Saint Augustine :: Saint Augustine Religion Doctrines Essays

The doctrine of the Divine Unity is a true statement of natural religion the doctrine of the Trinity is a truth of revealed religion. The non-homogeneous systems of natural theism present arguments for the Divine existence, unity, and attri alonees, but proceed no further. They do not assert and endeavor to demonstrate that the Supreme Being is threesome persons in hotshot essence. It is because this doctrine is not discoverable by man reason, that the Christian church has been somewhat shy of attempts to construct it analytically or even to defend it upon grounds of reason. The keen Dr. S divulgeh expresses the common sentiment, when he remarks that as he that denies this fundamental article of the Christian religion whitethorn drop off his soul, so he that much strives to understand it may lose his wits. Yet all the truths of revelation, like those of natural religion, have in them the ingredient of reason, and are capable of a rational defense. At the very to the lowest de gree their self-consistence can be shown, and objections to them can be answered. And this is a rational process. For one of the surest characteristics of reason is, freedom from self contradiction, and consonance with acknowledged truths in former(a) provinces of human inquiry and belief.It is a remarkable fact, that the earlier forms of Trinitarianism are among the some metaphysical and speculative of both in dogmatic history. The controversy with the Arian and the Semi-Arian, brought out a statement and defense of the truth, not only upon scriptural but ontological grounds. Such a powerful dialectician as Athanasius, while thoroughly and intensely scripturalwhile starting from the text of scripture, and subjecting it to a pie-eyed exegesisdid not hesitate to pursue the Arian and Semi-Arian dialectics to its most recondite fallacy in its subtlest recesses. If any one doubts this, let him read the four Orations of Athanasius, and his defence of the Nicaean Decrees. In some sect ions of Christendom, it has been contended that the doctrine of the Trinity should be received without any attempt at all to establish its rationality and intrinsic necessity. In this case, the tenets of eternal generation and procession have been regarded as going beyond the Scripture data, and if not positively rejected, have been thought to hinder preferably than assist faith in three divine persons and one God. notwithstanding the history of opinions shows that such sections of the church have not proved to be the strongest defenders of the Scripture statement, nor the most successful in keeping clear of the Sabellian, Arian, or even Socinian departure from it.