Holy Trinity and man

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Hello, it seems to me that I have found a certain parallel between the Holy Trinity and man. Since the bible says that man was created in the image of God I wouldn’t find it surprising if the Trinity of God was somehow reflected in man, but it’s just a theory and I would like to know if it is consistent with Christian doctrine.

First, the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity consists of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Father is a source from which the Son is “begotten” and the Holy Spirit “proceeds”. The Father is the Creator.
The Son seems to be an individuality with clear, firm boundaries of form, like a human son. He is also referred to as Logos, which in Greek means Word. All things were created through the Word. It seems that when we name things we emphasize or acknowledge their existence as individual entities, real or imaginary, but distinct from other entities. By words we define things and thus signify their boundaries that distinguish them from other things.
The Holy Spirit is also referred to as Pneuma, which in Greek means Breath. Breath indicates a diffuse, amorphous form, with unclear or indefinite boundaries. Believers are said to be “filled” with the Holy Spirit. God promises to “pour out” His Spirit. While the emanation of the Son from the Father is described by the word “begotten”, the emanation of the Holy Spirit is described by the word “proceeds”. The word “proceeds” seems to indicate a flowing movement while “begotten” is more like being born like a child. When the Holy Spirit is described in a concrete form it just seems to be a metaphorical description, for example a dove or tongues of fire. God uses the Holy Spirit in creating too. Interestingly, speaking of words is impossible without the flow of breath.

And now man. The cortex of the human brain consists of two hemispheres, left hemisphere and right hemisphere, and it has been found that these two hemispheres have certain specialized functions. They process information in different but complementary ways.
The left hemisphere is said to be analytic (“analysis” means “breaking up into parts”) because it focuses on differentiation of details. This differentiation also seems to give rise to our sense of individuality as separate from others. And the left hemisphere is also specialized in processing of verbal language.
The right hemisphere is said to be holistic because it grasps the whole, giving us a larger picture, the context, but details within the whole fade away. It’s like an intuitive diffusion of perception or thinking to a broader but less differentiated area. The right hemisphere has a role in language processing too but it captures the more fuzzy or contextual aspects of language such as metaphorical meaning and the tone of voice.
So, I would compare the consciousness of the left brain hemisphere to the Son, and the consciousness of the right brain hemisphere to the Holy Spirit. The former is a consciousness of a separate individuality and the latter is a more amorphous, less differentiated consciousness transcending the boundaries of separate individuality.
And where is the parallel with the Father? Perhaps it’s an element that unifies the two perspectives, combines them and uses them in creation. I think it’s well portrayed in this picture:

 
We are made in the image and likeness of God-Jesus taught us how to perfect that image in our behavior and our beliefs.
We are like God in that we are capable, when holy, or by God’s deign of union with another soul.ie the communion of saints, the marital union, eternal union with God.

This also helps to explain bi-location somewhat-we are soul, spirit and body.

Keep thinking the good thoughts and the Holy Spirit will inspire you with His Truth.
 
glowingembers said:
Hello, it seems to me that I have found a certain parallel between the Holy Trinity and man. Since the bible says that man was created in the image of God I wouldn’t find it surprising if the Trinity of God was somehow reflected in man, but it’s just a theory and I would like to know if it is consistent with Christian doctrine.

First, the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity consists of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Father is a source from which the Son is “begotten” and the Holy Spirit “proceeds”. The Father is the Creator.
The Son seems to be an individuality with clear, firm boundaries of form, like a human son. He is also referred to as Logos, which in Greek means Word. All things were created through the Word. It seems that when we name things we emphasize or acknowledge their existence as individual entities, real or imaginary, but distinct from other entities. By words we define things and thus signify their boundaries that distinguish them from other things.
The Holy Spirit is also referred to as Pneuma, which in Greek means Breath. Breath indicates a diffuse, amorphous form, with unclear or indefinite boundaries. Believers are said to be “filled” with the Holy Spirit. God promises to “pour out” His Spirit. While the emanation of the Son from the Father is described by the word “begotten”, the emanation of the Holy Spirit is described by the word “proceeds”. The word “proceeds” seems to indicate a flowing movement while “begotten” is more like being born like a child. When the Holy Spirit is described in a concrete form it just seems to be a metaphorical description, for example a dove or tongues of fire. God uses the Holy Spirit in creating too. Interestingly, speaking of words is impossible without the flow of breath.

