Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit

When I first understood the reality of the Gospel at 19 while completing my diploma of theology at Ridley, and when my heart first became alive to the beauty of theology and the truth of the doctrines of grace, one of the first books I began to read was Grudem’s Systematic Theology. It was a full glass of theological wonder to a parched soul, and in my zeal I gulped it down, considering it as virtually inerrant. My thankfulness to Grudem for teaching me so much about theology cannot be overstated, but Matthew Barrett’s book provides a helpful warning and reality-check when it comes to Grudem’s Eternal Functional Subordination of the Son. When I first read this in Grudem’s textbook, I nodded and saw his proof-texts as accurate. Reading Barrett, I now understand the danger of this view, and the beauty of the historic Christian understanding of the Trinity. While this book was at times heavily theological, and I lost my way at a few points, overall it has been a blessing. Not only has Barrett provided a historic Christian argument against social Trinitarian ideas, but he has also presented positively a wonderful view of God that should lead the reader to worship and humility.

In this book of 315 pages, Matthew Barrett defends the doctrine of the Trinity from the Bible, church fathers and the creeds. \\nHe brings to light subtle errors that have crept in, and shows how they are really nothing new, but old heresies that were refuted in ages past. \\nHe explains and defends sound doctrine, including the doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son. It is not light reading, but not too difficult to follow. \\nI think everyone should read this to guard against errors, and, to delight your heart in our God Who is one, but also three. \\n