Different Trinities

Twice in the Quran, God explicitly condemns those who say that God is a trinity.

[4:171] O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion, and do not say about GOD except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messengers. You shall not say, "Trinity." You shall refrain from this for your own good. GOD is only one god. Be He glorified; He is much too glorious to have a son. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. GOD suffices as Lord and Master.

يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَـٰثَةٌ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

29	walā	وَلَا	And (do) not
30	taqūlū	تَقُولُوا۟	[you all] say,
31	thalāthatun	ثَلَـٰثَةٌ	"Three/Trinity."
32	intahū	ٱنتَهُوا۟	Refrain [you all]
33	khayran	خَيْرًا	(it is) better
34	lakum	لَّكُمْ	for you [all].
35	innamā	إِنَّمَا	Only
36	l-lahu	ٱللَّهُ	God (is)
37	ilāhun	إِلَـٰهٌ	god
38	wāḥidun	وَٰحِدٌ	One.

[5:73] Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is a third in a trinity. There is no god except the one god. Unless they refrain from saying this, those who disbelieve among them will incur a painful retribution.

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

1	laqad	لَّقَدْ	Certainly
2	kafara	كَفَرَ	[he] disbelieved
3	alladhīna	ٱلَّذِينَ	those who
4	qālū	قَالُوٓا۟	[they] said,
5	inna	إِنَّ	"Indeed
6	l-laha	ٱللَّهَ	God (is)
7	thālithu	ثَالِثُ	a third (of)
8	thalāthatin	ثَلَـٰثَةٍ	three / trinity."
9	wamā	وَمَا	And (there is) not
10	min	مِنْ	any
11	ilāhin	إِلَـٰهٍ	god
12	illā	إِلَّآ	except
13	ilāhun	إِلَـٰهٌ	god
14	wāḥidun	وَٰحِدٌ	one.

One criticism of the Quran is that it does not explicitly specify the trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is the most common claim by today's pagan Christians. This is because, throughout Christian history, there have been various interpretations and alternative sets for the Trinity proposed by different groups and individuals. Here are some examples of other sets that have been considered in place of the traditional Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

Wisdom Literature Influence

Certain early Christian and Jewish-Christian groups emphasized Wisdom (Sophia) as a divine figure in their understanding of the Godhead. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived during the time of Jesus, did not articulate a trinitarian doctrine in the same way that later Christian theology did. However, Philo's writings do contain concepts that some scholars have seen as proto-trinitarian or as having influenced later Christian thought about the Trinity. Philo primarily speaks of God in terms of three key aspects:

• God the Father: The supreme creator and ruler of the universe.

• Sophia (Wisdom): A personified figure representing divine wisdom, often seen as a co-creator with God.

• The Logos (Word/Christ): The pre-existent divine word who became incarnate in Jesus Christ.

This set highlights the role of divine wisdom as an integral part of the Godhead, influenced by Jewish Wisdom literature. In Hellenistic Jewish thought, wisdom (Sophia) was personified and highly revered. Early Jewish Christians, influenced by these traditions, incorporated Sophia into their understanding of the Godhead, blending Jewish wisdom literature with emerging Christian theology.

Some Mystical and Esoteric Traditions

Mystical and esoteric traditions often explored the divine through symbolic and archetypal imagery. This trinity reflected what they considered a more balanced view of the divine, incorporating both masculine and feminine elements and emphasizing the cyclical nature of creation and rebirth.

• The Divine Mother: A feminine aspect of the divine, representing nurturing and creation.

• The Divine Father: The masculine aspect, symbolizing authority and protection.

• The Divine Child: The product of the union between the Mother and Father, symbolizing innocence and renewal.

The Heavenly Adam Paradigm

Some Gnostic sects and early Christian groups, such as the followers of Valentinus, conceptualized a trinity involving different entities. Valentinian Gnosticism was a prominent early Christian movement that proposed a complex cosmology involving a series of divine emanations from a supreme, unknowable God. This interpretation focused on a spiritual trinity rooted in mystical knowledge and the restoration of divine order.

• Heavenly Adam (Anthropos): Represents the original divine man, an archetypal figure symbolizing the fullness of humanity and divinity.

• Sophia (Wisdom): A divine emanation who seeks to understand the unknowable Father, leading to her fall and the creation of the material world.

• Christ (Logos): The redeemer sent to bring knowledge (gnosis) to humanity, enabling their return to the divine fullness.

In these interpretations, the focus was more on the emanations from the divine fullness (Pleroma) rather than the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of orthodox Christianity.

Elohist Trinity

Some speculative theological models have proposed a trinity based on Old Testament figures and representations:

• El Elyon (God Most High): The supreme deity, often associated with universal authority.

• Yahweh (The LORD): The personal, covenantal God of Israel, known for His intimate relationship with His people.

• Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit): The divine presence and power, active in creation and inspiration.

This model emphasizes different names and aspects of God found in the Hebrew Scriptures, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the divine. It reflects an attempt to understand God through His various manifestations and roles in history and theology. In this set, the names used are more reflective of the Hebrew Scriptures' titles for God, emphasizing different aspects of the divine nature.

Christian Kabbalah

Christian Kabbalists sought to integrate Jewish mystical teachings with Christian theology. They adapted the sefirot from Kabbalah, seeing them as reflections of divine attributes that could deepen their understanding of the Christian Godhead.

• Keter (Crown): The highest sefirah, representing the divine will and the source of all creation.

• Chokhmah (Wisdom): The second sefirah, symbolizing divine wisdom and insight.

• Binah (Understanding): The third sefirah, representing divine understanding and contemplation.

This interpretation blends Jewish mystical concepts with Christian theology, proposing a different triadic structure.

Patripassianism (Early Modalistic View)

Some early Christians, including Sabellians (a group of modalists), proposed that God is one person who revealed Himself in three modes. Patripassianism is a form of modalism that views God as one person who manifests in different modes or aspects. This view was popular in the early centuries of Christianity but was ultimately deemed heretical because it denies the distinct personhood within the Trinity, essential to orthodox Christian belief.

• Father (as Creator): God in His role as the creator and sustainer of the universe.

• Son (as Redeemer): God in His incarnate form as Jesus Christ, the savior of humanity.

• Holy Spirit (as Sanctifier): God in His role as the sanctifying presence within believers.

While this still retains the traditional names, it denies the distinct personhood within the Trinity, leading to a form of modalism rather than the orthodox understanding.

Summary

Throughout history, various groups and individuals have proposed alternative understandings and sets for the Trinity, reflecting different theological and mystical perspectives. While the traditional Christian Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remains the central doctrine for most of Christianity, these alternative views highlight the diversity and complexity of theological thought within the broader Christian tradition, and the reason the Quran rather than addressing each of these competing ideologies rejects the concept of a trinity outright.