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500 B.C.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus came to the idea that the world was governed by a “fire-like Logos,” a divine power similar to human reason that creates orders and patterns in nature.

430 B.C.

Socrates begins his careful search for the Logos in human reason with intense dialogues, which has become known as the “Socratic method.”

424 B.C.

The Greek philosopher Plato was born in Athens to aristocratic parents. He will become Socrates' most dedicated and well-known student. Plato founded a school in Athens called the “Academy” and dedicated to the “worship of the Spirit,” in which he began to teach the doctrines of the Logos and the Trinity of GOD.

 

20 B.C.

Philo of Alexandria (Philo Judaeus) is born in Alexandria, Egypt. He was to become the most prominent writer in pre-Christian Judaism. Even before Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, as a follower of Plato, he will advance his idea of ​​the Logos. He uses the two terms “logos” and “divine logos” around 1,400 times in his writings. In a series of written commentaries on the Old Testament, he will mix elements of pagan religions such as Platonism, Stoicism and Gnostic mysticism with his own Jewish religion. The term “theosophy” is derived from this mixture.

Philo's comments would later have a profound influence on the theology of many early church fathers. He considered Plato to be the “sweetest of all writers” and adheres to Platonic teachings such as the conscious preexistence of the human soul and an eternally disembodied future. According to his Platonic understanding, the Logos is a “second GOD” and “Demiurge” (= craftsman / builder). He will mix this concept with the biblical Logos, which, in contrast to the pagan ideas, describes GOD's speech/thoughts/plan, but not a person.

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60 AD

In the Didache, which is considered one of the earliest Christian writings in history, there is no reference to the Trinity or to the divinity of Jesus. It only mentions that new converts should be baptized in accordance with Matthew 28:19. On the other hand - in accordance with the Holy Scripture and the testimony of the apostles - the Father is called “almighty GOD” and Jesus is called his “servant son”.

 

69 AD

Polycarb of Smyrna, one of the first so-called “Church Fathers,” is installed as bishop in Smyrna. In contrast to his later successors, he still clearly distinguishes in his writings between the almighty GOD, the Father, and Jesus, the Lord, just as Paul and the other apostles do in their letters. In a few places he does mention the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the same sentence, but without pointing out that these three form a deity. He may have known the Apostle John personally. Some sources, however, point to John, the presbyter.

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90-96 AD

Clement of Rome, considered the second or third bishop of Rome, wrote letters in which he referred to the Father as GOD and creator of the universe. There is no trace of belief in Jesus' divinity or a Trinity in his letters. He is probably the Clement that Paul mentions in his letters.

 

110 AD

The “Church Father” Justin Martyr was born in Flavia Neapolis (Palestine). He will later teach that Jesus is GOD, even though he comes “second only to the true GOD Himself.” He will also teach that the Greeks Heraclitus and Socrates were Christians, “for Christ was/is the Logos who dwells in all men.”

 

110–117 AD

Ignatius V. Antioch, who called himself Theophorus, was a friend of Bishop Polycarp. The letters of Ignatius, of which there are several different versions, are often controversial. In some, Jesus is portrayed as a pre-existent GOD, while in others he calls the Father only GOD. Nevertheless, according to his understanding, the Father is the highest or almighty GOD, while Jesus is subordinate to him as “GOD”. Textual critics believe that eight of Ignatius' fifteen letters are definitely forgeries. In his time there were many Gnostics who were known for altering or deleting texts from Christian scriptures. These were particularly widespread in Alexandria.

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150 AD

The “Church Father” Clement of Alexandria was born in Athens. He will grow up loving Plato and Greek philosophy, whose teachings he will mix with his chosen Christian religion. He will teach that the body of Christ had only an “apparent reality” and that Jesus knew “neither pain nor suffering nor emotion.” He will speak of the Trinity as reflected in Plato's Timaeus. In addition, he will teach the doctrine of “universal reconciliation”.

 

160 AD

The “Church Father” Tertullian was born in Carthage and became a lawyer in Rome as an adult. He will invent over 900 new words, including the word "trinitas" (= Trinity), to explain his belief that GOD is a "substantia" (= substance) that is divided into three distinct and distinct "personae" = ( persons). Drawing on Greek sources, he will teach and foreground ideas such as the “divine Logos” and the Trinity.

