About
There is a movement within Adventism that has teachings that are at odds with the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church on the Godhead. The Seventh-day Adventist teaching, revealed in Scripture, is that the Godhead is manifest in three divine Persons who have existed for all eternity in a profound unity, or oneness of nature, purpose, and character.
On the other hand, the teachings of this group of current or former Seventh-day Adventists include the rejection of the belief that the Godhead is three distinct Persons who are co-equal and co-eternal. Their doctrine on the Holy Spirit denies His existence as a distinct, individual Person, while the doctrine of Christ as a Being who is derived from the Father denies His original divinity and eternal being.
This web site is dedicated to upholding and defending the SDA doctrine of the Triune Godhead, addressing questions and objections to the SDA understanding of the Godhead, and revealing the dangers of the confusion that is spreading within the church by promoters of anti-Trinitarianism.
Studies
Clicking on a study title will open the article in another browser tab. Studies may also be downloaded as a PDF document.
The Character of the Triune Godhead [Download PDF]
The concept of the triune Godhead is in perfect harmony with God's character of selfless love.
The Source of Godhead Confusion [Download PDF]
What is the source of confusion over the Godhead? People confuse the nature of the Godhead with Their work.
Why Anti-Trinitarianism is Not a Spirit-Led Movement [Download PDF]
Why anti-Trinitarianism must be rejected as a movement that is not led by the Spirit of God.
Unity in Plurality in the Godhead [Download PDF]
The Biblical evidence for the concept of unity in plurality in the Godhead.
Is the Trinity a Papal Doctrine? [Download PDF]
The claim is made that the SDA doctrine of the Triune Godhead is Catholic. Does this claim have any merit?
Does the Trinity Come From Paganism? [Download PDF]
The claim is made that the concept of the the Trinity comes from paganism. But those who make this claim are playing into the hands of the enemy.
Anti-Trinitarians have claimed that opposition to the Trinity is a foundational pillar of the Seventh-day Adventist faith, and that the Triune Godhead as understood by Seventh-day Adventists today denies the personality of God and of Christ. Are these claims valid?
The Full and Eternal Deity of Christ [Download PDF]
Verses that show that not only is Jesus fully divine, but that He is everlasting.
Did Jesus Claim to be God? [Download PDF]
Jesus never explicitly stated, "I am God," but Jesus made statements and acted in ways that can only be understood as a claim to equality with God.
The Divinity of Christ [Download PDF]
A concise argument for the oneness of our Lord with the Father.
Who Raised Jesus from the Dead? [Download PDF]
The resurrection of our Lord was a unified action of the Triune Godhead.
The One and Only, Very Special, Precious Jesus [Download PDF]
Why John chose to use the Greek word monogenes to describe Jesus.
The Meaning of "Begotten" [Download PDF]
An in-depth study considering the meaning of the word "begotten" as it is translated from the corresponding three Greek words and applied to Christ.
The Meaning of "Son of God" [Download PDF]
The Bible repeatedly calls Jesus the "Son of God". Is Jesus God's Son in the sense of a human father and a son? How are we to make sense of this title?
Notes on John 1:1 - "The Word was God" [Download PDF]
Not made a God, nor appointed a God, or a God by office; but truly and properly God, in the highest sense of the word.
Notes on John 5:26 - "Life in Himself" [Download PDF]
Does this verse prove that Jesus was given life from the Father when He was born in heaven?
Notes on John 8:42 -"Proceeded Forth" [Download PDF]
Did Jesus literally "proceed forth" from the substance of the Father at some point in the distant past?
Notes on 1 John 5:20 - "This is the True God" [Download PDF]
The evidence from 1 John 5:20 that supports Jesus as The True God.
Jesus is the Creator God [Download PDF]
The Bible portrays God as creative in three ways: the Beginner of life, the Sustainer of Life, and the Restorer of life. These three dimensions of creatorship apply to Jesus as equally as to God the Father.
Proof that Jesus Christ is Yahweh [Download PDF]
Proof that Jesus is the Yahweh of the Old Testament scriptures - the self-existent, eternally-existent One.
The Personhood and Full Deity of the Holy Spirit [Download PDF]
New Testament passages that support the divine personhood of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a Distinct, Divine Person [Download PDF]
Concise summary of Biblical evidence supporting the Holy Spirit as a distinct, divine Person.
Evidence for the Third Person of the Godhead [Download PDF]
An in-depth study that provides evidence from Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy for the Holy Spirit as a distinct personality.
