‘On the Trinity’ by Augustine – Doctrine Reading Group

What is it about?

Herman Bavinck described Augustine as the ‘universal teacher’ (Doctor universalis) who ‘more than any other church father, can still be appreciated today. ..In dogmatics we owe our best, our deepest, our richest thoughts to him. Augustine has been and is the dogmatician of the Christian church.’

(Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. I, p. 139)

This reading group is an opportunity to explore Augustine’s classic work On the Trinity, in which he lays out his understanding of the relationship between God’s oneness and the three distinct persons. This account has proved foundational to the Western church’s vision of God. Introducing a conceptual framework and utilising dogmatic terms which continue to help shape our doctrine (e.g. inseparable operations, relations of origin), he explored the glorious mystery of the Trinity by considering the analogy of the human mind, and developed an account of the procession of the Holy Spirit from both Father and Son which is the basis of the division between Eastern (Orthodox) and Western traditions. For this and other reasons it is a text which has aroused much disputation, but has shaped a long tradition of Trinitarian theology.

Not only is this a text rich in theological reflection, and a model of dogmatic reasoning, it is also one written by a shepherd concerned to bring clarity to the central doctrine of the Christian faith, to strengthen Christian testimony and encourage deeper spiritual engagement with God. It is therefore a text which will stretch hearts as well as minds. 

Who is it for?

The reading group is aimed at those with a strong interest in Christian doctrine who want to keep learning and growing as they lead and equip others in the Christian life. There is no requirement for prior formal theological education, but to make the most of the course you will need a good general theological understanding, and be able to engage confidently with more advanced theological texts.

What is involved?

A weekly online reading group with a 1.5-hour session, 12:00 – 1:30pm (GMT) on the four Wednesday mornings in November 2026:

• 4th November
• 11th November
• 18th November
• 25th November

There will be around 2 hours of pre-reading each week. The weekly sessions will not be lectures, but a guided discussion of the issues raised in the reading.

Cost: £80

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