Long before I knew much about the word Trinity, I regularly heard the classical Trinitarian formulation in worship on a weekly basis: Father, Son, and Spirit. I didn’t give much thought to this formulation until I was engaged in my theological studies. In the years since, I have moved away from language that many associate with gender. While I think variety is essential for both practical and theological reasons, I find myself using one formulation more often than others: Creator, Christ, and Comforter.
This past Sunday, I preached a Pentecost sermon that used Life-Giving Wind as the primary name for the Holy Spirit. For the benediction, I built on this idea of wind by construction a new Trinitarian approach: Weaver, Witness, and Wind.
So What?
Language matters. When speaking of the Divine, all language is limited and conveys only an understanding from a given perspective. When speaking of the Trinity it is important to try to better understand the three Persons, and language is one way to do so.
- Does your congregation primarily use a single Trinitarian formulation in worship or do you draw regularly from a lengthy list?
- What words for each Person of the Trinity have been most helpful to you in your quest for deepened understanding?
- What is your initial response to hearing God referred to by a name that sounds male or female?