Stone & Incense
From another faith · Step 2 of 7One God, not three
The Trinity, explained without the fog.
In short. The Church confesses one God, not three: one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.1 Confessing Jesus as Lord isn’t contrary to belief in the One God.2
Key points
- Catholics don’t confess three Gods.1
- God is one but not solitary.3
- God is neither man nor woman: “Son” isn’t a physical begetting.4,5
Try this, this week
- Read Mark 12:28-30. Notice that Jesus begins with “the Lord is one.”
- Ask a Catholic what they mean when they pray “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
“Jesus answered, ‘The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”
Watch out
You may have heard: “Christians worship three gods: God, Jesus and Mary.” The Church teaches: Catholics confess one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Mary is not God, and the honor given her differs essentially from the adoration given to God.1,6
Common questions
Remember: One God. Not three. Not solitary.