A world of one dimension would be a straight line. In a two-dimensional word, you still get straight lines, but many lines make one figure. In a three-dimensional world, you still get figures but many figures make one solid body. In other words, as you advance to more real and more complicated levels, you do not leave behind you the things you found on the simpler levels: you still have them, but combined in new ways–in ways you could not imagine if you knew only the simpler levels.
Now the Christian account of God involves just the same
principle. The human level is a simple and rather empty level. On the human
level one person is one being, and any two persons are two separate beings-
just as in two dimensions (say on a flat sheet of paper) one square is one
figure, and two squares are two separate figures. On the Divine level you still
find personalities; but up there you find them combined in new ways which we,
who do not live on that level, cannot imagine. In God’s dimension, so to speak,
you find a being who is three Persons while remaining one Being, just as a cube
is six squares while remaining one cube.
I remember an excellent school assembly years ago where the trinity was explained. In brief:
ReplyDeletethree people claim to have built a house: the architect, the builder, the owner. It is a true statement for each of them.
The speaker then likened the house to the church and the way each part of the trinity builds up the body as a whole.
A clever illustration. I’m not sure if the children understood, but I haven’t forgotten
Still can’t comment on my Google account, I wonder what changed.
Jane from Dorset
I hadn't heard that explanation. Thanks Jane. Blogger comments are proving difficult for me too recently
DeleteThat is a helpful quotation. Thank you. I once preached a sermon on the Trinity (in French!) likening it to a Mars Bar - three layers, all distinct, but making up a Mars Bar - and gave out mini Mars bars afterwards. I was told it was a very "English" sermon. I have no idea if that was a good thing or not!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in awe of the fact that you can preach in French! I like the idea of Mars Bars at the end of the sermon
DeleteThank you for these (three!) examples: dimensions, houses, Mars bars. Sometimes it's difficult to understand a spiritual concept with our human brain, but these illustrations help and are easy to remember.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where my Mars bar is? ~ skye
😊🍫
DeleteThe Trinity is certainly a mystery. I have heard that there is total unity in the Trinity and that because of this, the Trinity is a model for the family of total love, because the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit share a bond of love.
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DeleteI love C.S. Lewis' books, especially that one! He is so clear! I do have to concentrate hard when reading his books though!
ReplyDeleteAnd such a variety of writing - thoughtful theology, sci-fi, and children's stories
DeleteI must have read More Christianity 20 times and never quite got this. I contented my self with thinking that I am only human and don't have to understand everything. Although, for the purposes of Sunday School, we always used an egg - yolk, white and shell. All different but all egg. Stretching it a bit I know
ReplyDeleteI agree- we don't need to understand everything, just trust. Eggs, water, MarsBars, hoiusebuilders and shamrocks!!
DeleteI remember reading in a book on Medieval Heresy that all CofE preachers had to preach on the Trinity on Trinity Sunday and that it was impossible to define the Trinity without heading into heresy. Thank you for sharing the CS Lewis quote. It's a wonderful reassurance.
ReplyDelete❤️🙏
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