Knowing God as Love in All

Knowing God as Love in All

It’s no guarantee, but perhaps I might avoid preaching heresy by reminding all of us what The Episcopal Church teaches in its “Outline” about the Trinity:

Q. What do we learn about God as creator from the revelation to Israel?

A. We learn that there is one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, of all that

is, seen and unseen.

Q. What does this mean?

A. This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it…

Q. How was this revelation handed down to us?

A. This revelation was handed down to us through a community created by a covenant with God. (p. 846)

Whatever we know about the Trinitarian God begins with God the Creator's revealed relationship (or Covenant) with the people of Israel. From that Covenant, we learn that all things, “seen and unseen,” reflect the goodness of their Creator, who is good. And we must respect that divine goodness, regardless of all the ways in which we attempt to tribalize God the Creator, and monopolize the goodness of our Father. But goodness isn’t enough.

Q. What do we mean when we say that Jesus is the only Son of God?

A. We mean that Jesus is the only perfect image of the Father, and shows us the nature of God.

Q. What is the nature of God revealed in Jesus?

A. God is love. (p. 849)

Whatever we know of the Trinitarian God's nature was revealed by Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, God's only Son, who reveals to us that God is not just an unobtainable good (Galadriel, “All shall love me and despair.”) but love itself. Love is not something that God chooses to do or not do. Love is in God’s nature. But hasn’t Jesus left us?

Q. Who is the Holy Spirit?

A. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, God at work in the world and in the

Church even now.

Q. How do we recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

A. We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are

brought into love and harmony with God, with ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.

Q. How do we recognize the truths taught by the Holy Spirit?

A. We recognize truths to be taught by the Holy Spirit when they are in accord with the

Scriptures. (pp. 852-53)

Whatever we know about the Trinitarian God in our world and our Church today is revealed by the Holy Spirit, which in both Hebrew and Greek is synonomous with “air.” And this Spirit has always been the “giver,” or breather, “of life.” The Spirit breathes the love of Christ in us, breathes the truth of Christ to us through the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Covenant, and blows us back to God the Creator, who is love (1 John 4:7).

Q. What is the Trinity?

A. The Trinity is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (p. 852)

God is Good, God is Love, God is Presence, God is One, in a trinitarian relationship of perfect love. And the more we love each other and God’s creatures, the more this Trinitarian God — who is love — is revealed to us, and to all of God’s creation.

May 31, 2026

First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday

The Rev. David Kendrick