A.W. Tozer once said, “Love and faith are at home in the mystery of the Godhead. Let reason kneel in reverence outside.” And why are we obliged to leave reason outside?
Well the doctrine of God brings with it many conundrums, but there is probably none greater than that posed by Trinitarian doctrine, that is, the claim that God is simultaneously one and three.
A mystery? A paradox? An antinomy? Or just a flat contradiction?
So is that where we must leave things? Reason must kneel outside and can say nothing more?
Maybe not. Perhaps reason can maintain its reverence even as it takes a closer look at this theological puzzle. That’s certainly the view of Michael Rea.
Dr. Rea is Professor of Philosophy at Notre Dame University, co-director of Notre Dame’s Center for Philosophy of Religion, and President of the Society of Christian Philosophers. He is also cofounder of the movement called analytic theology which seeks to provide the tools of analytic philosophy to theological construction.
Dr. Rea has written and edited many books and close to forty essays and journal articles. Among his many academic accomplishments, he has done some important work applying concepts from the philosophy of material constitution to the doctrine of the Trinity. For this reason, and also because he’s simply one of the smartest people I know, I invited Mike to talk about the Trinity, as we invite reason in for a closer look.
