Debating the Trinity, Part I

On October 9, 2008, in Deerfield, Ill., the Henry Center hosted a debate concerning the nature of the Trinity featuring Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware versus Keith Yandell and Tom McCall.  Since the content of the debate consisted of 2 ½ hours of video, we have just now been able to digest and offer some thoughts.  We fully acknowledge that the content of the debate was solely focused on the nature of the Trinity - gender and its relation to the Trinity rightly played no part. Further, we realize that there is no alignment between the two views of eternal subordination and the two broad evangelical views of gender. Complementarians and egalitarians can be found on both sides of the Trinity question. There is even robust discussion as to whether any implications exist at all between the Godhead and gender. We think there are implications, however. It is the focus of this three-part series to offer  some initial reflections on the debate and its possible influence on how we view God's design for men and women.

The question of the debate was: Do relations of authority and submission exist eternally among the Persons of the Godhead?  Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware argued that Scripture witnesses to and Church History supports a joyful submission of the Son to the Father before the foundation of the world until the eternal state, while affirming equality in divine essence.  The Father initiates, plans and sends the Son, while the Son submits to the plan of the Father, all with both retaining essential deity.  Grudem remarks, "It is only a sinful world deeply marred by hostility toward authority, and overly focused on status and power, that cannot see that submission to the authority of the Father is the great glory of the Son."  Without the authority and submission relationship between the Father and Son, Bruce Ware argues, "one is left without any clear means of distinguishing the Father, Son, and Spirit from one another." 

Tom McCall and Keith Yandell argue that there is no good reason to hold to Drs. Grudem and Ware's position and there are very good reasons to reject their position.  First, if Ware and Grudem want to press the biblical warrant for authority, it might, according to McCall, lead to a conclusion they do not intend.  For example, in Matthew 4:1, the Spirit "sends" the Son into the wilderness.  If the Spirit sends the Son, then, argues McCall, the Son is eternally and necessarily subordinate to the Spirit.  McCall suggests that we cannot know much about the nature of the Triune God from the revelation that we have.  Then, Yandell offers a philosophical argument against the logic of the "necessity" of the role of authority and submission in the Trinity. 

While there is not space here to explain his full argument, his conclusions were that the virtue of the Trinitarian relations does not include subordination and authority and that the basis for these distinctions is solely "presuppositional."   To hold to these distinctions, claims Yandell, is to hold to contradicting metaphysical doctrines.  He sums his argument up saying, "If role-subordinationism is offered as a necessary truth, then it strictly entails that the Father has an essential property that the Son lacks, and the Son has an essential property that the Father lacks...; then the three Trinitarian Persons do not have the same nature." 

The position Grudem and Ware hold is of course the position of CBMW and we believe it has considerable implications for gender issues.  The doctrine of God, specifically the Trinity, is intrinsically important as a type of parallel to how we relate to both God and to each other.  The relational structure within the Godhead is a pattern for those created in his image.  Bruce Ware commenting on Genesis 1:26, writes:  

"There is an intentionality expressed in these words indicating that man, more fully than any other part of creation, will reflect and represent what God is like. Although the heavens declare God's glory (Psalm 19:1), only man is made in God's image" (132).

He sums up his point nicely saying, "It is God-like to submit to rightful authority with joy and gladness as it is God-like to exert wise and beneficial rightful authority."  The next two posts will draw out more implications of the Trinity debate on gender issues for marriage, the family, and the Church.