 

185 AD

The “Church Father” Origen was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Through the influence of Greek philosophy and his own “speculations about GOD and Christian doctrine,” he would later teach the preexistence of all souls, the possible return of all spirits (including the devil) to the Creator, the deification of man, and purgatory. But the doctrine that will most confuse the understanding of future Christians is the so-called "eternal begetting of the Son of GOD."

 

243-253 AD

The philosopher Plotinus is considered the founder of Neoplatonism and the last great philosopher of antiquity. In his concept of metaphysics he will describe a “holy trinity” (the One, the Spirit and the Soul). Plotinus' works are used by the clergy of the time to present their view of GOD. Approximately 25 years before the first ecumenical council in Nicaea, the Enneads of Plotinus were published by Porphyrios. Plotinus's image of God has pantheistic features. For him there is no personal or acting GOD. Everything is one. Man can become GOD through his own strength.

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300 AD

Athanasius the Great was born an Egyptian in Alexandria. He will begin his theological career as one of the deacons of Bishop Alexander, a proponent of the Platonic doctrine of the “eternal generation of the Logos.” Three years after the Council of Nicaea he will succeed Alexander as Archbishop of the Alexandrian Church. Athanasius will stubbornly fight for the supremacy of his mentor's Christology and will consequently receive the greatest credit for the defeat of Arianism (named after the presbyter Arius, who rejects the doctrine of an eternal pre-existence of Jesus) at the end of the fourth century. He himself is temporarily sent into exile because of allegations of violence, embezzlement and treason as well as slander. Only later will he be allowed to return to his office as bishop. This begins the violent suppression of his enemies.

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312 AD

General Constantine becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire. Despite his claim to have converted to Christianity this year, he will not stop performing pagan functions, minting coins with pagan images and encouraging the construction of pagan temples. During his violent reign, he murdered several family members.

 

318 AD

In Alexandria in Egypt, a dispute breaks out about the person of Jesus and his relationship to GOD the Father. This Arian dispute between the opposing “Christian factions” leads to violence in the streets. After all the apostles had died, different teachings on the person of Jesus emerged early on in different places, increasingly mixed with pagan philosophy. The incumbent bishops passed on their beliefs to their students.

 

325 AD

Because this Arian dispute endangers peace within the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine calls over 300 bishops to a council in his palace in Nicaea (modern-day Türkiye). This Nicene Council, under pressure from Constantine, will formulate a creed asserting that Jesus Christ was “born of the Father before all time, GOD from GOD, light from light, true GOD from true GOD, begotten, not created, of one being with the father”. Despite the confession, Constantine would change his view of the person of Christ several times. It was only on his deathbed around 335 AD that he was baptized by a representative of Arianism.

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375 AD

Three Christian Platonist theologians from the province of Cappadocia, Basil of Caesarea, his brother Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus, continue the “speculative and Platonic tendencies of Clement and Origen” and come to the idea that GOD is an “ousia” (= entity ), which is composed of three “hypostasis” (= persons), namely the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are co-essential and co-eternal are: The Trinity.

 

380 AD

Emperor Theodosius declares Christianity the official and only religion of the Roman Empire and issues a decree that all citizens of the Roman Empire must profess the Nicean Creed or otherwise suffer severe punishments ranging from excommunication from the church to execution.

 

381 AD

Emperor Theodosius convenes the Council of Constantinople, also called “the Second Ecumenical Council,” in the city after which it was named. The view of the three Cappadocians prevails in this gathering of 186 bishops who confess the “person” and “deity” of the Holy Spirit with the following words: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is Lord and gives life, who... from the Father and the Son, who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son.” This gave Christianity a “primitive” doctrine of the Trinity, which, however, left much work that still needed to be done.

 

386 AD

Saint Augustine, who was born in North Africa in 354, converted to Christianity in Milan through the influence of Bishop Ambrose and “certain books” of Plato and other Greek philosophers. He believes that these books helped him understand the Trinity of God and that Jesus is “equal” to GOD. His writings on the Trinity would greatly influence Christianity for the next 1,600 years. Other writings can hardly be found at this time.

