THEOLOGY · By Will Wright

Understanding the Athanasian Creed

A guide to an ancient profession of faith in the Trinity and the Incarnation.

What is a Creed?

The word “creed” comes from the Latin “credo” meaning “I believe.” It is a profession of faith and stands as a symbol of faith. This corresponds well to the Greek word “symbolon” meaning “thrown together” or “fit-together.” Symbolon is defined by Wiktionary as “a sign or token by which one infers a thing.” In the ecclesiastical usage, it is a “distinctive mark of Christians, a confession of faith, a creed.”

The most well known creed, arguably, is the Apostles’ Creed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes it this way:

“The Apostles' Creed is so called because it is rightly considered to be a faithful summary of the apostles' faith. It is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome. Its great authority arises from this fact: it is 'the Creed of the Roman Church, the See of Peter, the first of the apostles, to which he brought the common faith.” (CCC 194)

As Saint Ambrose put it: “This Creed is the spiritual seal, our heart's meditation and an ever-present guardian; it is, unquestionably, the treasure of our soul.”

Besides the Apostles’ Creed, the most well known creed is the Nicene Creed, technically called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, which is professed every Sunday at Mass in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church and in our separated Orthodox brethren, this same Creed is professed in its original formulation.

A major difference in liturgical usage concerns the Western addition of “and the Son,” the Filioque, to the article on the procession of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, this disagreement has caused great difficulty and division between Eastern and Western Christianity.

The Nicene Creed arose from the first two ecumenical councils of the Church. The first ecumenical council is the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. and the second is the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This Creed is ancient and it has preserved the faithful from a variety of heresies for over 1,600 years. To understand it is to understand what we believe as Catholics.

Who is St. Athanasius?

Creeds arose in the Early Church to preserve orthodox teaching and correct error. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, this usually happened through the ecumenical councils of the Church - such as Nicaea and Constantinople. One of the key figures in the 4th Century, St. Athanasius, attended the Council at Nicaea in 325 A.D. as a deacon. He would later go on to be the Bishop of Alexandria in 328 after the death of St. Alexander.

What is the Athanasian Creed?

Athanasius became one of the great defenders of Nicene faith in the full divinity of the Son. His life included repeated exile amid the theological and political struggles of the fourth century. The creed bearing his name expresses a faith consonant with that defense, but it is not generally regarded as his own composition.

The Athanasian Creed is a Latin profession of faith, also known by its opening words, Quicumque vult. Its author and precise date remain uncertain. Its Western language and theological formulation distinguish it from the Greek writings of Athanasius.

The creed has two principal concerns: the unity of God in three distinct Persons, and the unity of Jesus Christ as truly God and truly man. Its careful repetitions guard against confusing the Persons, dividing the divine nature, or treating Christ as two persons.

Reading Its Strong Language

The opening and closing statements speak with great urgency about faith and salvation. They should be read within the whole of Catholic teaching on grace, faith, and personal responsibility, not as permission to pronounce judgment on an individual’s eternal destiny. The text directs us toward the God who saves: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and toward the incarnate Son whose death and Resurrection are our hope.

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 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 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.

Sources and further reading

The Athanasian Creed: text and historical discussion