The Athanasian Creed is one of the three ancient Creeds of the western tradition, dating back to the fourth or fifth century. While it was not written by St. Athanasius, it is thought to capture his expressions and ideas. It is listed in the English Prayer Books as a Creed to be accepted and believed as being in accord with Holy Scripture. However, it was left out of the American Prayer Books (perhaps due to its explicit Trinitarianism?), not to return until the 2003 edition of the Reformed Episcopal Church.
From the 1662 Book of Commmon Prayer:
WHOSOEVER will be saved : before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled : without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholick 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 incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated : but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. 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 both God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholick 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 think thus 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 in 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 at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty : from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men will 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 Catholick Faith : which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
4 comments:
Why doesn't the Eastern Church have the Athanasian Creed?
This begs the question "Where does the inclusiveness end?" The mainline churches have become so inclusive as to destroy any sense of doctrinal unity. Catholicity is inclusive of all peoples and nations, but it is not "inclusive" of the pluriform truths now spoken of by the ECUSA bishops.
I think Wright, on this, is wrong. The bitter disputes of the first four councils do not really give much support for an inclusiveness that embraces heretical notions. On the issue of women's ordination, Wright steps out of the area where he has some authority (as a New Testament scholar) and into the area of what constitutes Catholic Faith and Order. For an Anglican who takes the Creeds, the Councils, and the Articles seriously, this is not an open matter. By supporting the ordination of women Wright supports "what the church has never done" over "what the church has ever done" and enlarges "inclusiveness" over the unity of the order of the Church.
I think the "double procession" can be understood in a Scriptural way (I'll get to this in the next post dealing with the next Article in the 39), but the affirmation in the Nicene Creed is indeed a unilateral addition from the west without the consensus of the Eastern Church.
I grabbed it off the net, thinking it to be the same as the BCP text. I'm going to repost with the 1662 version.
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