The Trinity: Rediscovering the Central Christian Mystery - Softcover

This magnificent volume on the Trinity does exactly what its subtitle announces: Rediscovering the Central Christian Mystery. Long marginalized to the periphery of theology, the Trinity has recently made a dramatic come-back and is now occupying center stage. We owe a big debt to Farrelly for helping us see clearly once again, through a detailed and insightful analysis of the Christian Tradition, why and how Christians must be trinitarians and not just 'monotheists,' in theology as well as in spirituality. I strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand the central mystery of the Christian faith. -- Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University A genuine rediscovery of the doctrine on the Trinity. Practicing solid scholarship with a keen eye for the 'signs of the times,' John Farrelly's treatment combines an energetic survey of the doctrine's intellectual reverberations with a balanced treatment of the theological issues at stake. -- Nancy A. Dallavalle, Fairfield University Recommended. -- J. Gresham, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, Paul VI Institute * CHOICE * Farrelly's work...remains a monument to the process of recovery and retrieval of the "central Christian mystery" occurring during the forty years to which the author's writing and research have significantly contributed...The overall spiritual and committed tone of this book make it a fitting expression of a theological life richly lived, assured in faith, and intrepid in thought. * The Thomist * It demonstrates a breadth of sympathies that will inevitably draw the reader who perseveres into what is an engaging, if somewhat complex, argument. -- David Brown * Theologische Literaturzeitung, December 2007 *

The mystery of the Trinity is the central Christian belief that defines God's essence, God's ongoing love for humanity, and saving grace. Yet, over the past few centuries, especially in the West, Christians have either ceased believing in the Trinity or simply no longer recognize its relevance in their ecclesial or individual lives. Written in an ecumenical spirit that engages contemporary questions and theological viewpoints, The Trinity: Rediscovering the Central Christian Mystery articulates the mystery of the Trinity for people formed by modern historical consciousness, science, awareness of the equal dignity of men and women, and respect for world religions. By first identifying contemporary problems with the Christian proclamation of the Trinity in our culture and major differences among modern theologians, John Farrelly, OSB, explores Scripture, the life and message of Jesus Christ, the various stages of the development of Trinitarian doctrine in Christian History, the relation of the Trinity to creation and salvation, the generation of the Son from the Father within the Trinity and the procession of the Holy Spirit from Father and Son, and the meaning of three persons in one God. He concludes by reflecting on the implications this renewed theology of the Trinity has for ecclesiology and Christian spirituality in our twenty-first century world, especially in relation to other world religions.