Personhood, Particularity, and Perichoresis: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Identity and Faith Formation
Abstract
This thesis argues for the importance of doctrine in faith formation and retention among emerging adults in contemporary Canadian Christianity. Advocating a holistic approach to faith which blends mindful doctrinal engagement with the practical and emotional aspects of faith, the thesis maintains that the relevance of doctrine has largely been underestimated by the churches. Recent cross-denominational research commissioned by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, in Hemorrhaging Faith (2012) and Renegotiating Faith (2018), is used to argue this case, alongside recent treatments of the doctrine of the Trinity. The latter is used as a case study, drawing on the work of Colin Gunton, Kevin Vanhoozer, and Miroslav Volf. Special attention is given to Gunton’s definition of personhood – being-in-relation – and to its potential intersection with theories of psychosocial development, drawing on Erik Erikson, Jeffery Arnett, and Paul Verhaeghe. A renewed trinitarian outlook is thus applied to emergent adult identity formation and discipleship.