The Trinity is a mystery…man cannot comprehend it and make it intelligible. It is intelligible in some of its relations and modes of manifestation, but unintelligible in its essential nature…. The real difficulty lies in the relation in which the persons in the Godhead stand to the divine essence and to one another; and this is a difficulty which the Church cannot remove, but only try to reduce to its proper proportion by a proper definition of terms. It has never tried to explain the mystery of the Trinity but only sought to formulate the doctrine of the Trinity in such a manner that the errors which endangered it were warded off.
— Louis Berkhof (1873–1957), Theologe
Topics: God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit, Wisdom & Understanding, Church & Congregation
Occasions: For Reflection
Louis Berkhof
Louis Berkhof war ein US-amerikanischer reformierter Theologe und langjähriger Professor sowie Präsident am Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids. Er steht für eine didaktisch klare Gesamtdarstellung der reformierten Orthodoxie und wurde vor allem durch seine einflussreiche »Systematische Theologie« sowie seine Verteidigung der Lehre von der allgemeinen Gnade bekannt. Bibellesern dient sein Werk bis heute als strukturiertes dogmengeschichtliches Nachschlagewerk zum Verständnis einer klassisch-calvinistischen Schriftauslegung.
All quotes by Louis Berkhof (21)
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.
Augustine of Hippo
Jesus calls us not to a new religion, but to life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I would not be able to seek you if you had not already found me.
Augustine of Hippo
When you see a child, you catch God in the act.
Martin Luther
God does not love us because we are lovable, but because his nature is love.
Oswald Chambers
God seeks you more than your offering.
Augustine of Hippo
God has his ear at your heart.
Augustine of Hippo
God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.
Augustine of Hippo