Is my doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Counterpoint
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Counterpoint

Guest
I’m an “Infinitarian.” I believe that God exists as an infinite number of persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature. The members of the “Infininity” (infinite in unity) are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.[1]

Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)

Note:

[1] I have taken some liberties with Wikipedia’s definition of the “Trinity.” (I believe in giving credit where credit is due.)
 
Counterpoint said:
I’m an “Infinitarian.” I believe that God exists as an infinite number of persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature. The members of the “Infininity” (infinite in unity) are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.[1]

Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)

Note:

[1] I have taken some liberties with Wikipedia’s definition of the “Trinity.” (I believe in giving credit where credit is due.)
Click to expand...
That depends entirely on your understanding of the divine nature. Is it divisible or indivisible? If it is divisible, like human nature, then an infinite number of divine persons would be polytheism, just like seven billion humans is polyandro, uh, ism. If it is indivisible, on the other hand, then it is monotheistic, but I’d love to know where you think the Bible reveals infinite divine persons, because that’s heresy.
 
This argument and attempt to define God making up your own number of divine Persons is an old heresy. It was, believe it or not, address by Aquinas in his Summa Theologica in 1274 AD: First Part, Question 30:

newadvent.org/summa/1030.htm
 
Counterpoint said:
I’m an “Infinitarian.” I believe that God exists as an infinite number of persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature. The members of the “Infininity” (infinite in unity) are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.[1]

Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)

Note:

[1] I have taken some liberties with Wikipedia’s definition of the “Trinity.” (I believe in giving credit where credit is due.)
Click to expand...
Why don’t you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and see if you might find more to place your faith in there. vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

Linus2nd
 
dmar198 said:
That depends entirely on your understanding of the divine nature. Is it divisible or indivisible? If it is divisible, like human nature, then an infinite number of divine persons would be polytheism, just like seven billion humans is polyandro, uh, ism. If it is indivisible, on the other hand, then it is monotheistic
Click to expand...
It’s indivisible, So, you consider “Infinitarians” to be monotheistic.
dmar198 said:
but I’d love to know where you think the Bible reveals infinite divine persons, because that’s heresy.
Click to expand...
It was revealed to me through the faculty of my analytical mind and my intuitive mind. (It is very intellectually and spiritually satisfying. When I reflect upon it, I experience a mystical awe.)
 
Counterpoint said:
It’s indivisible, So, you consider “Infinitarians” to be monotheistic.

It was revealed to me through the faculty of my analytical mind and my intuitive mind. (It is very intellectually and spiritually satisfying. When I reflect upon it, I experience a mystical awe.)
Click to expand...
Do you think your analytical mind is infallible? Could you be wrong, even possibly?
 
Counterpoint said:
I’m an “Infinitarian.” I believe that God exists as an infinite number of persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature. The members of the “Infininity” (infinite in unity) are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.[1]

Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)

Note:

[1] I have taken some liberties with Wikipedia’s definition of the “Trinity.” (I believe in giving credit where credit is due.)
Click to expand...
Taking the clarifications from earlier on this thread, and assuming you believe God is not the physical world, then monotheistic.
 
The Trinity is supernatural. If it had not been revealed then it would never be discovered or comprehended by natural reason alone. The natural-supernatural distinction is important for Christian theology. A purely natural religion would be something like Deism, whereas a purely supernatural religion would be Islam (where every action/event is said to be indistinguishable from a miracle). Of course, Muslims often appeal to natural reason when they attempt to attack the Trinity, much like the Deists and neo-Arians of ‘Enlightenment’ era Britain and France.
 
Counterpoint said:
I’m an “Infinitarian.” I believe that God exists as an infinite number of persons or hypostases, but is one being, having a single divine nature. The members of the “Infininity” (infinite in unity) are co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.[1]

Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)

Note:

[1] I have taken some liberties with Wikipedia’s definition of the “Trinity.” (I believe in giving credit where credit is due.)
Click to expand...
Your doctrine would be called ‘Apeirotheism’ - a dubious and eccentric hypothesis.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Davidson_(philosopher
 
Counterpoint
Question: Is my Infinitarian doctrine of God monotheistic or polytheistic? (Please explain the rationale for your response.)
Click to expand...
Hi, I would assume neither. I would assume you do not believe in God, you believe in pantheism to go by:
“Every mind contains all minds, for every mind is one. Such is the truth.” - A Course In Miracles
Click to expand...
Which to the ago old pantheism has added New Age ‘a spark of god lives in me’ occultism.

Please let me know if I am right,

May God give you light and laughter, Annem
 
dmar198 said:
Do you think your analytical mind is infallible? Could you be wrong, even possibly?
Click to expand...
Of course not, I never made any such claim to infallibility. (My beliefs are subject to change.) Also, I argued that revelation comes through the* analytical* mind and the intuitive mind working in tandem. To employ the words of Paul: I see through a glass darkly.
 
Counterpoint said:
Of course not, I never made any such claim to infallibility. (My beliefs are subject to change.) Also, I argued that revelation comes through the* analytical* mind and the intuitive mind working in tandem. To employ the words of Paul: I see through a glass darkly.
Click to expand...
Okay, you’re not infallible and you know it. That’s good. I am too. If the Church is infallible, though, don’t you think you should trust it? And if the Bible is inerrant, don’t you think you should trust what it says, even above your fallible analytical deductions? Those are two serious ifs, but if they are true, don’t you think what I’m suggesting is reasonable, to trust an infallible authority over a fallible one?
 
TRH1292 said:
Taking the clarifications from earlier on this thread, and assuming you believe God is not the physical world, then monotheistic.
Click to expand...
I don’t believe God is the physical world any more than I believe that I am my dreams. But my dreams are definitely dependent on my mind and could not exist independently of it.
 
Ambien89 said:
The Trinity is supernatural. If it had not been revealed then it would never be discovered or comprehended by natural reason alone. The natural-supernatural distinction is important for Christian theology. A purely natural religion would be something like Deism, whereas a purely supernatural religion would be Islam (where every action/event is said to be indistinguishable from a miracle). Of course, Muslims often appeal to natural reason when they attempt to attack the Trinity, much like the Deists and neo-Arians of ‘Enlightenment’ era Britain and France.
Click to expand...
You are another individual who didn’t bother to address the question that I posed in the thread.
 
Ambien89 said:
Your doctrine would be called ‘Apeirotheism’ - a dubious and eccentric hypothesis.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Davidson_(philosopher
Click to expand...
Ambien89 said:
Your doctrine would be called ‘Apeirotheism’ - a dubious and eccentric hypothesis.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Davidson_(philosopher
Click to expand...
I would say that “apeirotheism” is polytheistic. I am not proposing that there are an infinite number of Gods. But if you believe that I am, then it logically follows that you would have to characterize the Christian Trinity as a form of polytheism too.
 
annem said:
Counterpoint

Hi, I would assume neither. I would assume you do not believe in God, you believe in pantheism to go by:
Click to expand...
You are simply evading the question that I posed in the OP.
annem said:
Which to the ago old pantheism has added New Age ‘a spark of god lives in me’ occultism.

Please let me know if I am right,
Click to expand...
The Course is Trinitarian.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top