podcast 372 – Book Session Identity Crisis – Part 1

Trinities

In this episode you’ll hear the four opening speeches in a book session at the Evangelical Philosophical Society conference in San Antonio, Texas in November of 2023. The book is One God, Three Persons, Four Views, edited by Chad McIntosh, forthcoming probably deep into 2024. (See UCA podcast #77 for the back story about the book.)

The speakers are the co-authors William Hasker (his paper presented by Dr. McIntosh), Beau Branson, William Lane Craig, and Dale Tuggy. Each one is supposed to explain what is distinctive about his approach to the Trinity. Dr. Hasker presents the basics of his three-self theory, focusing on his claim that the “Persons” really are “centers of consciousness” (selves). Dr. Branson explains his “Monarchical Trinitarianism,” focusing on a number of linguistic distinctions, such as different meanings of “god.” Dr. Craig briefly explains what he claims is a minimal and biblical Trinity theory and what he claims is an unproblematic model of the doctrine of the Trinity amounts to. He also urges that I have failed to rebut his case that Jesus “is God” (i.e. not identical with God, but rather that he has divine-Person divinity, as opposed to god-divinity). Finally, I present my unitarian Christian view, focusing on five of my twenty facts which favor the thesis that the New Testament authors are unitarian over the thesis that those authors are trinitarian.

I provide an opinionated running commentary on the presentations . . . and a few sound effects.

Next time: interactions between the four panelists, and some extra information about Craig’s claim that the New Testament authors had no concept (or no clear grasp of the concept) of identity, which is how he hopes to refute any understanding of New Testament theology on which the one God and the Father are one and the same.

Links for this episode:

Tim Stratton and Free Thinking Ministries

Reading comprehension quiz: Johann 17:1-3

podcast 227 – Who Should Christians Worship?

podcast 28 – Interview with Dr. William Hasker about his Metaphysics and the Tripersonal God – Part 2

podcast 27 – Interview with Dr. William Hasker about his Metaphysics and the Tripersonal God – Part 1

podcast 78 – Mr. Chad McIntosh on the Trinity as a Functional Person

God as a functional Person

Kapusta, Scripturae Contra Trinitatem – The Epistle to the Hebrews: An Anthology of Quotations, Alternative Expositions, and Critical Commentaries on Common Trinitarian Proof-Texts

podcast 351 – Thoughts on my Dialogue with Craig on the Trinity and the Bible – Part 2

podcast 350 – Thoughts on my Dialogue with Craig on the Trinity and the Bible – Part 1

podcast 349 – Craig-Tuggy dialogue on trinitarian vs. unitarian theologies

Mahaparinibbana Sutta

podcast 246 – Response to Branson Part 4 – the shortcomings of “monarchical trinitarianism”

podcast 245 – Response to Branson Part 3 – Dueling Definitions

podcast 244 – Response to Branson Part 2 – Early Orthodox Trinitarians

podcast 243 – Response to Branson Part 1 – The Orthodox Doctrine of the Trinity

This week’s thinking music is “Into the J” by Admiral Bob.