Comment of the Day

Tony, it's interesting in the same article where you conclude that Mormons are not Christians, you admit that you yourself are a "Social Trinitarian" in bent.

You ought to check out Mormon scholars like Blake Ostler and David Paulsen. Their central argument and thesis is that Mormonism is actually social trinitarian. They make a pretty compelling case based on Mormon scripture in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. The idea is that there are three distinct individuals who are perfectly united in love. Perichoresis I believe is the term. A perfect unity of will and purpose such that each member of the godhead literally inhabits the mind of the others. To know one is to know the others.

I myself am an active Mormon and consider myself Social Trinitarian. I find it to be completely compatible with Mormon scripture and the statements of Joseph Smith and other LDS leaders. Most Mormons would not know the correct theological term for their beliefs. But I believe few would find much to criticize in the language of social trinitarianism. Some Mormons do tend to lean more tri-theist. But then again, I've found modalism to be pretty darn prevalent in Evangelical and Protestant circles - even the ministers are almost outright modalists (though they'd never admit it).

Problem is that both modalism and tri-theism are at least logically coherent statements about God. Classical trinitarianism tries to have it both ways and ultimately makes sense neither way. It's an utterly illogical and incoherent mess. Social Trinitarianism gets around the problem by making the unity of the three not one of "substance" (a purely philosophical innovation the theologians at Nicea beggared from the Neo-Platonists), but rather a profound unity of purpose, will, mind and love.

This same sort of unity or perichoresis is at the very heart of the highest aspirations of every Mormon. I ultimately seek the same sort of perichoresis with my wife. I hope ultimately to experience it with God as well. "If ye are not one, ye are not mine."

Anyway, Social Trinitarianism is very much a possibility for any Mormon, and indeed, I think various passages in the Book of Mormon about the unity of God all but demand a Social Trinitarian read on Mormon theology.

Anyway, I just found it rather odd that a professed Social Trinitarian would have a problem with Mormonism's views on trinity. We basically are social trinitarians, even if we don't know the correct term for it.