This final installment includes the cross-examination times, audience Q & A, and our closing statements, of course with my commentary.

The cross-examination times are revealing. As we heard in part two, I presented Dr. White with an argument that his interpretation of John 1 implies that there are at least two gods and so should be rejected. In the cross-examination here, I ask which premise he rejects and why, and he says that he rejects this one, because it assumes unitarianism, or that God can be only one Person:

4. To have the divine essence is to be a god. (true by the definition of “divine essence”)

But as I explain in this episode, that premise doesn’t assume unitarianism at all, and in fact some trinitarians agree with it, holding that the Father is a god, the Son is a god, and the Spirit is a god, but also that they’re the same god. Really, White’s favorite “assuming unitarianism” argument is just an irrelevant ad hominem.

Also, the lexicons exchange in my cross-ex time has to be heard to be believed.

I wrap this series up by explaining which side won this debate and why.

Here are the images I refer to in my closing statement which summarize three clashing narratives about Trinity doctrines: what apologists say, what theologians say, and what historians say, that is, what one learns from a deep dive into all the primary sources up to about the year 400 (in other words, the truth). (Thanks to Mark Cain for creating these!) If you want to hear more about these pre-trinitarian theologies check out podcasts 381 and 384 linked below.

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Links for this episode:

• James White and fans take note: here are six places in which I obviously do not merely assume that God can only be one Person: podcast 189 – The unfinished business of the Reformation, book chapter: “The Unfinished Business of the Reformation,” podcast 334 – “Who do you say I am?”, opening statement here: podcast 377 – Debate: Is Jesus Yahweh? White vs. Tuggy – Part 1, my opening statement in this debate book, podcast 372 – Book Session Identity Crisis – Part 1


• podcast 384 – Mainstream Christian Theologies in the Late 100s – Early 200s and Early Trinitarian “Fool’s Gold”


• podcast 383 – New Zealand Conference Church History Q and A with Sean Finnegan and Dale Tuggy – Part 2


• podcast 382 – New Zealand Conference Church History Q and A with Sean Finnegan and Dale Tuggy – Part 1


• Transfigured podcast interview on the debate book


• podcast 381 – Mainstream Christian Theologies in the year 240: What Trinitarian Apologists Don’t Know


• This week’s thinking music is “Gemini Instrumental” by Pipe Choir.