the Church of England ... the first five .... The Greek church accepts the first seven.” - The American People’s Encyclopedia, v. 6, p. 6-395, 1954.
3 We have seen how God’s people never had even the hint of a three-in-one God concept throughout their history (see the ISRAEL study) while it was a common belief in many contemporary lands.
We have seen how the trinity idea was gradually introduced into Christendom through pagan “Christian” philosophers.
We have seen how, in 325 A. D., the still-pagan emperor and his Alexandrian-influenced trinitarian advisor forced the trinity idea on a reluctant church as the first official doctrinal change of a church that had, for the first time, become dominated by the secular government. In fact, church historian (and strong trinitarian) Cairns admits that
“[Christendom’s] association with the Roman state between 313 and 590 [A. D.] was to bring itmany flaws.” - CTTC, p. 130.
We have seen how the most respected and most influential Church “authorities” were greatly pagan-influenced and insisted on the authority of state-dominated, pagan-inspired ecumenical council decisions over and above any scriptural authority (or truly Apostolic tradition).
We have seen how this same Roman Church adopted and taught other obviously pagan-inspired anti-scriptural doctrines during this very same time period through the efforts of these very same “Christians.”
We have seen how the Pope himself admits that although he has the authority to abolish an obviously pagan doctrine within his church he cannot go against such a strong tradition![132]
And we have seen how nearly all of Christendom today has inherited the traditions imposed by the first councils of that state-dominated, pagan-inspired Roman Church. (Nearly all of Christendom has come to blindly accept this paganistic tradition as completely natural and proper. Many of its adherents even claim that only the ignorant and uneducated - or intellectually dishonest - would dispute this essential doctrine.)[163, 164, 165]
4 Clearly this manifestation (or foremost representative) of Babylon the Great[161] seated upon the seven hills of Rome has spawned many daughters who share in her harlotry. And how clearly worshipers of the Only True God are commanded to get away from such idolatrous harlotry and touch not the unclean thing. - Rev. 18:4, 5; Is. 52:11; Jer. 51:9.
“... take care that you are not ensnared into their ways. Do not inquire about their gods and say, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I too will do the same.’ you must not do for the Lord [Jehovah - ASV] your god what they do, for ALL that they do for their gods is hateful and abominable to the Lord [Jehovah].” - Deut. 12:29-30, NEB. (Cf. JB.)
“In the New Testament the word ... (idololatria), afterwards shortened occasionally to ... (idolatria) [‘idolatry’], occurs in all four times, viz., in 1 Cor. 10:14; Gal. 5:20; 1 Pet. 4:3; Col. 3:5. In the last of these passages it is used to describe the sin of covetousness or ‘mammon-worship.’ In the other places it indicates with the utmost generality ALL the rites and practices of those special forms of paganism with which Christianity first came into collision.” - Encyclopedia Britannica, p. 71, v. 12, 14th ed. [1 Cor 5:11 and Eph 5:5 fit into the latter category above also.]
(See how strongly these “special forms of paganism,” “idolatry” are condemned: Gal. 5:20, 21.) - Even the modern Roman Catholic Church admits the Bible’s condemnation of the acceptance by some early Christians of pagan teachings.[162]
The testimony of history, as well as the testimony of scripture, shows us the truly idolatrous nature of the trinity doctrine and why we must not even “touch” such an unclean thing![166]
(page 6 of 7)
1 With the passage of the centuries many ‘daughters’ were spawned as branches broke away from the ‘Mother’ Church at Rome. And in spite of their sometimes violent disagreement among themselves, they nearly always kept the adulterous mark of their Mother: many of her pagan-inspired doctrines and celebrations.
2 Speaking of the doctrine-forming ecumenical councils of the early Roman Catholic Church, starting with the Nicene Council of 325 we are told,
“Of these, the Protestant churches generally recognize [as authoritative today] the first four; the Church of England ... the first five .... The Greek church accepts the first seven.” - The American People’s Encyclopedia, v. 6, p. 6-395, 1954.
3 We have seen how God’s people never had even the hint of a three-in-one God concept throughout their history (see the ISRAEL study) while it was a common belief in many contemporary lands.
We have seen how the trinity idea was gradually introduced into Christendom through pagan “Christian” philosophers.
We have seen how, in 325 A. D., the still-pagan emperor and his Alexandrian-influenced trinitarian advisor forced the trinity idea on a reluctant church as the first official doctrinal change of a church that had, for the first time, become dominated by the secular government. In fact, church historian (and strong trinitarian) Cairns admits that
“[Christendom’s] association with the Roman state between 313 and 590 [A. D.] was to bring itmany flaws.” - CTTC, p. 130.
We have seen how the most respected and most influential Church “authorities” were greatly pagan-influenced and insisted on the authority of state-dominated, pagan-inspired ecumenical council decisions over and above any scriptural authority (or truly Apostolic tradition).
We have seen how this same Roman Church adopted and taught other obviously pagan-inspired anti-scriptural doctrines during this very same time period through the efforts of these very same “Christians.”
