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The most important statement about God is, “Hear O Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one. You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart…” (Deut 6:4-5). This quintessential creed contains three major truths: (1) Yahweh is our God, (2) Yahweh is one, (3) we are to love Yahweh with everything. Jesus affirmed this creed (Mark 12:28-34) and believed that his Father was “the only true God” (John 17:3).
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This 14-part class works through Scripture to build a biblical theology of the one true God and his Son, Jesus the Messiah. This class covers both texts supporting God’s exclusive oneness as well as misunderstood verses that seem to teach otherwise. In addition to the video playlist below, you can access the audio on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Additionally, check out Sean Finnegan’s Five Major Problems with the Trinity video, which has received more than 200k views.
The Father Is the Only True God
- Who Is the God of the Bible? (6 video playlist) Take a journey through the Bible in a six-part series, detailing what the Scriptures say about God.
- The Father Is Greater Than I (24 page article) This technical article works through every reference to the Father’s superiority to the son as well as the theological implications. Get this resource as a video on YouTube or as audio on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
- Identity Theft (51m audio) Vince Finnegan powerfully proclaims that of the 6,000 usages of the word Yahweh in the Old Testament, not once does is there the slightest indication that he is three in one.
God Is Not a Trinity
- Why the Trinity Doctrine Doesn’t Make Sense (8m video) Nathan Crowder briefly explains five reasons why Trinity theories don’t work biblically and logically.
- Five Major Problems with the Trinity (37m video) Sean Finnegan assumes the Trinity is true and then points out problems that arise with the bible and history.
- Is God Really One “What”? (60m audio) Anthony Buzzard puzzles over the Trinity’s concept that God is three “whos” in one “what.” Is this biblical? Should God be defined as a “what” when everywhere in Scripture he is referred to using singular personal pronouns?
The Father Is Not the Son (Oneness)
- From Oneness to One [46m audio] J. Dan Gill details his journey from “Jesus only” to considering the Father to be the only true God. This is also on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- God and Jesus – The Biblical Distinction (43m video) J. Dan Gill and Joel Hemphill who both came from Oneness Pentecostal background discuss how the Bible distinguishes between God and his Son.
- Contrasting One God with Oneness & Trinity (41m video) Joel Hemphill details the specific Scripture passages that changed his mind about thinking the Son was the Father.
Jesus Is God’s Human Messiah
- Christ before Creeds [176-page book] Jeff Deuble issues a clarion call to prioritize biblical testimony over the later church creeds that were influenced by Greek philosophical thinking, so as to rediscover simple, uncluttered Christianity.
- Jesus Asked, “Who Do You Say I Am?” (74m video) Dale Tuggy looks to the disciples of Christ to discern his identity. Rather than identifying Jesus as the same substance as the Father, they confessed him as Messiah, God’s Son.
- Christ the King (4-page article) Vince Finnegan shows from the Gospels and the Prophets the key category describing Jesus is Messiah—God’s anointed one to rule in the age to come.
Salvation
- Is Belief in the Trinity Necessary for Salvation? (28m audio) J. Dan Gill points to the evangelistic ministry of Billy Graham and the sermons in the book of Acts to show that belief in God and Jesus is required but not the Trinity.
- Did Jesus Have to Be God to Pay for Our Sins? (39m video) Jerry Wierwille shows how Anselm’s medieval argument that Jesus had to be God to pay for our sins is illegitimate. As it turns out the opposite is true! This is also available as audio.
History of How the Trinity Developed
- The Trinity before Nicaea (55m video ) Did Christians believe in the doctrine of the Trinity before the Council of Nicaea in a.d. 325? Sean Finnegan demonstrates that the church fathers did not yet hold to trinitarian theology.
- Arius and Alexander of Alexandria (44m video) Three centuries after Christ’s ministry, Alexander began teaching that the Son had no beginning. Arius, a conservative and elderly presbyter, objected to this new teaching.
- Trinity Controversy in the Fourth Century (50m video) Emperor Constantine sided with Alexander over Arius, calling the Council of Nicaea and suggesting the controversial word homoousios.
