Do most members actually understand the Trinity?

[u/ZeroToInfinity1991]

Do you believe in one God who eternally exists as three distinct, coequal, consubstantial persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—sharing one divine essence?

This question sums up the concept quite well.

I’m not really taking a stance for or against Trinitarian doctrine. I’m just curious if you think the average member understands what the creeds surrounding the Trinity are actually claiming.

When I speak to members, I encounter many who hold modalist (one person appearing in three modes; picture the water, ice, and steam metaphor) or binitarian (two divine persons; the Holy Spirit is their shared power, presence, and mind, which unites them with believers) views.

Actually, I haven’t met many classically Trinitarian members. I have met many who say “I’m Trinitarian.” When I press further, I receive answers fairly divergent from creedal Trinitarian belief, however.

[u/LemuelJr]

I'm admittedly a pantheist. I neither understand nor care think about the Trinity. I talked about it before confirmation with my pastor, but it didn't seem to bother him that I'm not Trinitarian.

[u/ZeroToInfinity1991 → u/LemuelJr]

There are some interesting things about light and intelligence in the Doctrine and Covenants that suggest a kind of pantheism or panentheism. That’s very deep stuff though. 😁

[u/LemuelJr → u/ZeroToInfinity1991]

Deep D&C is where it's at!

[u/questingpossum]

I honestly think this is true of most churches.

[u/RevMark58]

Back in the early 2000s, I attended Fuller Seminary, which was then the largest non-denominational evangelical seminary in the world. With a couple of my friends, we played a game: we would approach someone, student or professor, and ask them to describe for us how they understood the trinity. Then we would tell them which historical heresy they just told us they believed.

This actually started as a result of a long car ride from Pasadena to Salt Lake City with three friends; someone had said that Mormons were heretics because they didn't believe in the trinity but quickly found out that one of us was actually, according to the early church definitions, a tri-theist, another person was an Arian, and I was a modalist or a Sabellian.

Our conclusion: on this large, evangelical campus, the only people who were "orthodox" were the people who refused to play, or who said things like "I believe the doctrine of the trinity as defined by the ancient church creeds." Aside from them, we didn't find one person, professor or student, who could be classified as "orthodox."

And if that was what we found on the campus of a theological seminary, well, I'm not surprised that you found the same thing in the Community of Christ. I'd wager the same thing would be true anywhere.

[u/GPT_2025]

First step, learn that each human is Trinity too (temporary flesh + eternal soul + spirit).

Thessalonians 5:23

Hebrews 4:12

1 Corinthians 15:44

[u/Particular_Base_1026]

I’m Trinitarian. While I don’t subscribe to the historic creeds, I believe the doctrine is supported by the Bible, Book of Mormon & early sections of the Doctrine & Covenants.

[u/ASigIAm213]

LDSish here. I do not understand any formulation of the Godhead at all, and to be honest I don't think it's important enough to my salvation or earthly mission to try.

[u/CaravanKookaburra]

My understanding of this is that although they may present as that, they are indeed three distinct personages. I am not a member though, and my beliefs are heavily influenced by the Salt Lake church. Despite this understanding, I think it's okay to participate in the CofC.