And now man. The cortex of the human brain consists of two hemispheres, left hemisphere and right hemisphere, and it has been found that these two hemispheres have certain specialized functions. They process information in different but complementary ways.
The left hemisphere is said to be analytic (“analysis” means “breaking up into parts”) because it focuses on differentiation of details. This differentiation also seems to give rise to our sense of individuality as separate from others. And the left hemisphere is also specialized in processing of verbal language.
The right hemisphere is said to be holistic because it grasps the whole, giving us a larger picture, the context, but details within the whole fade away. It’s like an intuitive diffusion of perception or thinking to a broader but less differentiated area. The right hemisphere has a role in language processing too but it captures the more fuzzy or contextual aspects of language such as metaphorical meaning and the tone of voice.
So, I would compare the consciousness of the left brain hemisphere to the Son, and the consciousness of the right brain hemisphere to the Holy Spirit. The former is a consciousness of a separate individuality and the latter is a more amorphous, less differentiated consciousness transcending the boundaries of separate individuality.
And where is the parallel with the Father? Perhaps it’s an element that unifies the two perspectives, combines them and uses them in creation. I think it’s well portrayed in this picture:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000025G7A.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Click to expand...
You give an extensive insight and it is quite profound. I have yet to see this comparison so I will withold my comment for someone with more knowledge on the human brain. However, I would comment that we are made in the image and likeness of God so there definitely will be similarities with our existence and His. The family resembles the eternal community of the Godhead and so forth. My best advice is that the Trinity is an ineffable mystery and our best attempts at examples will always fall infinitely short. However, many theologians (C.S.Lewis comes to mind) give great analogies to help us understand this incomprehensible mystery…God Bless…teachccd
 
Thank you for comments so far.
Jimdandy said:
This also helps to explain bi-location somewhat-we are soul, spirit and body.
Click to expand...
What is the difference between soul and spirit? If the soul is the consciousness of a separate individuality, firmly distinct from others, and the spirit is the consciousness transcending the boundaries of a separate individuality, I can see an analogy to the left and right brain respectively. Body could be seen as the unifying element that contains the two, but the problem is that the body as such doesn’t seem to have the apparent will to switch between the analytic and holistic perspectives. I suppose there is an element with this will, while the body is a product through which the trinity of man expresses itself.
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teachccd:
The family resembles the eternal community of the Godhead and so forth.
Click to expand...
It seems to me that there is a similarity between the analytic/firm boundaries/individualistic consciousness of the left brain and masculinity, and between the holistic/soft boundaries/less individualistic consciousness of the right brain and femininity. That would be a parallel to father and mother in a family, or to Son and Holy Spirit. The union of the two could be seen as the analogy of the Father (of the Holy Trinity). The child could be seen as a product of the creative influences of the two, which too, in a sense, joins the two.

Information about specialized functions of the left and right brain hemispheres can be found a lot on the web (not always accurate though) and I’d like to offer a video of a speech by a neuroanatomist in which she describes her own experience of a stroke that once hit the left hemisphere of her brain. She also explains the difference between the left and right brain and how the left hemisphere stroke affected her perception of reality.

link to video

There is also a transcript of her speech here.
 
glowingembers said:
Thank you for comments so far.

What is the difference between soul and spirit? If the soul is the consciousness of a separate individuality, firmly distinct from others, and the spirit is the consciousness transcending the boundaries of a separate individuality, I can see an analogy to the left and right brain respectively. Body could be seen as the unifying element that contains the two, but the problem is that the body as such doesn’t seem to have the apparent will to switch between the analytic and holistic perspectives. I suppose there is an element with this will, while the body is a product through which the trinity of man expresses itself.

It seems to me that there is a similarity between the analytic/firm boundaries/individualistic consciousness of the left brain and masculinity, and between the holistic/soft boundaries/less individualistic consciousness of the right brain and femininity. That would be a parallel to father and mother in a family, or to Son and Holy Spirit. The union of the two could be seen as the analogy of the Father (of the Holy Trinity). The child could be seen as a product of the creative influences of the two, which too, in a sense, joins the two.

Information about specialized functions of the left and right brain hemispheres can be found a lot on the web (not always accurate though) and I’d like to offer a video of a speech by a neuroanatomist in which she describes her own experience of a stroke that once hit the left hemisphere of her brain. She also explains the difference between the left and right brain and how the left hemisphere stroke affected her perception of reality.

link to video

There is also a transcript of her speech here.
Click to expand...
I recommend a book called Theology For Beginners by F.J. Sheed. It has three excellent chapters on The Blessed Trinity, The Three Persons, and The Human Mind and the Doctrine of the Trinity.
 
