Denies
Rejects Trinitarian reading; later interpolation; not part of original text
Armstrongism rejects the 'Comma Johanneum' (1 John 5:7-8) on textual grounds. This verse is absent from the earliest manuscripts and is recognized as a later Latin interpolation designed to support Trinitarian theology. This textual fact aligns perfectly with Armstrongism's non-Trinitarian position.
For Armstrongists, the exclusion of this verse from the earliest texts proves that Trinitarianism is a later theological development, not original Christian teaching. The passage's absence strengthens the Armstrongist case against the doctrine of the Trinity.
Key Distinctions
- Textual status:
- later Latin interpolation; absent from earliest Greek MSS
- Trinitarian grounding:
- supports anti-Trinitarian position; proves Trinity is later doctrine
- Canonical status:
Scripture References
Sources
- Textual evidence in critical scholarship; Worldwide Church of God doctrinal statements