On the Trinity

work by Hilary of Poitiers

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July 16, 2026

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Hilary of Poitiers, a 4th-century theologian and bishop, was a staunch defender of Christian orthodoxy against the heresy of Arianism. Arianism, proposed by Arius, disputed the equal essence of the Son and the Holy Spirit with God the Father. Hilary, the first Latin writer to introduce Greek doctrine to Western Christendom, wrote De trinitate (The Trinity) while exiled in Phrygia. This work was the first in Latin to address the Trinitarian controversies. His efforts to combat Arianism earned him the title "Athanasius of the West" and later the designation of doctor of the church.12

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Christianity
The nature and functions of doctrine
…the mid-4th century in his On the Trinity (IV.4), “God is to be believed when he speaks of himself, and whatever he grants us to think concerning himself is to be followed.”
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…the mid-4th century in his On the Trinity (IV.4), “God is to be believed when he speaks of himself, and whatever he grants us to think concerning himself is to be followed.”
Read More