text: TRINITY IN THE BIBLE \n\nReferences in the Bible to a Trinity of divine beings are vague, at best. \n\nIn Matthew 28:19, we find Jesus telling his disciples to go out and \npreach to all nations. While the "Great Commission" does make mention of the three persons who later become components of the Trinity, the phrase \n"...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the \nHoly Ghost" is quite clearly an addition to Biblical text - that is, not \nthe actual words of Jesus - as can be seen by two factors: \n\n1) Baptism in the early Church, as discussed by Paul in his letters, was \ndone only in the name of Jesus; and \n\n2) The "Great Commission" was found in the first gospel written, that of \nMark, bears no mention of Father, Son and/or Holy Ghost - see Mark 16:15. \n\nThe only other reference in the Bible to a Trinity can be found in the \nEpistle of I John 5:7, Biblical scholars of today, however, have admitted \nthat the phrase "...there are three that bear record in heaven, the \nFather, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" is definitely a "later addition" to Biblical test, and it is not found in any of today's versions of the Bible. \n\nIt can, therefore, be seen that the concept of a Trinity of divine beings \nwas not an idea put forth by Jesus or any other prophet of God. This \ndoctrine, now subscribed to by Christians all over the world, is entirely \nman-made in origin. \n\nTHE DOCTRINE TAKES SHAPE \n\nWhile Paul of Tarsus, the man who could rightfully be considered the true \nfounder of Christianity, did formulate many of its doctrines, that of the \nTrinity was not among them. He did, however, lay the groundwork for such when he put forth the idea of Jesus being a "divine Son." After all, a \nSon does need a Father, and what about a vehicle for God's revelations to \nman? \n\nIn essence, Paul named the principal players, but it was the later Church \npeople who put the matter together. \n\nTertullian, a lawyer and presbyter of the third century Church in \nCarthage, was the first to use the word "Trinity" when he put forth the theory that the Son and the Spirit participate in the being of God, but all are of one being of substance with the Father. \n\nA FORMAL DOCTRINE IS DRAWN UP \n\nWhen controversy over the matter of the Trinity blew up in 318 between \ntwo church men from Alexandria - Arius, the deacon, and Alexander, his bishop - Emperor Constantine stepped into the fray. \n\nAlthough Christian dogma was a complete mystery to him, he did realize \nthat a unified church was necessary for a strong kingdom. When negotiation failed to settle the dispute, Constantine called for the first ecumenical council in Church history in order to settle the matter once and for all. \n\nSix weeks after the 300 bishops first gathered at Nicea in 325, the \ndoctrine of the Trinity was hammered out. The God of the Christians was \nnow seen as having three essences, or natures, in the form of the Father, \nthe Son, and the Holy Spirit. \n\nTHE CHURCH PUTS ITS FOOT DOWN \n\nThe matter was far from settled, however, despite high hopes for such on \nthe part of Constantine. Arius and the new bishop of Alexandria, a man \nnamed Athanasius, began arguing over the matter even as the Nicene Creed was being signed; "Arianism" became a catch-word from that time onward for anyone who did not hold to the doctrine of the Trinity. \n\nIt wasn't until 451, at the Council of Chalcedon that, with the approval \nof the Pope, the Nicene/Constantinople Creed was set as authoritative. \nDebate on the matter was no longer tolerated; to speak out against the Trinity was now considered blasphemy, and such earned stiff sentences that ranged from mutilation to death. Christians now turned on Christians, maiming and slaughtering thousands because of a difference of opinion. \n\nDEBATE CONTINUES \n\nBrutal punishments and even 