From One to Three? The Viability of Emergent Social Trinitarianism

In “From One to Three?”, Johannes Grössl explores the 4th-century Trinitarian theory of Marcellus of Ancyra, proposing Emergent Social Trinitarianism as a modern paradigm. According to this theory, a primordial God became a Trinitarian God by freely choosing to be love or by freely creating a world to which He is related through a loving relationship. This model envisions God as an eternal primordial being who, through creation and incarnation, becomes a Trinity of three fully divine persons. Two persons (the Second and the Third) relinquish aspects of their divinity, becoming dependent on the First, while all three engage temporally in creation: the Father interacts with His creatures, the Son transforms in His earthly life (Hebr 5:8), and the Spirit proceeds from their mutual love. Grössl positions Marcellus’ theory as an alternative to Latin and Social Trinitarianism, addressing key theological challenges such as divine temporality, relationality, and immutability. By blending historical and contemporary insights, this study highlights the enduring relevance of Marcellus’ thought for Trinitarian speculation and Christian tradition.