# “Gloria Patri” by Fred Sanders

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2018/03/26/gloria-patri-by-fred-sanders/
- Published: 2018-03-26T12:00:30-05:00
- Author: tollelege

_“Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost! As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end._

The glory of God is from everlasting to everlasting, but while the praise of the
Trinity will have no end, it had a beginning.

There was never a time when God was not glorious as Father, as Son, and as Holy 
Spirit. But there was a time when that singular glory had not yet disclosed itself
so as to invite creatures to its praise.

To join in the ancient Christian prayer called the _Gloria Patri_, directing praise
to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is to come into alignment here in the world ‘as
it is now’ with triune glory ‘as it was in the beginning.’

All theology ought to be doxology, but Trinitarian theology in particular is essentially
a matter of praising God. This doxological response is the praise of glory (ἔπαινον
δόξης, Eph 1:6, 12, 14) that always was, and whose epiphany in time entails its 
antecedent depth in eternity.

Those whom God has blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ are summoned 
to join that praise: ‘Blessed be God the Father, who has blessed us in the Beloved
and sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise’ (Eph 1:3-14, condensed).”

–Fred Sanders, [_The Triune God_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310491495?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 25.

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