I was watching a YouTube interview recently where the interviewee, a theologian, argued that people aren’t really talking about The Trinity or other doctrines, especially outside of the Church. That’s why he and others are more focused on other cultural and political issues. However, I wonder if he is right? Surely a robust doctrine of the Trinity and a healthy Christology is crucial to our engagement in public matters. Think about three examples:
Secularism
We often think of secularists as atheists but I’ve long argued that you cannot avoid having deities. For secularists there is a “far god”. There is something behind the universe that is infinite and eternal but is unknowable and impersonal. Then there are “near gods”, the various things, institutions, people, events etc that we are encouraged to fear or to put our trust in. Secularism therefore is unable to offer a complete and coherent narrative of life’s meaning and descends into pluralism.
The Trinity points to the one true God who is infinite, eternal, knowable and persona. This God is imminent and transcendent. As the One God in three persons, he alone makes sense of the world He created which shows unity and diversity.
Islamisation
Many in the public sphere are currently talking about the threat of Islamisation to western culture. We cannot talk about Islam without talking about the identity of Christ as The Son or the Trinity. Without The Trinity, Islam cannot make sense of the concept that God is Love.
Islam also cannot make sense of unity and diversity together. If secularism collapses into pluralism Islam cannot avoid fusing into a monolithic, homogenous culture. It’s understanding of Allah allows for unity but not diversity.
Christian Nationalism
Christian Nationalists like to chant that Christ is King. Yet what kind of king is he and who is this Christ? How come is Christian Nationalism like the other two positions unable to make sense of unity and diversity with its angry rejection of multi-culturalism?
If we are unable to describe the God and the Gospel of Christian Nationalism and we have no idea who the Christ that is king is, then how can we be certain that it is the same Christ?
Conclusion
A full and helpful public theology is founded on the theology proper of systematic and biblical theology. Without an understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully or fruitfully engage the big questions in public theology.
Faithroots 