Lesson video

Hi, I'm Miss Minton and welcome to this Christian Beliefs lesson on the nature and significance of the Trinity.

Now by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain Christian beliefs about the nature of the Trinity, including the significance and influence of these beliefs.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'm here to guide you through each step of our lesson, and I'm confident that by the end, you'll achieve the outcome.

Let's start by taking a look at our key words for today.

We have Holy Spirit, Trinity, Oneness of God, the Father and the Son, or Son of God.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, believed by Christians to be present with believers since Pentecost and still active on Earth today.

The Trinity refers to the Christian belief that there is one God, who is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Oneness of God refers to the belief that God is one singular divine being, who can be manifest in the three persons of the Trinity.

The Father refers to the first person of the Trinity, and it refers to the belief in God as a creator and sustainer of the universe.

And finally, the Son or Son of God is the second person of the Trinity, and most Christians believe that the second person of the Trinity is Jesus who is God incarnate.

Now, our lesson today will have two parts.

We'll start by looking at Christian beliefs about the nature of the Trinity, and we'll then move on to look at the significance and influence of the Trinity.

So let's get started and take a look at Christian beliefs about the nature of the Trinity.

So when we take a look at the word Trinity, what we can see is that it begins with the prefix Tri.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself of whether you know any other words that begin with the prefix Tri.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have recognised that tri means three, and you may have considered words like triangle or tripod or tricycle to come to this conclusion.

Now, when we look at the second part of this word, it refers to unity.

So the word trinity as a whole refers to the belief that there is one God who is united in three persons.

Now these persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

And this belief in one God being manifest in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is held by most Christians.

So let's check your understanding so far.

Who are the three persons of the Trinity? A, the Father, the Son, and the Heavenly Spirit.

B, the Creator, the Son and the Holy Soul, C, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, or D, the Father, the Daughter, and the Holy Spirit.

Fantastic the correct answer is C, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the three persons of the Trinity.

Well done.

Now, Christians who believe in the Trinity agree on the following things about the nature of the Trinity, that there is only one God, that each person of the Trinity is fully God, but at the same time, each person of the Trinity is distinct from the other persons.

Now this belief that there is one singular divine being manifest in three persons is known as the Oneness of God.

Now, the Trinity and the Oneness of God are concepts that are difficult to understand.

So if you are thinking to yourself that you don't quite understand these yet, that's absolutely fine.

And in fact, most Christians refer to the Trinity as a mystery, and that's because they accept they can never fully understand it because they can never fully understand God.

Now, some people have tried to use analogies to explain the concept of the Trinity, but even analogies aren't sufficient ways in understanding the Trinity, and that's because God is beyond human understanding.

So let's check your learning again.

Many Christians believe that each person of the Trinity is blank God, but distinct from the other persons.

What's the missing word? Is it A, partly; B, fully; C, mostly or D, slightly? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

Many Christians believe that each person of the Trinity is fully God, but distinct from the other persons, well done.

Now, the word Trinity is not actually used in the Bible.

However, in the New Testament, there are many references to each person of the Trinity, and many Christians have used the Bible, specifically the New Testament, to try and understand the three persons of God.

Now, God the Father is seen by many Christians to be the creator of the earth, human beings and all living things.

And this is described in the Old Testament in Genesis I and II.

Now, God, the Father can be compared to a loving parent, and that's because he cares for and loves his creation just like a parent cares for and loves their children.

Many Christians believe that God's nature as omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and just can be seen through God the Father.

Now God the Son refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity.

And many Christians believe that God, the Son as a person of the Trinity, reflects that Jesus is God in human form.

So that Jesus is the incarnation of God.

The Gospel of John in 14:6-11 highlights Jesus as the Son of God.

And in this passage, Jesus is recorded as saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me." In this passage, Jesus is declaring himself as God and showing that he's a person of the Trinity.

Later, Jesus then goes on to say that He is God when he says, "Don't you believe that I am the Father and the Father is me?" Jesus's unity with the Father is demonstrated in this passage and is also demonstrated again in John 10:30, when Jesus says, "I and the Father are one." These passages from the Bible show that Jesus is God the Son, and the second person of the Trinity.

Finally, God, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God on earth, inspiring and guiding people.

And many Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is the invisible presence and work of God that's been active since Jesus ascended to heaven.

And the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles of Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the New Testament during several important moments.

For example, in the story of Jesus' baptism found in the Gospel of Matthew 3:13-17, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove.

Following the appearance of the Holy Spirit, The Gospel of Matthew says that a voice came from heaven and said these words, "This is my son whom I love.

