In order to make up for last night...here is blog 2 of the night!

Another 5 things I'm thankful for
1. Mom worrying about me because I didn't blog:)
2. Dad writing on monotheism. Makin a shout out to you right here. I use a lot from you in this paper.
3. Staring at my free redbull and willing myself not to drink it.
4. Friends helping me study.
5. Friends offering comic relief while I should be studying...

Tertullian Trinity
Q: The Christian God is ineffable mystery that is known as Trinity. In other words, the Christian God is 3 person in One Substance. In this essay please discuss the Trinitarian program of Tertullian. Please detail what he meant by 3 persons 1 substance. How is "Person" to be understood? How does Tertullian's conception safeguard the Christian idea of monotheism, over against charges of polytheism? Why is important for Tertullian that Christians not subscribe to any notion of Monarchinism? And finally, how then, based on Tertullian's idea, can Christian call Jesus "God?"

A: Tertullian was the first to come forth with the word Trinity. Tertullian believed the trinity to be one substance with three separate personas—personas coming from the Latin word persona-meaning mask—or expressions. Tertullian believed in the immanent trinity. The immanent trinity is the way in which God exists in God self (before the act of creation). God possessed Logos and Sophia (wisdom). Although, God seems to be alone, God is not really alone. In creation the logos (word of God) is what creates. Sophia, or wisdom, helps in the creating by naming that which the Logos calls into existence. This focus on the trinity is the focus prior to the creation.
The belief of monotheism stands true with this belief on the trinity because it states that there is one substance. Not three. This one substance is God. The personas are just separate expressions of God. This safeguards the Christian idea of monotheism, over against charges of polytheism.
Monarchianism is the belief of God as one substance and one person. It is important for Tertullian that Christians not subscribe to any notion of monarchianism because if they do believe in monarchianism this completely ruins his stance. If there is Monarchianism there cannot be the immanent trinity and therefore Tertullian’s argument loses any and all power. In Tertullian’s eyes, Christians had to be one or the other because if they are not one or they other it does not work and of course Tertullian was in favor of the immanent trinity and the three personas within in one substance as is seen by him being such an advocate of it.
According to Tertullian’s idea, Christians can call Jesus “God” because the Logos (one of the personas of the substance of God) became Jesus Christ. Since Logos is Jesus Christ and logos is one of the personas of the Substance of God, Jesus Christ is therefore God.
Tertullian and I have very differing views when it comes to the Trinity. I believe the Godhead to be three separate and it is monotheism. One might ask, how can you say that is monotheism if you believe the Godhead to be three separate beings? There is only one God, our Heavenly Father. I worship Him and revere Him as my Father and the Supreme Being. Jesus Christ, His Son, is just that, His Son, the First Born of our Father's spirit children (of which we are all a part of) and His Only Begotten Son here on earth. We come to the Father through the Son because He is our intermediary with the Father. He, Christ, paid the price for our sins through the atonement. If we repent and take advantage of the atonement, we can be forgiven and become worthy to enter or return to the presence of our Father. All Christ did, all His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane when He atoned for our sins, when He took upon Himself all of our pain, failures, sickness, any and all bad things that ever happen to us, His crucifixion, death and resurrection allow us to come back to our Father and be with Him again as we were before coming here to earth to gain a body and to prove ourselves to see if we would be true and faithful to the commandments so that we could return Home to our Father. The Holy Ghost is another separate being that testifies of the veracity of the Father and the Son and lets us know that what we are doing is correct. He, the Holy Ghost, is that warm, fuzzy feeling when we hear something true, He testifies to us. That is why Christ told His disciples that He would send the Comforter after He left and the Comforter would teach them the truth of all things. There was no need for the Holy Ghost when Christ was with His disciples because they saw Him, lived with Him, worked with Him, preached with Him, witnessed His miracles. The Holy Ghost testifies to us of true things that we cannot see but we feel them and they are true. Just like now, if you are reading this with a sincere heart, pondering these words, you feel of their truth through the Holy Ghost. I know it happens because I can feel His, the Holy Ghost's presence, now testifying to me this is so. It makes so much sense. It is logical. There are three separate and distinct beings in the Trinity, they form the Godhead but there is only one God that we worship and that is God, our Heavenly Father. They are one in purpose but only one Father, Architect, Planner, Overseer, God and that is our Heavenly Father. See, monotheism.
The more I study the trinity and the more my world is opened up to differing views on the trinity the more confirmation I feel on my knowledge of the trinity. The views on the trinity I have known and believed my whole life are confirmed throughout my studies. I respect Tertullian and his view and read it completely open to what he has to say but I do not agree with him. I realize the impact he has had on the world and on Christianity as a whole but I do not agree with him.

VERY LONG. I know. I REALLY made up for missing a night:)

I love you all, goodbye.
Mi amor a todos, adios.
אני אוהב אותך כל, סלאמאת.