95%
Confidence
Belief overview
Undivided unity of God
God is understood as one single being and one single person, not as a Trinity of persons.
5
Supportive
0
Contrary
0
Neutral
What it is: The central belief affirms that God is one in a strict and undivided sense, without an ontological distinction of three coequal and coeternal persons.
How the tradition understands it: Unitarianism sees this position as a way of preserving monotheism without resorting to later trinitarian metaphysical formulations. The Father is normally identified as the only true God in the fullest sense.
Textual basis or tradition: Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45, John 17:3, and 1 Corinthians 8:6 are frequently cited texts.
Historical context: The unitarian critique of the Trinity gained strength in biblical and rational debates of the Radical Reformation and the post-Reformation period.
Common objections: Critics argue that the position does not do justice to the whole of the New Testament witness about Christ and the Spirit.
Internal variations: Nearly all unitarian currents affirm the undivided unity of God, but differ in how they articulate this with the identity of Christ and the role of the Spirit.
Documentary evidence
Supportive
1 Corinthians 8:6
One God, the Father.
Reference: 1 Corinthians 8:6.
Content: Paul speaks of one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ.
Use in debate: It is used to articulate a distinction between God and Christ without classical Trinitarian language.
1 John 5:7 (Comma Johanneum)
Text historically used in defense of the Trinity and criticized on textual grounds.
Reference: 1 John 5:7, in the expanded form known as the Comma Johanneum.
Content: The passage was historically used to defend the Trinity, but its textual authenticity is strongly disputed.
Use in debate: Unitarians often cite this case to argue that certain textual defenses of the Trinity are weak.
Deuteronomy 6:4
The Lord is one.
Reference: Deuteronomy 6:4.
Content: The Shema affirms the unity of God in a central way within the biblical tradition.
Use in debate: It is one of the most important passages for unitarian monotheism and the critique of the Trinity.
Isaiah 45:5
Besides God there is no other.
Reference: Isaiah 45:5.
Content: God declares that there is no other besides him.
Use in debate: The text is used to reinforce the undivided singularity of God.
John 17:3
The Father as the only true God.
Reference: John 17:3.
Content: Jesus speaks of the Father as the only true God and of himself as the one sent.
Use in debate: It is perhaps the New Testament text most often cited by Unitarians to distinguish God from Christ.