As a young man I can vividly remember pondering, probably on a Trinity Sunday, the belief that there is only one God and God is equally Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I can remember being irritated by simple descriptions coming from the pulpit. You may have heard these explanations. The Trinity is like an egg, the shell, yoke and white or like water, ice and steam or even it’s like a man who is father, husband and son. I’m sure, here at St Martin’s, our preacher will be far more sophisticated and considered about how they describe the Trinity but, I suspect understanding the Trinity remains a barrier for many to overcome.
When asking others to help me understand the complexities of the Trinity, I came across two broad responses. The first is to say, ‘I don’t understand it’, then, unperturbed, carry on regardless. While the second is to say that they do understand it, but it’s too complicated to explain.
Understanding the Trinity is one of the many barriers we face in our lives. Some barriers feel huge and scaling them beyond our reach, while others are easier to conquer, perhaps when helped by others.
It’s timely that next month the theme of the St Martin’s Frontline Network conference is ‘Overcoming Barriers’. We’re bringing together professionals from across the UK who work directly with people experiencing homelessness to think through the complicated problems they face in finding a home.
They’ll be no easy answers and plenty of barriers to consider.
Tim Bissett
Director – St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity
