Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith
I know my Trinitarian formulations back and forth—I’ve even made a quiz on it—and I get a geeky thrill thinking about how to accurately express truths about God as Trinity. It’s the same sort of rush I used to get from solving long algebra equations. It is important to get our trinitarian formulations right, but the Trinity is so much more than formulations. According to Mike Reeves, the Trinity is what makes God delightful; it’s what makes him good and loving and desirable.
Delighting in the Trinity consists of five chapters, each showing how the Trinity makes our God more beautiful than a single person God would be. The God who is Trinity is considered as he exists in eternity, in his work in creation, in his work in salvation, and as he works in the life of the believer. Then, in the last chapter, Reeves considers what he calls the “words we use to describe God,” specifically examining God’s holiness, wrath, and glory and how the triune being of God “brightens and defines them.” (The links in the paragraph above lead to previously posted excerpts from the chapter described.)
Previously posted quotes from Delighting in the Trinity:
Michael Reeves’ passion for the doctrine of the Trinity comes through on every page of this book, so it is a joy to read. It’s obvious that for him, the doctrine of the Trinity is not dry, irrelevant, or embarrassing, but the central truth of Christianity, “the truth that shapes and beautifies all others.” His enthusiasm is contagious; if you read Delighting in the Trinity and it doesn’t make you more passionate about the Trinity, you might be dead.
This is a short book, conversationally written, so I can recommend it for almost any Christian. Reeves doesn’t assume that the reader has a background in Trinitarian theology, so it is an excellent choice for a student or new believer. And his passion for the subject makes it a good choice even for those who consider themselves well-studied in the faith. None of us are beyond more delight in the Trinity.
Michael Reeves is currently theological adviser for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) in the United Kingdom. He oversees Theology Network, a resource I use frequently for Theological Terms posts.
I have two small peeves: the humour—it was mostly fun, but sometimes a bit annoying; and the structure—the text occasionally seemed disorganized. I have a hunch both of these things are there because the book is written with students in mind, so I wouldn’t ask that anything be changed. I mention them only to warn other uptight sourpusses not to be put off by them. Keep reading; you’ll be glad you did.
[I also liked Mike Reeve’s YouTube videos on the Trinity (Trinity Media). Watch them and let them convince you to read this book.]