The Trinity and the Dangers of Biblicism | Michael Horton | Theo Global

How do we understand the three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)? What is the controversial “eternal subordination of the Son” view and how should we assess it? In this presentation, Dr. Michael Horton interacts with biblicism’s denial of the historical Christian understanding of the Trinity - reflected in the work of Bruce Ware, Wayne Grudem, and John Frame’s concepts of the eternal subordination of the Son. In this presentation, he shows how these statements and formulations are inconsistent with historical Christian articulations and confessional statements (such as the Nicene Creed). THEO GLOBAL JOURNAL Get your copy of the Theo Global Journal, including this presentation and other papers from the 2024 symposiums https://solamedia.org/tgjournal/ 0:45 - The Importance of both Systematic and Biblical Theology 2:40 - Biblicism’s challenges the doctrine of the Trinity in evangelicalism 6:15 - Jurgen Moltmann and his social doctrine of the Trinity 7:15 - The eternal functional subordination of the Son (Wayne Grudem, Bruce Ware, John Frame) supporting complementarianism 12:40 - Taxis (order) as a patristic concept that does not imply subordination or roles 18:20 - Who we worship is the ultimate taste test.  22:40 - Theologically conservative blurring of the immanent and economic Trinity 26:30 - Problematically extending subordination to the Holy Spirit and to human relationships 34:00 - John 5 - the Son’s aseity. Ware’s point is opposite of Augustine 36:15 - John Frame’s affirmation of eternal subordination of the Son and denial of simplicity, impassibility and immutability 41:00 - Assessing Frame’s “eternal subordination of role” as similar to Arian concepts 43:00 - Review of orthodox articulations: distinction between “eternal and economic” 44:40 - Importance of orthodoxy in our worship, prayers, and churches MICHAEL S. HORTON is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sola Media, the home to Core Christianity, White Horse Inn, Modern Reformation, and Theo Global. He is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. This presentation was given at Theo Global South Asia 2024. FOLLOW US Newsletter: https://solamedia.org/subscribe/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/solamediaorg/ X/Twitter https://x.com/solamediaorg Facebook https://www.facebook.com/solamediaorg/ THEO GLOBAL Theo Global annual symposiums gather brothers and sisters who teach theology in more than 70 seminaries and Bible colleges around the world. Our annual events include South Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East. We are working to expand to Southeast Asia and Latin America in the near future. https://solamedia.org/theoglobal/ WHO WE ARE Sola is home to White Horse Inn, Core Christianity, Modern Reformation, and Theo Global. Our mission is to serve today’s global church by producing resources for reformation grounded in the historic Christian faith. Our vision is to see reformation in hearts, homes, and churches around the world. https://solamedia.org/