With him, I am well pleased." Now, the voice from heaven shows the unity between God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit, and this demonstrates the Oneness of God.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false, the New Testament can be used to show that Christians believe in three Gods.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because Christians believe in only one God, and the New Testament can be used to understand the three persons of God, which are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The persons of the Trinity are all one God, not three separate gods.

So well done for identifying that that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

Now, although the word Trinity is not used in the Bible, the biblical evidence for God in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has laid the foundation for the Trinity to become an official teaching of many Christian churches.

Now, many Christians today refer to a statement of belief that's known as the Nicene Creed, to support their belief in the Oneness of God and the Trinity.

Now, the Nicene Creed sets out Christian beliefs about the Trinity and makes reference to each person of the Trinity individually.

The Nicene Creed was first adopted at the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, and it's still used by many Christians today.

So we're now going to take a look at how each person of the Trinity is referenced in the Nicene Creed starting with the Father.

The Nicene Creed says, "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

How does this part of the Nicene Creed describe the Father? Off you go.

So this part of the Nicene Creed describes The Father as the almighty creator of all things.

So this reinforces the belief in God as a creator.

Now let's take a look at the Son in the Nicene Creed.

So the Nicene Creed says this about the Son.

"For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary and was made man.

For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried." I'd now like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself about how the Nicene Creed describes The Son.

Off you go.

So the Nicene Creed describes the Son as the Saviour and God in human form, which is known as incarnation.

Finally, let's take a look at what the Nicene Creed says about the Holy Spirit.

So the Nicene Creed says "We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son." Now, before I ask you to discuss this quote in a bit more detail, I'd first like to know if you know what it means to proceed.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So to proceed means to begin or move forward with a course of action.

So now we know this.

I'd like you to pause the video again, but this time I'd like you to talk to a partner or have a think to yourself about how this part of the Nicene Creed describes The Holy Spirit.

Off you go.

So this part of the Nicene Creed describes the Holy Spirit as God when it refers to the Holy Spirit as the Lord.

It also says that the Holy Spirit is the giver of life who comes from the Father and the Son to begin work on earth.

So now let's check your understanding of the Trinity.

Which statement best describes where Christian beliefs about the Trinity come from? A, the term Trinity originally comes from the Bible, but beliefs have since been formalised into sources such as the Nicene Creed, or B, the term Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible, but teachings from the Bible have been used to inform later sources such as the Nicene Creed.

Fantastic.

The correct statement is B, well done.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I'd like you to explain two Christian beliefs about the Trinity, and in your answer, you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority.

Now, some guidance that you might find helpful when responding to this task is to use the structure of point, develop, point, develop, and that might look like this.

So you should offer a point relating to the Christian belief in the Trinity.

Then develop that point by explaining what it means or what it shows.

You should then offer a second point giving another Christian belief about the Trinity and then develop that second point by explaining what that point means or what it shows.

Now, for one part of your answer, you must make reference to a relevant source of wisdom and authority.

Now, this could be an exact or paraphrased quote, or it could be a general teaching from a named source.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to explain two Christian beliefs about the Trinity, and in your answer you were asked to refer to a source of wisdom and authority.

Your response might be similar to this.

One Christian belief about the Trinity is that the Trinity is the belief in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one God.

For many Christians, this belief emphasises the Oneness of God 'cause each person of the Trinity is fully God, whilst also being distinct from the other persons.

Another Christian belief about the Trinity is that each person of the Trinity can help Christians understand God's nature.

For example, through the Nicene Creed, Christians can understand the Father as the Creator, the Son as the Saviour, and the Holy Spirit as the giver of life.

Understanding the nature of the Trinity helps Christians understand God.

Now, what you can see here is that I have used the Nicene Creed as my source of wisdom and authority.

You may have used a different source of wisdom and authority that better supports the point that you've given, and that's absolutely fine.

So well done again for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at the significance and the influence of the Trinity.

Now, for many Christians, their belief in the Trinity has the ability to shape their thoughts, beliefs, and their actions.

This is because for Christians who believe in the Trinity, this belief is of great significance.

Now, I'd like you to consider why the belief in the Trinity might be significant for Christians.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that the Trinity is significant because it emphasises the Oneness of God.

It's also significant because it can help Christians understand God's nature as an omnibenevolent creator.

So an all loving creator.

It also enables Christians to relate to God through the Son who is Jesus.

It also helps provide comfort for Christians knowing that the Holy Spirit is present on earth.

So let's check your understanding, fill in the blank.

For many Christians, the belief in the Trinity is significant because it emphasises the blank of God.

