Is the Eternal Sonship of Christ a fundamental?

I couldn't vote.

I think the Eternal Sonship of Christ is important and we ought to teach it, but I wouldn't say it is a fundamental of the faith.

Fundamentals of the faith are things that people will not deny if they are really saved.

Andy

 

Part of orthodox theology teaches that the relationship between the Father and the Son is one of eternal begotteness. That is the Son is begotten of the Father from eternity.

Begotten implies sonship IMO.

It should be taught. But like aefting I'm not sure it qualifies as a fundamental since it doesn't deny the Trinity one way or the other but semantically describes the relationship between the Father and the Son.

HankD

 

I prefer 'ontologically'! Only fundamental if failure to do so leads to some kind of Adoptionism or Appoliniarianism

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

That same logic could equally be used to teach that Christ was eternally human (obviously untrue). Personally, I'm not convinced of eternal Sonship one way or another. But I really fail to see how that verse teaches it, let alone describes it as "fundamental".

 

I think the eternal "begottenness" was a philosophical attempt to explain the Trinity. That's not to say it's bad or even wrong. Certainly it behooves us to try to make this great mystery understandable. Denying the Trinity would be serious heresy, of course. But I'm not so sure that the Bible really supports this explanation. I really liked Millard Erickson's book, God in Three Persons. He explains the Trinity in terms of "interpenetration." Not new with him, it's an old view.

 

Eternal Sonship is important in refuting Oneness beliefs, and possibly other heresies against the Trinity. I think since it goes to the nature of Christ, it's a fundamental issue.

 

I must admit, the title caught my eye because when I first saw it, I wasn't sure what was meant by "Eternal Sonship" (for it, against it, don't know).

After reading a few posts and thinking about it I thought, "Oh...Yes, I do know what this is about." I assume I hold the orthodox view on this.

Certainly, this doctrine should be taught. My temporary 'loss' of recognition or understanding, however, makes me wonder whether it should be a fundamental issue in regards to salvation. I mean, must one understand this fully in order to be saved? Most people (lay people, of which I'm one) say they believe in the Trinity, yet if asked to explain it (quickly) may have difficulty formulating a response didn't have some gray areas that allowed some theological quibbles.

It seems to me to be more of the nature of a explanation of the "mechanics" of the Trinity rather than an affirmation that must be internalized like the resurrection.