Diagram #4 UNITY OF THE THREE DIVINE ONENESSES Dialectic Distinction Tension and balance Oneness

Monadic Each of the divine onenesses are distinct and unique. One Gospel Monistic monotheism Integral of each oneness is non-transferrable. The three divine onenesses comprise Distortion and destruction of the onenesses can occur when improper inference Denies Trinitarian monotheism the one “gospel of salvation” (Eph. Denies Trinitarian monotheism or transference is made from one to the other. 1:13) in which all may participate No distinction within unity in . (Phil. 1:5). Merges the three onenesses in false Trinitarian Christological Christian In the sequence of the three onenesses unity that makes Christological No relational dynamic that is invested Essential unity Hypostatic union Adoptive, spiritual union we observe the “flow” of God’s oneness and Christian oneness into created order of mankind. 3 persons in same being 2 natures in 1 individual teleological purpose and action. superfluous and unnecessary. Father, Son, and humanity in and Christian in (250-336) by denying deity of in “one God” “one Lord” “one spirit” union Trinitarian oneness “Only one Person in the universe” , could make no real connection Essential oneness - homoousion “God only” of unity between God and man. Three-in-one; Man is not a “trinity” Relational oneness - “God is all in all” Ontological essentiality Christian and Christ not God created to include others in Monadic understanding of God in homoousion one in essence. relational Trinitarian life, unto His , Judaism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses Operational relationality glory (cf. Isa. 43:7). Mutual indwelling Mutual indwelling Man’s did not deter God’s Hinduistic, Buddhistic philosophy Traditional Western Jn. 14:10,11; 10:38; II Cor. 5:17; 13:5; purpose. God is FOR man! connected Trinitarian oneness and 17:21,22 Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27 Inherency, intrinsicality of God in all Christological oneness, but did not Co-constitutive Not co-constitutive leads to determinism and follow through to Christian oneness. Interrelational dynamic Interrelational dynamic Christological oneness universalism. • Emphasized essentiality of Essential identity Integrated identity Derived identity The Father sent the Son (Jn. 3:16) to homoousion, but neglected Son of God “sons of God” become flesh (Jn. 1:14), the God- Tends to make direct equivalences perichoresis relationality. essentially adopted (Rom. 8:15; man. Living in perfect participation between the distinctions, playing • Failed to understand ontological and Gal. 4:4-7) of Trinitarian life as a man, He took semantic games. operational dynamic of Trinitarian “I AM...” “partakers of divine humanity’s death for sin to give function in the Christian. (Jn. 11:25; 14:6) nature” (II Pet. 1:4) them Trinitarian life. By Eastern tended to push unity of • Evangelical humanism has posited Two natures “two natures” resurrection empowerment the life three onenesses to deification or humanistic presuppositions that deny Incarnation Manifestation (II Cor. of the Trinity was made available to divinization of man. the need for a unity of three (John 1:14; Phil. 2:5-8) 4:40,11) - not God-man all men at Pentecost. onenesses. Human potentiality and Kenosis - “emptied No self-emptying of Some Western mystics also tended to individualism emphasized. Himself” (Phil. 2:7) humanity in Theosis Christian oneness monistic supernaturalization of man. • Essentially deistic concept of God, Temptability, suffering, Temptability, suffering, Joined to the Lord, and “one spirit” who is detached and separated from Seen in Christian Science, New Age. mortality mortality with Him (I Cor. 6:17), Christians man, but assists by “infused grace” Operational inherency Operational derivation Operational derivation are “partakers of the divine nature” (Roman Catholic) or “alien Faith - receptivity of Faith - receptivity of (II Pet. 1:4). The relational life of righteousness” (Protestant). God’s activity- Jn 14:10 God’s activity-Gal 2:20 the Trinity indwells and functions in Community of Being Community of being - Christian people, and collectively in “one Body” - Church the “one Body” of the Church. ©2002 by James A. Fowler