Tritheism

Tritheism is a heresy that misrepresents the doctrine of the Trinity by teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three persons within one God, but rather three separate gods. According to this heresy, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are regarded as three independent, distinct beings who share some common divinity or essence, but they are not unified as one God. In essence, Tritheism asserts that the Godhead consists of three separate gods, thus abandoning the fundamental Christian belief in monotheism.

History of Tritheism

While Tritheism was never as widely embraced or influential as other Trinitarian heresies like Arianism or Modalism, it emerged during the early church as certain theologians attempted to explain the relationship between the three persons of the Trinity without falling into Modalism (which denied the distinct persons of the Trinity). Tritheism arose out of a misunderstanding of the church's attempt to balance the unity of God’s essence with the distinction of the three persons of the Trinity.

1. John Philoponus and Tritheism (6th Century): A major figure associated with Tritheism is John Philoponus, a 6th-century philosopher and theologian from Alexandria. Philoponus was a Christian Neoplatonist who contributed to early theological debates. He attempted to explain the doctrine of the Trinity using Aristotelian metaphysics, which led him to interpret the persons of the Trinity as three distinct individual substances (or beings) sharing the same nature. By teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three individual substances, Philoponus effectively introduced three distinct gods, which was denounced as Tritheism by orthodox theologians.

   • Condemnation: Philoponus and his followers were condemned by the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD), which reaffirmed the doctrine that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in three persons, sharing the same divine essence (homoousios). Philoponus' Tritheism was recognized as a heretical distortion of the Trinity.

2. Later Tritheistic Tendencies: Although Tritheism was not a prominent movement in church history, certain theological formulations were occasionally critiqued as Tritheistic tendencies. Some debates over the exact relationship between the three persons of the Trinity, especially in terms of their operations and divine essence, led to accusations of Tritheism.

   For example, some attempts to explain the social model of the Trinity (emphasizing the distinct relationships and roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) have, at times, been accused of veering too close to Tritheism. In such formulations, the persons of the Trinity are sometimes portrayed too independently, undermining the unity of the divine essence.

Theology of Tritheism

Theologically, Tritheism teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not merely distinct persons but are distinct beings, each possessing their own separate individual existence and attributes. While Tritheists may argue that the three divine beings share some common characteristics (such as power, will, or purpose), they are considered three separate gods, each existing independently from the other two.

This view distorts both the oneness of God and the distinction of the persons of the Trinity by making the persons into three separate gods, rather than one unified divine essence expressed in three distinct persons.

• Division of the Essence: One of the central errors in Tritheism is the idea that the divine essence can be divided or shared among three gods, rather than being fully and undividedly possessed by each of the three persons. Orthodox theology teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial—they share the same, undivided divine essence (homoousios), meaning that there is only one God in three persons.

• Polytheism: Tritheism, in effect, amounts to polytheism—the belief in multiple gods. This is fundamentally incompatible with the biblical revelation of one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), as confessed by the historic Christian faith. It represents a denial of the most basic tenet of monotheism, which is the belief in the one true God.

Why Tritheism is Heretical

Tritheism was condemned by the early church for several key reasons:

1. Denial of Monotheism: Christianity is firmly rooted in monotheism—the belief that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5). Tritheism, by teaching that there are three separate gods, rejects this foundational truth. According to the Bible, God is one in essence and being, yet exists eternally as three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Tritheism introduces a form of polytheism, which directly contradicts the central teaching of both the Old Testament and the New Testament about the oneness of God.

2. Misunderstanding of the Divine Essence: Tritheism falsely teaches that the divine essence is divided among the persons of the Trinity, as if they each possess only a part of what it means to be God. The historic Christian teaching, articulated in the Nicene Creed and clarified in later ecumenical councils, is that the three persons of the Trinity share the same divine essence completely and fully. Each person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is fully God, possessing the entire divine essence, without division or separation.

3. Distortion of the Persons of the Trinity: Tritheism wrongly interprets the persons of the Trinity as three distinct and independent beings rather than understanding them as relations within the one God. Orthodox Trinitarian theology teaches that the persons of the Trinity are distinct in their relations—the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father—but they are one in essence. The three persons exist eternally in a relationship of unity and distinction, but they are not separate gods.

4. Confusion with Human Analogies: Tritheism sometimes arises from misunderstandings based on human analogies used to describe the Trinity. When people think of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as if they are three separate humans who share some similarities (such as family relationships), they may be led into Tritheism. However, God is qualitatively different from human beings, and His triune nature cannot be adequately captured by such comparisons. The unity of God is deeper than any human analogy can fully express.

The Historic Christian Orthodox View of the Trinity

The historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity is summarized in several ecumenical creeds, most notably the Nicene Creed (325 AD) and the Athanasian Creed (5th century). The doctrine teaches that there is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, co-equal, co-eternal, and of the same divine essence (homoousios).

1. One Essence, Three Persons: Orthodox Trinitarian theology teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share the same divine essence and are one in being. They are distinct in their relations—the Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (and the Son, in Western theology)—but they are not separate gods. Each person is fully God, and yet there is only one God.

2. Co-Eternal and Co-Equal: The persons of the Trinity are co-eternal—meaning that there was never a time when any of the persons did not exist. They are also co-equal, meaning that none of the persons is inferior or subordinate in their divinity. While the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have distinct roles in the work of creation, redemption, and sanctification, these roles do not imply inferiority or division of their essence.

3. The Unity of God: The unity of God is central to Christian monotheism. The doctrine of the Trinity maintains that God is one in essence while being three in persons. This unity is not a simple numerical unity but a complex unity that expresses the richness of God’s triune nature. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit act in perfect unity in all things, sharing the same will and purpose.

Conclusion

Tritheism is a heresy that distorts the doctrine of the Trinity by dividing the Godhead into three separate gods, denying the essential oneness of God. It was condemned by the early church, particularly in response to figures like John Philoponus, who attempted to explain the Trinity in ways that emphasized the distinct persons to the point of creating a plurality of gods. The orthodox Christian view, affirmed in the Nicene Creed and upheld by the historic Christian faith, teaches that there is one God in three persons, who are co-equal, co-eternal, and share the same divine essence. This understanding preserves the mystery of the Trinity while upholding the fundamental Christian belief in monotheism.