Tritheism

Tritheism is the belief that divinity is composed of three powerful entities. As generally conceived, three gods are envisioned as having separate domains and spheres of influence that coalesce into an omnipotent whole. In this primary respect, tritheism differs from cosmic dualism, which often posits two divine powers working in theological or spiritual opposition. Tritheism is the belief that divinity is composed of three powerful entities. As generally conceived, three gods are envisioned as having separate domains and spheres of influence that coalesce into an omnipotent whole. In this primary respect, tritheism differs from cosmic dualism, which often posits two divine powers working in theological or spiritual opposition. Most Christian denominations do not hold the universe as spiritually tritheistic, although some nontrinitarian denominations stray slightly from pure monotheism and the duality between God and Satan. The term has been sporadically used to spearhead heresy accusations, especially when employed against Christian sects promoting allegedly anathema conceptions of the Trinity. The most notable Christian sect that has been accused of tritheism by mainstream Christianity is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which views the Trinity not in light of the orthodox Christian doctrine put forth in Nicaea proclaiming God to be one being in three persons, but rather teaches the Trinity to be three different beings or substances united by one purpose. The Hindu Trinity of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer have been held to constitute a tritheistic belief system. Like the Christian Trinity, these entities are understood to interact harmoniously. However, this Hindu trinity is not conceived in a firmly doctrinal sense, but is rather posited as one of the ways in which the divine order of the universe can be understood. Ultimately, the Universal Spirit, the Paramatman, the Brahman, or Bhagvan is held to reign supreme as a singular entity. Muslims, Jews and nontrinitarians consider the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as constituting tritheism, since as per the strict monotheism of Abrahamic tradition, they are three separate beings (Yahweh or God in the Torah, Old Testament and the Quran, a man Jesus who is a Messiah or just a claimant, and a divine aspect or force, respectively) who are unlike each other and are being equally ascribed divinity. Proponents of trinitarianism argue that the three persons of the Trinity do not have separate powers, since they are omnipotent, and do not have separate spheres of influence, since their sphere of influence is unlimited. They say that the persons of the Trinity have one divine essence and are indivisible, whereas tritheism appears to suggest the existence of three distinct gods. Athanasius already attempted to distinguish Trinitarianism from Tritheism and Modalism. The following tritheistic tendencies have been condemned as heretical by mainstream theology. At various times in the history of Christianity, various theologians were accused by the Church of tritheism, which the Church treated as heresy.