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449 AD

At the urging of Pope Leo, Emperor Theodosius II convenes the “Second Council of Ephesus” to decide whether there were two different natures in Jesus or just one “deified human nature.” The 135 bishops will establish that GOD was born, suffered and died as Christ and that Jesus was “GOD crucified.” Because this council contradicted many previous councils, it will become known as the “Robber Council” or “Gangster Synod.”

 

525 AD

The Roman statesman and philosopher Boethius becomes known in the West. Very well versed in the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, he will write four treatises on the doctrine of the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ and will become one of Christianity's best-known interpreters of the Augustinian tradition of Trinitarian thought.

 

1033 AD

Anselm of Canterbury is born. He will attempt to correct the heresies about the Trinity and shed reasonable light on this mystery/mystery. Following the Platonist tradition of Augustine, his view of the Trinity would greatly influence later church councils.

 

1225 AD

Thomas Aquinas (“Saint”) was born in Italy. He will become a Dominican monk and make a great Trinitarian contribution under the influence of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine and others (Christians and pagans). For his work regarding the unity and majority of the triune nature of GOD he will later be appointed “Doctor Angelicus” by the Popes.

 

1517 AD

The young Catholic monk Martin Luther nailed his “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the church in Wittenberg and began the Protestant Reformation. However, he and other well-known reformers, such as Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, adhere to the doctrine of the Trinity without seriously examining it.

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1553 AD

Michael Servetus, a God-fearing Christian, is painfully burned at the stake in Geneva at the instigation of John Calvin and other Protestant pastors because of the accusation of being an "anti-Nicaean" and because of his teaching of his unorthodox views regarding the Trinity. His last words are: “O Jesus, Son of the eternal GOD, have mercy on me!”.

 

1572 AD

The theologian Johannes Sylvanus is beheaded with the sword in Heidelberg because he rejects the doctrine of the “Holy Trinity”, wrote an anti-Trinitarian creed and was also critical of church discipline. His children have to watch their father's public execution. All of Sylvanus' written writings are then burned in the fire.

2006 AD

 Pope Benedict XVI gives a speech on September 12th at the University of Regensburg in which he loudly condemns the “de-Hellenization of Christianity, which is on the rise.” He praises the past combination of the “Greek spirit and the Christian spirit,” which, as he says, led to “mutual enrichment.” He repeatedly uses the terms “Platonism” “Platonists” with great pleasure and quotes the Greek philosopher Socrates with approval.

 

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Conclusion:

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All the apostles were Jews. None of them believed that Jesus was GOD. The concept of a triune GOD was also completely foreign to them. The doctrine of the deity of Jesus was largely shaped in the first four centuries by the so-called "Church Fathers." The earliest representative of these was Polycarp of Smyrna. According to tradition, he lived between 69 and 155 AD. The vast majority of the apostles, however, died early, around the year 60 AD. It's very unlikely that any of the Church Fathers knew the apostles personally.

 

 

Through the mission of the apostles, increasing numbers of people from the Gentile nations came to faith. Unlike the apostles, most of them had no connection to Judaism. Accordingly, they did not understand ancient Jewish ways of thinking. Instead, the post-apostolic generations of theologians were strongly influenced by Greek philosophy, which in turn affected their understanding of GOD's Word—especially John 1 and other key passages. It should be noted that the Gospel of John was not recorded until around 90-100 AD. While the Messiah, according to Jewish understanding, was a human ruler anointed by GOD and prophesied in the Holy Scriptures, non-Jewish theologians interpreted all statements about the Son of GOD as a higher divine being who pre-existed in heaven and later took on the form of a human being. This idea quickly spread among the Christian communities of the time, without any possibility of correction by the already deceased apostles.

 

If we consider the statements of various Church Fathers, we notice that there was no uniform concept of the Trinity in the first four centuries AD. Instead, we see how it developed slowly. The doctrine of the pre-existent Logos was refined over time. While Jesus was divine but initially subordinate to GOD, the Father, he was later equated with the Father in all things. Finally, after lengthy theological debates within the context of several church councils, the doctrine of the deity of Christ was established as dogma in the fourth century AD. Soon after, the Holy Spirit was declared a divine person alongside Jesus, so that GOD was no longer one, but triune. Due to the influence of the papacy, the truth regarding GOD and Jesus Christ remained hidden for a long time. With Luther's Reformation, after which the first Unitarian congregations were founded, it gradually came to light again.

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