Fantastic.

The missing word is oneness.

So for many Christians, the belief in the Trinity is significant because it emphasises the Oneness of God.

Now, the belief in the Trinity can influence Christians in many ways.

And one example of how the belief in the Trinity can influence Christians is that it often plays a significant role in Christian worship.

Danielle is Roman Catholic and she explains how her belief in the Trinity influences the way that she worships.

Danielle says, "I believe that God is one in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This belief is a key feature of worship when I go to church and when I pray at home.

Before I begin worship or prayer, I make the sign of the cross on my forehead, shoulders and chest, and I say the words in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This serves as a reminder of my belief in one God in three persons." Fiona and Tia also explain how their belief in the Trinity influences how they worship.

Fiona says, "My belief in the Trinity influences me to recite the Nicene Creed as a prayer during worship.

I also sing hymns that make reference to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Tia says, "I use the Lord's prayer to reflect my belief in the Trinity.

The Lord's prayer begins with our Father." So what we have seen from Danielle, Fiona, and Tia is that the belief in the Trinity can influence Christian worship in a variety of different ways.

Let's now check your understanding.

Which of the following is not an example of how belief in the Trinity can influence Christian worship? A, praying to three gods, B, using the Lord's prayer, C, making the sign of the cross, or D, reciting the Nicene Creed.

Fantastic, the correct answer is A, praying to three Gods is not an example of how the Trinity can influence Christian worship.

Well done.

Now as well as the belief in the Trinity influencing how Christians worship, it can also influence how Christians act and behave in their everyday life.

So for example, the belief in the Father can influence Christians to care for creation, and this is because God the Father is responsible for creation.

So many Christians want to look after the earth that God the Father has provided.

The Son can influence Christians to treat others with love, kindness, and compassion.

Now, this is because many of Jesus's teachings were focused on how to treat others, so Christians can follow these teachings and follow the example set by Jesus and God.

Finally, the Holy Spirit can influence Christians to share the word of God.

And this is because when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, it gave the apostles the ability to spread the word of God in other languages.

So Christians can follow this example by also spreading the word of God.

So now we've looked at different ways the belief in the Trinity can influence and impact Christians.

Let's imagine that I've been asked to outline three ways Christians might express their belief in the Trinity.

I've said that Christians might express their belief in the Trinity by making the sign of the cross and that Christians might express their belief in the Trinity by following the teachings of Jesus who is the Son.

Now, I'm a bit stuck on what I could say for my third point.

So I'm going to ask you how else Christians might express their belief in the Trinity.

So pause the video and have a go.

So you may have said that Christians might express their belief in the Trinity by reciting the Nicene Creed, or maybe you said that they might express their belief in the Trinity by caring for God the Father's creation.

So well done, and thank you for helping me with that question.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to explain two ways belief in the Trinity is shown through Christian worship.

Here's some guidance that you might find helpful when responding to this task.

You might like to structure your answer as point, develop, point, develop, and that might look something like this, offer a point relating to the question.

So give one way Christian belief in the Trinity is shown through worship.

And then develop that point by explaining how the belief in the Trinity is shown in this particular way.

Then offer a second point.

So offer another way that Christian belief about the Trinity is shown through Christian worship.

And then develop your second point by again explaining how that shows the belief in the Trinity.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you are asked to explain two ways belief in the Trinity is shown through Christian worship, and your answer might be similar to this.

One way belief in the Trinity is shown through Christian worship is by making the sign of the cross.

This shows the belief in the Trinity because the name of each person of the Trinity said, whilst the person makes the sign of a cross by touching their head, shoulders, and chest.

This serves as a reminder of one guard in the three persons of the Trinity.

Another way belief in the Trinity is shown through worship is by reciting the Nicene Creed.

The Nicene Creed is a statement of beliefs that states beliefs about the nature of the Trinity.

Reciting this can help Christians express their faith in one God in three persons.

So well done for explaining two ways beliefs in the Trinity are shown through Christian worship.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on the nature and significance of the Trinity.

But before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned today.

So we've learned that the Trinity is a belief held by most Christians, that there is one God in three persons, which are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We've seen that each person of the Trinity is believed to be fully God, but at the same time it's distinct from the other persons.

We've also looked at how there are many references to the three persons of the Trinity in the New Testament and the Nicene Creed, and that the Trinity is significant for most Christians because it emphasises the Oneness of God and influences worship.

And finally, we looked at how the belief in the Trinity can also influence Christian behaviour and encourage them to care for the earth and to care for others.

A huge well done for all of your work in this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you today.