We have seen how the Pope himself admits that although he has the authority to abolish an obviously pagan doctrine within his church he cannot go against such a strong tradition![132]
And we have seen how nearly all of Christendom today has inherited the traditions imposed by the first councils of that state-dominated, pagan-inspired Roman Church. (Nearly all of Christendom has come to blindly accept this paganistic tradition as completely natural and proper. Many of its adherents even claim that only the ignorant and uneducated - or intellectually dishonest - would dispute this essential doctrine.)[163, 164, 165]
4 Clearly this manifestation (or foremost representative) of Babylon the Great[161] seated upon the seven hills of Rome has spawned many daughters who share in her harlotry. And how clearly worshipers of the Only True God are commanded to get away from such idolatrous harlotry and touch not the unclean thing. - Rev. 18:4, 5; Is. 52:11; Jer. 51:9.
“... take care that you are not ensnared into their ways. Do not inquire about their gods and say, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I too will do the same.’ you must not do for the Lord [Jehovah - ASV] your god what they do, for ALL that they do for their gods is hateful and abominable to the Lord [Jehovah].” - Deut. 12:29-30, NEB. (Cf. JB.)
“In the New Testament the word ... (idololatria), afterwards shortened occasionally to ... (idolatria) [‘idolatry’], occurs in all four times, viz., in 1 Cor. 10:14; Gal. 5:20; 1 Pet. 4:3; Col. 3:5. In the last of these passages it is used to describe the sin of covetousness or ‘mammon-worship.’ In the other places it indicates with the utmost generality ALL the rites and practices of those special forms of paganism with which Christianity first came into collision.” - Encyclopedia Britannica, p. 71, v. 12, 14th ed. [1 Cor 5:11 and Eph 5:5 fit into the latter category above also.]
(See how strongly these “special forms of paganism,” “idolatry” are condemned: Gal. 5:20, 21.) - Even the modern Roman Catholic Church admits the Bible’s condemnation of the acceptance by some early Christians of pagan teachings.[162]
The testimony of history, as well as the testimony of scripture, shows us the truly idolatrous nature of the trinity doctrine and why we must not even “touch” such an unclean thing![166]
The assertion that the doctrine of the Trinity is a "manifestation of Babylon the Great" and a product of paganism rather than biblical Christianity is based on a combination of misinterpretations, historical inaccuracies, and selective use of sources. A careful examination of history, theology, and Scripture demonstrates that the Trinity is not a pagan innovation but a faithful expression of the biblical revelation of God.
ReplyDeleteThe claim that ancient Israel never had "even the hint of a three-in-one God concept" ignores the richness of the Old Testament in revealing the complexity of God’s nature. Passages such as Genesis 1:26 ("Let us make man in our image"), Psalm 110:1 ("The LORD says to my Lord"), and Isaiah 48:16 ("The Lord GOD has sent me, and His Spirit") indicate a plurality within the one God. These texts, while not explicit in defining the Trinity, lay the groundwork for the fuller revelation in the New Testament.
The Trinity was not “gradually introduced into Christendom through pagan philosophers.” Early Christian writings, long before Constantine or the Council of Nicaea, reflect a Trinitarian understanding of God. The letters of Ignatius of Antioch (ca. 110 AD) frequently refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in ways consistent with Trinitarian theology. Justin Martyr (ca. 150 AD) likewise defends the divinity of Christ while distinguishing Him from the Father. These authors were primarily grounded in Scripture and were defending the faith against both pagan polytheism and Jewish objections, not assimilating pagan ideas.
The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) did not "force" a Trinitarian concept on a reluctant church. The council was convened to address the Arian controversy, which denied the full divinity of Christ. The adoption of terms like homoousios (of the same substance) was not a capitulation to paganism but a precise way to articulate the biblical teaching that Christ is fully divine, as affirmed in passages like John 1:1, Colossians 1:15-20, and Hebrews 1:3. Far from being “pagan,” these terms were chosen to preserve the monotheistic and biblical understanding of God.
The suggestion that the Trinity is a form of idolatry contradicts the consistent monotheism upheld in Trinitarian theology. The Trinity affirms one God in three persons, not three gods, and is firmly rooted in the biblical witness. The use of terms like idololatria in Galatians 5:20 and Colossians 3:5 refers to the worship of created things, not the worship of the one true God as revealed in Scripture. The accusation that the Trinity is akin to pagan idolatry misrepresents both the doctrine itself and the historical efforts of the Church to oppose actual pagan worship.
The characterization of the Roman Catholic Church and its alleged imposition of pagan doctrines overlooks the fact that the Nicene Creed was the result of broad participation from bishops across the Roman Empire, not merely from Rome. The Creed was affirmed by councils and theologians from both Eastern and Western traditions, demonstrating a shared commitment to biblical orthodoxy rather than the dominance of a single faction or influence.
The claim that the Trinity and other doctrines were pagan-inspired innovations relies heavily on outdated and discredited sources, such as Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons, which has been widely criticized by scholars for its lack of evidence and flawed methodology. The Trinity is not derived from Babylonian or Egyptian triads, as these represented distinct gods in a polytheistic framework, whereas the Trinity emphasizes the unity of one God in three persons.
The reference to Revelation 18:4 and the call to “come out of her, my people” is misapplied. This passage speaks of Babylon the Great as a symbol of worldly corruption and opposition to God, not of the doctrine of the Trinity or the Church that has faithfully preserved biblical teaching. Associating the Trinity with Babylon reflects a theological misunderstanding and an inability to distinguish between biblical doctrine and human corruption.