The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three

Cynthia Bourgeault examines an idea from traditional Christianity–this time the formula of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–as though looking at it for the first time. She finds in the idea of the Holy Trinity a striking vision of the nature of reality.

What she claims is that embedded within this theological formula that Christians recite mostly on autopilot lies a powerful metaphysical principle that could change our understanding of Christianity and provide the tools needed to reunite our shattered cosmology, rekindle visionary imagination, and cooperate consciously with the manifestation of Jesus’s “Kingdom of Heaven” here on earth. She looks to the history of Christian theology, to her own years of contemplative practice, and to the ideas of G. I. Gurdjieff.

“I will do my best to make the ride as smooth as possible,” she says, “but in the end, my commitment is to getting there, because I know beyond all personal doubt that there is indeed a ham radio concealed inside this Trinitarian tea cupboard. And in the midst of this long winter of our Christian discontent, when spiritual imagination and boldness are at an all-time low and the church itself hovers at the edge of demise for lack of an animating vision, perhaps now more than ever the time is ripe to remove the packing boards from this tea cupboard and release its contents.”

“A masterful, insightful new look at a core doctrine of traditional Christianity. Cynthia Bourgeault opens the door to a trans-Christian vision.”–John Shelby Spong, author of The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic

“The Christian Doctrine of the Trinity is upheld by some as a border checkpoint to restrict access, while it is disparaged by others as extra baggage to be left behind. Cynthia Bourgeault peers into it with the heart of a mystic and the mind of a philosopher and rediscovers it as a kaleidoscope of inspiration and a key to understanding ... everything. One of the most fascinating, humbling, and awe-inspiring books I‘ve read in years.”–Brian D. McLaren, author of A Generous Orthodoxy