Christology
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Debates (1)
3:07:20Mohammed Hijab vs David Wood — Trinity or Tawhid?
A full structured debate between Mohammed Hijab and David Wood on the core theological question: Is God's nature best understood through the Islamic concept of Tawhid (absolute oneness) or the Christian doctrine of the Trinity? Hosted by York College MSA in New York.
Debate Excerpts (7)
Individual points from debates discussing this topic
“Does the New Testament clearly teach the Trinity?”
Paul's writings treat Jesus as subordinate to the Father — 1 Corinthians 8:6 distinguishes 'one God, the Father' from 'one Lord, Jesus Christ.' In John 17:3, Jesus himself defines eternal life as knowing 'the only true God' — the Father — and Jesus Christ whom he sent, making a clear distinction. Mark 12:29 records Jesus affirming the Shema: the Lord our God is one Lord. Even the Trinitarian proof-text Matthew 28:19 ('baptising in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit') appears in a form that Luke 9:26 and Acts 2:38 contradict.
“What do the earliest Church Fathers reveal about the Trinity's development?”
The Ebionites — early Jewish Christians — rejected Jesus's divinity entirely. Clement of Rome, Polycarp, and other Apostolic Fathers show no awareness of a Trinitarian formula. Origen taught the Son was subordinate to the Father. Tertullian (c. 200 CE) invented the Latin term 'Trinitas' — meaning the doctrine literally did not have a name for its first two centuries. The Cappadocian Fathers (4th century) further developed the concepts of hypostasis and ousia. This is a history of theological evolution, not preservation of an original teaching.
“What are the four challenge questions for the Christian side?”
First, show one unambiguous Old Testament verse where God says 'I am three persons' or 'worship me as a Trinity.' Second, name one pre-Nicene Church Father who articulated the co-equal, co-eternal Trinity as defined at Nicaea in 325 CE. Third, explain how Jesus can be fully God (omniscient, omnipotent) and fully man (limited, ignorant) without contradiction. Fourth, explain how three distinct persons can each be fully God yet there is only one God — without it being either tritheism or modalism.
“What about the 'I AM' claim and Isaiah 9:6 (Emmanuel)?”
Emmanuel means 'God is with us' — it's a theophoric name, not an ontological claim. Hebrew names routinely contain God's name: Elijah ('my God is Yahweh'), Daniel ('God is my judge'). Nobody claims Elijah is literally Yahweh because of his name. Similarly, 'Mighty God' in Isaiah 9:6 is debated — the Hebrew 'El Gibbor' can refer to a mighty hero or ruler. Even if it means 'Mighty God,' the same title is applied to human judges in Psalm 82.
“Is the Holy Spirit co-equal with the Father? If so, why does Jesus say blasphemy against the Son is forgivable but blasphemy against the Spirit is not (Matthew 12:31-32)?”
If all three persons are co-equal, there should be no hierarchy of blasphemy. Yet Jesus himself ranks the Spirit above the Son in terms of blasphemy. This suggests the early Christians did not view the Son and Spirit as co-equal — the Spirit had a different, possibly higher, status.
“If Jesus is God, why does he say 'of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father' (Mark 13:32)?”
An omniscient God cannot not-know something. If Jesus is fully God, he must know everything God knows. But he explicitly says he does not know the hour of judgement. This is not 'choosing not to use omniscience' — he says he does not know. This is a definitive statement of Jesus's non-omniscience, and therefore his non-divinity.
“If Jesus's original disciples were Jews who believed in monotheism, when and how did they start worshipping him as God?”
This is the key question of historical Christology. The earliest sources (Q source, early Mark) show Jesus as a prophet who prays to God, submits to God's will, and distinguishes himself from God. The christological titles escalate across the Gospels — from 'teacher' in Mark to 'I and the Father are one' in John, the last gospel written (c. 90-100 CE). This is literary development, not historical memory. The disciples never worshipped Jesus as God — that was a gentile Christian innovation under Paul's influence.