God in Christianity

== Nontrinitarianism ==
{{Main article|Nontrinitarianism}}
Some Christian traditions reject the doctrine of the Trinity, and are called nontrinitarian.<ref name=Metzger3643>{{cite book |last=Metzger |first=Paul Louis |title=Trinitarian soundings in systematic theology |date=2005 |publisher=T & T Clark International |location=London |pages=36, 43 |isbn=0567084108}}</ref> These groups differ from one another in their views, variously depicting Jesus as a divine being second only to God the Father, [[Yahweh]] of the Old Testament in human form, God (but not eternally God), prophet, or simply a holy man.<ref name=Metzger3643 /> Some broad definitions of [[Protestantism]] categorise these nontrinitarian traditions as Protestant, but most definitions do not.<ref name=Melton543>{{cite encyclopedia |editor1-last=Melton |editor1-first=J. Gordon |title=Encyclopedia of Protestantism |date=2008 |publisher=Checkmark Books |location=New York, NY |isbn=978-0816077465 |page=543}}</ref>

Nontrinitarianism goes back to the early centuries of Christian history and groups such as the [[Arianism|Arians]], [[Ebionites]], [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]], and others.<ref name=Mac117>''Theology: The Basics'' by [[Alister E. McGrath]] (21 September 2011) {{ISBN|0470656751}} pages 117–120</ref> These nontrinatarian views were rejected by many bishops such as [[Irenaeus]] and subsequently by the [[Ecumenical council]]s. The [[Nicene Creed]] raised the issue of the relationship between Jesus' divine and human natures.<ref name=Mac117/> After it was rejected by the Council of Nicea, nontrinitarianism was rare among Christians for many centuries, and those rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity faced hostility from other Christians, but the 19th century saw the establishment of a number of groups in North America and elsewhere.<ref name="Melton543"/>

In [[Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs]], only God the Father is the one almighty God, even over his Son Jesus Christ. While the Witnesses acknowledge Christ's pre-existence, perfection, and unique "Sonship" with God the Father, and believe that Christ had an essential role in creation and redemption, and is the Messiah, they believe that only the Father is without beginning.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Insight on the Scriptures|volume=2|year=1988|page=1019}}</ref>

<ref name="churchofjesuschrist.org">{{cite web |last1=Holland |first1=Jeffrey R. |title=The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sentrist |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-he-hath-sent.p5?lang=eng#p5 |website=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |access-date=29 November 2021}}</ref>

[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] teaches that the Godhead is a divine unity of three distinct beings: [[Elohim]] (the Father), [[Jehovah]] (the Son, or Jesus), and [[the Holy Ghost]]. In Latter-day Saint theology, the Father and the Son both possess glorified, perfected, physical bodies "as tangible as man's,"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Doctrine and Covenants |title=130:22–23 |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/130?lang=eng |website=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}}</ref> whereas the Holy Ghost has a body of spirit only. Latter-day Saints recognize the divinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and understand that these beings are "one in every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance..." which Latter-day Saints believe is "...a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true."<ref name="churchofjesuschrist.org"/> Latter-day Saints believe that God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omni-benevolent.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |author-last=Dahl |author-first=Paul E. |year=1992 |contribution=Godhead |contribution-url=https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Godhead |editor-last=Ludlow |editor-first=Daniel H. |editor-link=Daniel H. Ludlow |title=[[Encyclopedia of Mormonism]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishing]] |pages=552–553 |isbn=0-02-879602-0 |oclc=24502140 |via=[[Harold B. Lee Library]] |access-date=15 October 2021}}</ref>

[[Oneness Pentecostalism|Oneness Pentecostals]] advance a form of [[Modalistic Monarchianism]] that states that there is one God, a singular divine Spirit, who manifests himself in many ways, including as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.<ref>{{cite book |last=Reed |first=David A. |year=2018 |origyear=2008 |title="In Jesus' Name": The History and Beliefs of Oneness Pentecostals |chapter=From Issue to Doctrine: The Revelation of God and the Name, One Lord and One Baptism |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rAD1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA175 |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |series=Journal of Pentecostal Theology: Supplement Series |volume=31 |pages=175–205 |isbn=978-90-04-39708-8 |issn=0966-7393}}</ref>