GCI teaches Incarnational Trinitarian Theology

If you spend time within GCI, you’ll hear them talk quite a lot about them having a Trinitarian faith or Theology. Sometimes they’ll call it an Incarnational Trinitarian Theology, which they praise quite a lot.

If we look on GCI’s about us page, they state that they “rejoice in the implications of incarnational Trinitarian theology”¹. The Grace Communion Seminary says that it’s one of the main reasons why a person should study there.

Why Study at Grace Communion Seminary?
…
Trinitarian theology: a survey of theology and the merits of a Trinitarian perspective. We begin with the question, “Who is God?” Then, “Who are we in relationship to God?” In this context, “How then do we serve?”
— Grace Communion Seminary²

Incarnational Trinitarian Theology is the core foundation of GCI’s beliefs, so it makes sense for us to look into it.

The name is misleading

If you’re like me, you probably just think that they are simply talking about the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation - doctrines that other churches teach. With this view, their praise of it, and their constant talking about it makes sense — GCI reformed its beliefs from a non-Trinitarian legalism, and wants to now teach the true doctrines of the Trinity & the Incarnation.

However, it turns out that Incarnational Trinitarian Theology is neither simply the doctrine of the Incarnation - that God became a man in Jesus - nor simply the doctrine of the Trinity. The Christian church has always believed in these doctrines - see Nicene Creed (325AD) & Athanasian Creed (~500AD)³ - and yet GCI state that Incarnational Trinitarian Theology is a unique teaching; although there might be a few people within other denominations who believe it, no other denomination teaches it.

I’ve met Lutherans – well in every major denomination, Lutheran Pentecostal, Methodist, Presbyterian, there are incarnational theologians in all those major denominations. 50 different denominations that I checked out have incarnational Trinitarian theologians. And you know what, they are all friends of each other. And they all pretty much agree with each other. And say, “If only our denomination would teach all of this stuff.” The blessing is, that is what our denomination teaches.
— Joseph Tkach: “Lookin’ out my backdoor”, at GCI’s Australian National Conference 2018 ⁴

If no other church teaches this theology - what is it? Why is GCI still teaching unique doctrines? I think it’s quite alarming that GCI still teaches unique doctrines even after ‘reforming’ from the unique teachings that WCG taught.

What is Incarnational Trinitarian Theology?

The following excerpt from a GCI article clearly explains what Incarnational Trinitarian Theology is:

We have a Christ-centered, or Trinitarian, theology. That means not only that we accept the doctrine of the Trinity, but that this doctrine lies at the heart of all other doctrines. The central Bible truth that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that he and the Father with the Spirit are one God, forms the basis for how we understand everything we read in Scripture.
— Foundations of Theology for Grace Communion Theology⁵

This means that GCI build all of their beliefs out of the doctrine of the Trinity. Absolutely everything that GCI believes relates to the Trinity in some way.

The Gospel should be the centre of our beliefs

GCI’s theology has the Trinity at the core of all of its other doctrines. This is contrary to the focus that we are told to have scripturally. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul tells us that he delivered the gospel as of first importance.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
— 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Paul didn’t think that the Trinity was the most important thing to preach to the Corinthians, but rather Jesus’ death for our sins, and his resurrection - the gospel. The gospel, and all that it entails - our sinfulness, the consequences of sin, Jesus’ payment for sin, and the hope of us also being raised to new life - should be the centre of absolutely everything that we believe - not the Trinity, nor the Incarnation.

All of this is not to say that the Trinity and the Incarnation are not important. They are very important, because without them the gospel would not work. Jesus needs to be human in order to be an appropriate sacrifice for human sins, and yet he needs to be God in order to bear the infinite, eternal punishment that sin requires.⁶ It is important to note that these doctrines are important because of the gospel; and therefore it’s still the gospel that should be central to our beliefs.

The gospel is what changes lives. It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believe (Rom 1:16). It forgives sinners, gives them hope, changes hearts, and urges people to love others just as God has loved them. It is the gospel that needs to be proclaimed. By preaching the Trinity & the Incarnation as of first importance instead of the gospel, GCI prevents people from hearing the gospel.

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.