<P> The Ante - Nicene Fathers asserted Christ 's deity and spoke of `` Father , Son and Holy Spirit '' , even though their language is not that of the traditional doctrine as formalised in the fourth century . Trinitarians view these as elements of the codified doctrine . Ignatius of Antioch provides early support for the Trinity around 110 , exhorting obedience to `` Christ , and to the Father , and to the Spirit '' . Justin Martyr ( AD 100 -- c. 165 ) also writes , `` in the name of God , the Father and Lord of the universe , and of our Saviour Jesus Christ , and of the Holy Spirit '' . The first of the early church fathers to be recorded using the word `` Trinity '' was Theophilus of Antioch writing in the late 2nd century . He defines the Trinity as God , His Word ( Logos ) and His Wisdom ( Sophia ) in the context of a discussion of the first three days of creation . The first defence of the doctrine of the Trinity was in the early 3rd century by the early church father Tertullian . He explicitly defined the Trinity as Father , Son , and Holy Spirit and defended the Trinitarian theology against the `` Praxean '' heresy . St. Justin and Clement of Alexandra used the Trinity in their doxologies and St. Basil likewise , in the evening lighting of lamps . </P>
<P> The Ante - Nicene Fathers asserted Christ 's deity and spoke of `` Father , Son and Holy Spirit '' , even though their language is not that of the traditional doctrine as formalised in the fourth century . Trinitarians view these as elements of the codified doctrine . Ignatius of Antioch provides early support for the Trinity around 110 , exhorting obedience to `` Christ , and to the Father , and to the Spirit '' . Justin Martyr ( AD 100 -- c. 165 ) also writes , `` in the name of God , the Father and Lord of the universe , and of our Saviour Jesus Christ , and of the Holy Spirit '' . The first of the early church fathers to be recorded using the word `` Trinity '' was Theophilus of Antioch writing in the late 2nd century . He defines the Trinity as God , His Word ( Logos ) and His Wisdom ( Sophia ) in the context of a discussion of the first three days of creation . The first defence of the doctrine of the Trinity was in the early 3rd century by the early church father Tertullian . He explicitly defined the Trinity as Father , Son , and Holy Spirit and defended the Trinitarian theology against the `` Praxean '' heresy . St. Justin and Clement of Alexandra used the Trinity in their doxologies and St. Basil likewise , in the evening lighting of lamps . </P>
who first held that the trinity is defined as one substance in three persons
who first held that the trinity is defined as one substance in three persons
Theophilus of Antioch
Theophilus of Antioch