AboutMartin W. Eldred Expertise I have been a Lutheran Christian for 47 years and a Lutheran pastor for almost 19. I can answer most general questions about Luther, Lutheran History, Lutheran Theology, and a Lutheran approach to Biblical Interpretation. I am ELCA, for those who know what that means, and I tend to be moderate theologically. I hope that I can converse with those that are either more conservative or liberal than I, and especially with those who are really just seeking.
Experience Pastors are "generalists" and generally have a working knowledge on many subjects. We are also used to working with a variety of answers from a variety of people. I teach a great deal, especially in the area ofthe New Testament. I particulalry enjoy the Pauline literature.
Organizations I have been a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, an international gathering of biblical scholars and teachers, since the late 1980s.
Publications I have written a few book reviews for the journal, "Lutheran Quarterly."
Education/Credentials I have a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University in Religion (Biblical Studies)and a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary.
Thank you for your question, sorry I was delayed in getting back to you.
The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the more difficult to pinpoint as far as to its origins. We can see God refer to the Godhead in a plural way (Genesis 1:26) which may be a early reference to God being more than one person. This could also mean that God is merely talking to the other heavenly beings such as the angels--scholars are not certain.
By the time of the earliest Christian church, it seemed to them that "God" could refer to three distinct personages. God the Father/Creator was the easiest one, of course, but those early Christians were beginning to affirm that Jesus should also be referenced as God. Passages such as John 1:1 ("...and the Word was God."); John 8:58 (where Jesus takes the Holy "I Am" title from Exodus 3; and John 10:30 ("I and the Father are one") seemed to make it clear that Jesus was more than just God's Son, but part of God.
The Holy Spirit also seemed to merit such consideration. Note in Acts 5:1-6, that Ananias is accused of lying to the Holy Spirit, and that Peter equates that with lying to God (Acts 5:4).
Probably the chief passages Christians have used is the ending of Matthew where Jesus tells the disciple to go and baptize the new believers, "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:18-20)
The doctrine of the Trinity has often been placed in question, and often debated within and without the Christian community, partly because we have to piece together many biblical references and hasn't been given to us as a crystal clear "this is the way God is" sort of reference in the Scriptures. Through all the years, the Church has maintained that God has revealed Godself to humanity in three distinct, but equal persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