Is the Holy Spirit Jesus "Divested of...Humanity"? [Download PDF]
The claim is made the Holy Spirit is literally Jesus in spirit form without the limitations of humanity. Is this really what Ellen White meant by the expression?
Why Isn't the Holy Spirit Mentioned in Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 1? [Download PDF]
Is this evidence that there are only two divine beings?
The Catholic, Non-Trinitarian, and Heavenly Trio Godhead Views Diagrammed [Download PDF]
Diagram that compares and contrasts the Heavenly Trio with the Catholic and Non-Trinitarian views of the Godhead.
Is God the Father of Christ? [Download PDF]
This is part of a series of studies that look at expressions in Ellen White's writings that some believe support the idea that Jesus was literally begotten from the Father.
Made in the Express Image of the Father [Download PDF]
This is part of a series of studies that look at expressions in Ellen White's writings that some believe support the idea that Jesus was literally begotten from the Father.
Ellen White Statements on Three Persons in the Godhead [Download PDF]
A compilation of statements that leave no doubt that Ellen White believed in three distinct, individual Persons in the Godhead.
The Development of Ellen White's Understanding of the Godhead [Download PDF]
The evidence shows that the visions received by Ellen White led the denomination through clearly discernible stages toward full acceptance of a biblical concept of the Triune Godhead.
Reflections on "One God, One Church" [Download PDF]
Reflections on the book "One God, One Church" by John Witcombe.
Resources
[some links may be dated and require search]
Central California Conference Godhead Symposium:
https://vimeo.com/295833636 and related videos from the same symposium.
Dr. Kaiser's presentation is especially helpful here as a date-by-date overview showing how Adventism clearly transitioned to Trinitarianism before 1915 when EGW Died.
Jerry Moon:
"The Holy Spirit in Adventist Theology"
https://www.atsjats.org/media1/video-audio-archives1/bs-2004
"The Adventist Trinity Debate. Part 1: Historical Overview"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol41/iss1/8/
"The Adventist Trinity Debate. Part 2: The Role of Ellen G. White"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol41/iss2/8/
Stephen Bauer:
Topics: "Begotten," Persons of the Godhead, Subordination
The Trinity Project by AU Seminary:
https://www.andrews.edu/sem/sdlc/trinity/
Dr. Burt's presentations are helpful for historical context.
Adventist Theological Society
https://www.atsjats.org/search?search=trinity&submit=&page=1
Search: "Trinity"
"The Triune God" (Fall 2016 Symposium):
https://www.atsjats.org/fs-2016
Perspective Digest
(Readers Digest version of some ATS content):
https://www.perspectivedigest.org/search?search=trinity
Core Tenets of the Trinity (poster):
https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-011_PosterTrinity_en_220519.pdf
Darius Ankiewicz:
"Lessons from Alexandria: the Trinity, the Soteriological Problem, and the Rise of Modern Adventist AntiTrinitarianism"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol50/iss1/1/
Denis Kaiser:
"The Reception of Ellen G. White's Trinitarian Statements by Her Contemporaries, 1897–1915"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol50/iss1/2/
Gilbert Valentine:
"Learning and Unlearning: A Context for Important Developments in the Seventh-day Adventist Understanding of the Trinity, 1888–1898"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol55/iss2/5/
Merlin Burt:
"The Trinity in Seventh-day Adventist History"
The Trinity in Seventh-day Adventist History
Raoul Dederen:
"Reflections on the Doctrine of the Trinity"
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol8/iss1/1/
Gerhard Pfandl:
"The Trinity in Scripture"
https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/the-trinity-in-scripture/
Tim Porier:
"Ellen White's Trinitarian Statements: What Did She Actually Write"
https://www.whiteestate.org/issues/The-Trinity.pdf
Books:
"The Sonship of Christ" by Ty Gibson
"The Heavenly Trio" by Ty Gibson
"The Love of God: A Canonical Model" by John Peckham
"Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil" by John Peckham
"Systematic Theology: God as Trinity" by Norman Gulley
"The Trinity: What has God Revealed?" by Glyn Parfitt
"The Trinity" by Dr. Moon, Dr. Reeve, and Dr. Whidden
"Biblical and Theological Studies on the Trinity"
"The Word: Searching, Living, Teaching" ed. Artur A. Stele
Relevant sections:
- Ranko Stefanovic, "The Plurality of the Godhead in the Bible," 115–129.
- Elias Brasil de Souza, "The Nature of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament," 105–114.
- "Reign of God" by Richard Rice