The Emblems of Religion don't belong ... or do they?

[Aiwendil]

Lalwende wrote:

Eru is clearly not a Trinity figure

Is he not? Certainly if so it is not explicit. But then Christianity interprets the God of the Old Testament as a trinity, and this is certainly not explicit there (for indeed, Judaism interprets the same texts with a unitary God). Without a precise theological statement, one could view Iluvatar either way, I think.

But note that in the "Athrabeth" we do have what seems like a reference to a Messianic incarnation of Eru. Add to this the possible interpretation of the "Secret Fire" as something like Christianity's Holy Spirit and I think you do have a trinity.