- Arian Kingdoms from Ulfilas to Clovis (38m video) Ulfilas evangelized the Germanic tribes outside the Roman Empire, converting them to subordinationist (non-Trinitarian) Christianity.
- The Dual Natures Controversy of the Fifth Century (60m video) After Emperor Theodosius made the Trinity law in the empire, a new controversy began raging over Christ’s nature. Did he have one nature or two?
- Byzantine Empire from Constantine to Justinian (60m video) The Byzantine empire ultimately prevailed in slandering, outlawing, and persecuting non-Nicene and non-Chalcedonian Christians, resulting in the “orthodoxy” of the Middle Ages.
Biblical Unitarian History
- The Lost Early History of Unitarian Christian Theology (44m video) Dale Tuggy examines four authors between a.d. 150 and 250 (Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Origen) to show that they were unitarian not trinitarian.
- Paul of Samosata and Photinus of Sirmium (42m video) Although mostly unknown today, Paul of Samosata and Photinus of Sirmium rose to prominence as bishops in the third and fourth centuries. Interestingly enough, they were biblical unitarians!
- Unitarian Trailblazers: Claude of Savoy, Adam Pastor, Michael Servetus (48m video) Almost immediately after the Bible started to come into the language of the people in the 1500s, biblical unitarianism arose in Europe. This is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
- The Socinian Movement (43m video) Unitarianism spread and flourished in Poland and Transylvania in sixteenth and seventeenth centuries—until it came under severe persecution. This is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Misunderstood Texts
- What John 1 Meant (72m video) Dale Tuggy shows that the prologue of John involves the personification of God’s Word. This Word is not an additional person, but an aspect of the one God that became embodied in the man Jesus of Nazareth.
- Verses, Words, and Phrases Explained (webpage) J. Dan Gill has assembled a series of video interviews on commonly misunderstood texts and concepts.
- Biblical Unitarian Verse Explanations (webpage) John Schoenheit offers written explanations to dozens of texts that defenders use to support the Trinity.
Debates
- Is Jesus Yahweh? (168m video) Dustin Smith and William Barlow vs. Kyle Essary and Samuel Nesan. Audio available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- Is Jesus the God of the Bible? (206m video) Brandon Duke and Andrew Davis vs. Cameron Brinkman and Marek Kizer. Read the biblical unitarian opening statement here.
- Trinitarianism vs. Unitarianism (63m video) Dale Tuggy vs. William Lane Craig. Watch or listen to Dale Tuggy’s reaction after the debate and how he thought it went.
- Is God Three in One or Just One? (127m video) Sam Adams vs. Chris Date on Preston Sprinkle’s Theology in the Raw Podcast. This is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Recommended Resources
- Unitarian Christian Alliance (website) The UCA provides a map to help you find other unitarian Christians in your area. You can also find out about upcoming conferences and other events.
- Short Unitarian Explainer Videos (24-video playlist) Brandon Duke has put together short shareable explainer videos on both unitarian Christianity as well as problems with trinitarian theology.
- Theophilus Press (Website) This is the publishing arm of the UCA. Browse the current offering of books to help you delve deeper into unitarian Christian theology.
- What Is the Trinity? (154-page book) Dale Tuggy explains the various Trinity theories that are popular today. He also critiques them, showing that none of them works.
- Unitarian Christian Videos (166-video playlist) This is the big list of videos by Dale Tuggy, Anthony Buzzard, J. Dan Gill, Brother Kel, John Schoenheit, Sean Finnegan, Daniel Calcagno, Bill Schlegel, Sam Adams, Dustin Smith, Joe Martin, and others.
- The Biblical Unitarian Podcast (webpage) Dustin Smith offers weekly episode examining what the Bibls says about the oneness and unity of God and about the humanity of Jesus Christ. This is available also on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- Biblical Unitarian Short Videos (14-video playlist) Dustin Smith introduces viewers to the key topics related to Jesus’ human identity in short videos (around 5 minutes each).
- On the Errors of the Trinity Class (13 audio files) by Don Snedeker offers an in-depth study that demonstrates how the Trinity lacks a sound, biblical basis.
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