The Athanasian Creed
One of the symbols of the Faith approved by the Church and given a place in
her liturgy, is a short, clear exposition of the doctrines of the Trinity and the
Incarnation, with a passing reference to several other dogmas. Unlike most of
the other creeds, or symbols, it deals almost exclusively with these two
fundamental truths, which it states and restates in terse and varied forms so
as to bring out unmistakably the trinity of the Persons of God, and the twofold
nature in the one Divine Person of Jesus Christ. At various points the author
calls attention to the penalty incurred by those who refuse to accept any of
the articles therein set down. The following is the Marquess of Bute's English
translation of the text of the Creed:
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the
Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled,
without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that
we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Neither confounding the
Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father,
another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the
Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the
Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the
Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost
Uncreate. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the
Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the
Holy Ghost Eternal and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As
also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One
Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty,
the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three
Almighties but One Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet
they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the
Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord.
For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every
Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic
Religion to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords. The Father is made of
none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not
made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the
Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One
Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore or after
Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are
Co-eternal together, and Co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the
Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that
will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe
rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we
believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and
Man.
God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of
the substance of His mother, born into the world. Perfect God and Perfect
Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father
as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His
Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One
Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the
Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by
Unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and
Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into Hell, rose
again the third day from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, He sitteth on the
right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their
bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done
good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into
everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe
faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.
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