Information about Athanasian Creed

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The Athanasian Creed (Quicumque vult) is a statement of Christian Trinitarian doctrine and Christology that was used in Western Christianity. Its Latin name comes from the opening words Quicumque vult, "Whosoever wishes."

Authorship

Beginning in the 9th century, the Athanasian Creed was ascribed to St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century. This view was contested in the 17th century and is rejected today.^[1] Reasons for rejecting Athanasius as the author are: 1) The creed originally was written in Latin. 2) It is not mentioned by Athanasius or his contemporaries. 3) It appears to address Christological controversies that developed after Athanasius died.^[2]

Most of today's historians agree that it originated in Gaul around 500. Its theology is closely akin to that found in the writing of Western theologians, especially Ss. Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, and Vincent of Lérins. J.N.D. Kelly, a contemporary patristics scholar, believes that St. Vincent of Lérin may have been its author.^[3]

Content

The Trinity

The first half of the creed confesses the Trinity (one God in three persons). With poetic repetition it ascribes divine majesty and characteristics to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each individually. At the same time it clearly states that, although all three are individually divine, they are not three gods but one God. Furthermore, although one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct from each other. For the Father is neither made nor begotten; the Son is not made but is begotten from the Father; the Holy Spirit is neither made nor begotten but proceeds from the Father and the Son (filioque).

Although the creed uses terms, such as person and substance, it does not try to define them philosophically. Any definition would fall short of describing the divine mystery revealed in Scripture. Rather the creed presents the Christian belief of what the Bible says about God, setting the logical paradoxes side by side.

The creed's wording excludes both Sabellianism and Arianism. A need for a clear confession against Arianism arose in western Europe when the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, who had Arian beliefs, invaded at the beginning of the 5th century.

Christology

It was designed to overcome Arianism, Nestorianism, Monophysitism, and Macedonianism.

Uses

Liturgically, this Creed was recited at the Sunday Office of Prime in the Western Church; it is not used in the Eastern Church.

Today the Athanasian Creed is rarely used even in the Western Church.

In Reformed circles, it is included (for example) in the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia's Book of Forms (publ. 1991). That said, it is rarely recited in public worship.

In Roman Catholic churches, it was traditionally said at Prime on Sundays after Epiphany and Pentecost, except when a Double feast or day within an octave occurred, and on Trinity Sunday. In the 1960 reforms, it was reduced to once a year on Trinity Sunday. It has been effectively dropped from the Catholic liturgy since Vatican II, although it is retained in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.

In Lutheranism, the Athanasian Creed is -- along with the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds -- one of the three ecumenical creeds placed at the beginning of the 1580 Book of Concord, the historic collection of authoritative doctrinal statements (confessions) of the Lutheran church. It is still used in the liturgy on Trinity Sunday.

References

See also

• Creed
• Apostles' Creed
• Nicene Creed
• Shield of the Trinity

Scholarly edition and annotated translation

There is a scholarly comparative edition of the original Latin text of the Athanasian creed, along with commentary on the older English translation at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds2.iv.i.iv.html

External links

• Background information, plus his actual writings
• The Athanasian Creed
• Quicumque vult in Latin and English
• The Origin and Terminology of the Athanasian Creed by Robert H. Krueger