Modalism

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Cal

To me modalism is denying there is some kind of relationship in the Godhead. (I think that is a simple way to put it. For instance, God did say, "Let Us make man in Our image . . .") Now, I know I've said that the relationship between the Father and the Son is like our relationship with ourselves, but it is more than that, because although we can love ourselves, ourselves can't love us back, as the Son loves the Father. Or can they?... I believe there is some faint shadow of the Trinity in every human being. I also believe that one day we will enter into a relationship with ourselves that much better matches the relationship of the Father and the Son--pure love and acceptance, without a hint of selfishness. I think that's ultimately part of what "finding your soul" means.

But as I've said, Lee wasn't interested in relationships, either within God, between people or with oneself. He was all about processes, which is a reason his Trinity seems modalistic. He was all about the economic Trinity. He had little to say about the essential Trinity. The Edwards/Piper model addresses that.

Process (from Oxford): "a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end" But I guess we can't say that what Jesus went through was a process . . .

The Edwards/Piper model was linked by Cal below, and I really liked the way Piper (often quoting Edwards) put it! Anybody care to comment on Piper's writing?

Originally Posted by Cal

More here:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles...-understanding

And here:
https://www.monergism.com/thethresho...20the%20Tr.pdf

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Process (from Oxford): "a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end" But I guess we can't say that what Jesus went through was a process . . .

The Edwards/Piper model was linked by Cal below, and I really liked the way Piper (often quoting Edwards) put it! Anybody care to comment on Piper's writing?

It's not wrong to say Jesus went through a process. It's just awkward to say that means he got processed in the sense of some kind of drink. By using the term "processed" Lee was just trying to add credence to his "all-inclusive dose" stuff -- Jesus as the giant super smoothie, fresh out of the blender for your enjoyment. Jesus is a PERSON.

A marine goes through a process to become a top fighter. But no one says he's the processed soldier.

I like Piper, too, not least because he "processes" the sometimes indecipherable writings of Edwards.