Our Lutheran faith is Trinitarian. Every week in the Traditional service we recite the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God, the Father…. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son…. I believe in the Holy Spirit….” We are blessed and sent forth each Sunday in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray to God the Father, we rejoice at Christmas for the Incarnation of God the Son, and we celebrate on Pentecost the coming of God the Holy Spirit. And I wonder … have these words and traditions become so familiar that we don’t spend time thinking through what they mean for us and our lives with God? How does our Trinitarian belief shape who we are as Christians and how we live with God and each other?

If you’ve listened much to our podcast, Generation to Revelation, you’ve likely heard me say that, while purposing to live in a posture of openness to being wrong in any of my beliefs, one of the few flags I will still plant with absolute certainty is in Trinitarianism. Why? There are a few Christian theological systems out there that are not Trinitarian, so why do I think it’s so important?

The beautiful mystery of our One God existing in Three Persons is, to me, the only real framework that creates space for unity, for oneness, in diversity. It is the best explanation, ultimately, for why humans are drawn to and long for relationship and community. It paints a compelling picture of a giving and receiving love that both extends and sustains life. It portrays a God who created humans out of relational love, for relational love, and it shows us and draws us into that giving and receiving love as we live in this world.

We will spend a few weeks exploring this mystery, although, of course, it will never be solved or cleared up or made understandable. And I’m thankful for that! I think it does our rational, Western minds good to float a bit in unresolved mystery. As we begin, I invite you to spend time with God reflecting on what Barton Breen mentions above: who do you believe God is? What is God like? What do you believe about the traits of each Person of the Trinity? Ponder those things this week, always remembering that God is love. Let’s explore the beauty of the Trinity together.

–Lori Duncan