Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Trinity

TRINITY, a term used to express the doctrine of Three Persons in one Godhead, which is held alike by the Roman, Greek, and Anglican Churches, and by the greater number of Nonconformist communions. It is indicated in the Apostles' Creed, stated more explicitly in the Nicene Creed, and set out at length in the Athanasian Creed. The First Article of the Church of England states the doctrine in terms that would be accepted by sister churches, and by orthodox dissenters generally: "There is but One Living and True God. ... And in Unity of this Godhead there be Three Persons, of one substance, power and eternity; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." Protestant theologians deduce the doctrine of the Trinity from texts in which (a) the Unity of God is affirmed (Deut. vi: 4; Isa. xliv: 6; Mark xii: 29-32; Eph. iv: 6); (b) the Divinity of Christ is shown from the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies, or directly affirmed (I Pet. ii: 7, 8; Isa. viii: 13, 14; John xii: 41; Isa. vi: 1; II Pet. iii: 18; Isa. xliii: 11; Rev, xxii: 13; Isa. xliv: 6; Matt, xi: 10; Mai. iii: 1; I Cor. x: 9; Ps. ixxviii: 18 and xcv: 9; John iii: 29; Isa. liv: 5; John i: 1, xiv: 11, xx: 28; Rom. ix: 5; III Cor. v: 19, 20; Col. ii: 8, 9; II Pet. i: 2; I John v: 20); and (c) the Divinity of the Holy Ghost is affirmed (Matt, ix: 38; Acts xiii: 4; John vi: 45; I Cor. ii: 13; John xiv: 17; I Cor. xiv: 25; Ezek. viii: 1-3; Matt, xii: 28; Acts v: 9; I Cor. ii: 11; II Cor. i: 3). The word "Trinity" is not found in the Scriptures, and is said to have been first used by Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, in the 2d century.