Impoverished (1)

A recent challenge laid at the feet of Unitarian theology by my good friend D. was most strangely timed: I had been considering this exact argument before seeing him yesterday! Part of his reaction, as he himself states, is connected with a couple of Trinities episodes (61 and 62) that he found very difficult to listen to. These are on the theme of pre-existence with Dustin Smith, and he really senses that the discussion with Dale Tuggy was "twisting" Scripture. 

He also points out just how dry and flat Dale Tuggy appears on the podcast, and I think he meant lifeless. My friends in Marseille are crying out for where's the life? What's the real alternative? D. insists it is not because of Dale's analytical approach - he compares him to "Science Mike" from the Liturgists. Science Mike de-constructs everything and analyses it, but yet he is very personal and you can sense that personal application and spiritual life

The basic logic to the argument seems to be (although I should check with D and possibly update this post accordingly)

1. Truth is known by its fruit.

2. All Christian fruit (I think D means here good works but also spiritual life and transformation) has come from a Nicene-trinitarian foundation.

3. Unitarian tradition has no fruit and is ultimately stale and lifeless discussion.

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4. Since 1, 2, and 3 are true, unitarian belief is false and leads to spiritual death.

I have considered this for a bit, and I am basically not comfortable with either the conclusion here or the way the premises are worked. I will explain my issues with this thinking in a part 2 of this post ("Impoverished (2)). But first, what's with the "Impoverished" title? Where I completely agree, is that unitarianism - God is one not three - relative to the trinitarian tradition, this unitarianism is not just weak in terms of spiritual life and "fruit" : it is IMPOVERISHED.

But absolutely no way does impoverished necessarily mean misleading or wrong.