This is a very nice insight, I wish I could linger in philosophy forever but if I did, I would flunk my first semester in second year uni and I probably will.

To the OP, I think someone brought this up earlier, eitherways I think you have explained it quite well, and I don’t think man reflecting God is contradictory, for by what we do, when it pleases God aren’t we reflecting his nature?
 
Earlier I talked about the form of Son and Holy Spirit (Son’s form having definite boundaries while Holy Spirit’s form having indefinite boundaries) but it seems to me that form is something created and so maybe it would be more accurate to talk about a form implied in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. By implied form I mean a form in which created things appear under the creative influences of Son and Holy Spirit. Those who know a bit about quantum physics might notice a similarity to the wave-particle duality, which means that all elementary particles of matter (electrons, quarks, photons etc.) are not just definitely localized particles but also indefinite waves spread out in space.

What (implied) form does the Father have? I suggest that the Father has no form and so we could understand the amorphous form of the Holy Spirit as a kind of intermediate form between the definite form of the Son and the absolutely formless Father. In the Bible there are some verses that seem to support the idea that the Father is formless (and hence invisible):

“No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only (Begotten), who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (John 1:18)

“who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:16)

Descriptions of the Father such as in Daniel 7:9-10 should be regarded as metaphorical, I think.

I would say that simultaneous combination of the left-brain consciousness, which emphasizes the boundary between myself and another being, and the right-brain consciousness, which diffuses this boundary, has something to do with love. Then I perceive the other being as an individuality distinct from my own and at the same time merged with myself.
 
The Son is described as sitting on the right hand of the Father. The left brain hemisphere controls the right half of the body, while the right brain hemisphere controls the left half of the body.
 
Consider how the left-brain and right-brain ways of thinking and perception might manifest in familiar opposing human tendencies. I repeat the distinction between the two orientations:

left brain hemisphere: acts as a serial processor, analyzes details/parts/differences step-by-step, differentiates separate individuality

right brain hemisphere: acts as a parallel processor, simultaneously/intuitively grasps the whole and merges details, diffuses separate individuality

Now see these parallels:

left brain vs. right brain

science, technology vs. religion, art

structured religion (rules and doctrines) vs. non-structured (intuitive) spirituality

political right-wing (individualism/capitalism) vs. political left-wing (collectivism/socialism)

Western culture (individualism/capitalism, emphasis on science, technology and material progress, separation of God and man) vs. Eastern culture (collectivism/socialism, emphasis on oneness of the universe, fusion of God (universe and source) and man)
 
The theme of the Trinity in popular music

I have learned about the Holy Trinity in spiritual literature but what spurred me to think about it more deeply is that this theme seems to appear in an intriguing way in popular music. The image in the opening post is the cover of Pink Floyd’s album The Division Bell and variations of this image also appear inside the booklet to this album. As far as I know, it has never been officially confirmed that the image represents the Trinity. But if you look closer you’ll see a building in the background, between the mouths of the two heads (or in the mouth of the unified head). This is Ely Cathedral, or in full: The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Ely.

What seems like another example of the Trinity pops up in the live performances of Chemical Brothers:

Chemical Brothers - Galvanize (live)

Chemical Brothers - A Modern Midnight Conversation (live)

This is the cover of their album Push the Button:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b2/PushtheButton.albumcover.jpg

And also in last year’s worldwide hit Umbrella by Rihanna:

Rihanna - Umbrella (part 2:28 - 2:50)

Rihanna - Umbrella (live at Brit Awards 2008)

The images look quite suggestive to me and I’m wondering why are they there?
 
Is the cross only a thing on which Jesus happened to be killed, or does it have an additional symbolic meaning? I thought of relating it to the Trinity in the following way:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

The upper part of the cross would be the uncreated/unmanifest/formless/God aspect of reality and the lower part of the cross would be the created/manifest/form/world aspect of reality. Son and Holy Spirit are the two fundamental perspectives or orientations. They are both contained in the formless source (Father) but they also manifest in form (Body). Body (in the most general sense any physical or mental form) is formed in time under the creative influences of Son and Holy Spirit, directed by and issuing from the source. This is creation: the undifferentiated becomes differentiated, the undefined becomes defined, the formless assumes forms, the nameless takes names, One differentiates into many, nothing becomes something.
 
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