What we now call
creeds were in the beginning the questions asked of candidates for baptism
rendered into declaratory form, and called “symbols”. For those that have been adapted from
baptismal interrogatories before me or by me, I have called those “symbols”. For those adopted officially by councils or
synods or written as such by a theologian, I have called those “creeds”.
There are clearly
more here than the officially adopted Nicene Creed and Constantinopolitan
Creed, and even the so-called Apostle's Creed, because there were, indeed, many
in the Early Church.
Some are very
simple, some are quite elaborate. A few
can hardly be called “Trinitarian”. I am
presenting these not for exegesis but to show the different things Christians,
perhaps Chrestians in the earlier stages, believed at various stages until
doctrine became ossified.
Symbol of Justin
Martyr, 151 CE
From “First Apology”,
Chapter 61, this is adapted from one of two baptismal interrogatories.
I believe in God the Father and Lord of the universe. I believe in our Savior Jesus Christ, who was
crucified under Pontius Pilate. I
believe in the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about
Jesus.
Creed of Irenaeus, bishop
of Lyons, 180 CE
He has two; this is from
Book I, Chapter X, Section 1 of “Against Heresies”.
The Church believes in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker
of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one
Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in
the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God,
and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the
resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the
beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and his manifestation from heaven in the glory
of the Father to gather all things in one, and to raise up anew all flesh of
the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and
Savior, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess to him, and that he should execute
just judgment towards all; that he may send spiritual wickedness, and the
angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly and
unrighteous and wicked and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may,
in the exercise of his grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy,
and those who have kept his commandments, and have persevered in his love, some
from the beginning, and others from their repentance, and may surround them
with everlasting glory.
Creeds of Tertullian,
circa 200 CE
He has three very
different forms in his writings, each more verbose than that preceding, the
first from “On the Veiling of Virgins”, in Chapter 1.
The Rule of Faith is altogether one, sole, immovable, and
irreformable—namely, to believe in one God Almighty, the Maker of the world,
and his Son Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius
Pilate, on the third day raised again from the dead, received in the heavens,
sitting now at the right hand of the Father, coming to judge the living and the
dead, also through the resurrection of the flesh.
The second is from “Against
Praxeum”, Chapter 2.
But we believe (always,
and now more, being better instructed by the Paraclete, the Leader into all
truth) One God, but under this dispensation which we call economy, and the Son
of the One God, his Logos, who proceeded from him, by whom all things were made
and without whom nothing was made. This
was sent by the Father into the Virgin, and was born of her, both man and God,
the Son of man and the Son of God, and called Jesus Christ. He suffered, he died and was buried,
according to the Scriptures; and raised again by the Father, and taken up into
the heavens, and sits at the right hand of the Father, he shall come again to
judge the living and the dead: he thence did send, according to his promise
from the Father, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Sanctifier of the faith of
those who believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.
The third is from “On
the Prescription of the Heretics”.
We believe that there is one God, and no other besides the
Maker of the world, who produced the universe out of nothing, by his word sent
forth first of all; that his Logos, called his Son, was seen in the name of God
in various ways by the patriarchs, was always heard in the prophets, at last
was sent down, from the Spirit and the power of God the Father, into the Virgin
Mary, was made flesh in her womb, and born of her, appeared as Jesus Christ;
then he preached the Law and the new promise of the kingdom of heaven; wrought
miracles; was nailed to the cross; rose again on the third day; was caught up
to the heavens; and sat down at the right hand of the Father; sent in his place
the power of the Holy Spirit; to guide the believers; he will come again with
glory to take the saints into the glory of eternal life and the celestial
promises, and to judge the wicked with eternal fire, after the resuscitation of
both; with restitution of the flesh.
Old Roman Symbol, mid-3rd century
CE
This is adapted from the three-part interrogatory in use
in Rome.
I believe in God
the Father Almighty; and in Christ Jesus his only Son, our Lord, who was born
of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who under Pontius Pilate was crucified
and buried, who on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven,
and sits at the right hand of the Father, whence he will come to judge the
living and the dead. I believe in the
Holy Spirit, the holy Church, the remission of sins, and the resurrection of
the flesh. Amen.
Creed of Pseudo-Ignatius of Antioch, mid-third
century CE
From the “Epistle to the Trallians” attributed to
Ignatius of Antioch but probably written a century and a half later (only three
epistles attributed to him are genuine), but reflective of the time it was
written nonetheless.
[We believe in] Jesus
Christ, who was descended from the family of David, born of Mary, who truly was
born, ate and drank, truly suffered persecution under Pontius Pilate, was truly
crucified and died, who was also truly raised from the dead, his Father raising
him up, and was received up to the Father.
Symbol of Cyprian of Carthage, circa 250 CE
Adapted from his “Epistle to Magnus” and his “Epistle to
Januarius”.
I believe in God
the Father, in his Son Christ, in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the forgiveness of sins, and
eternal life through the holy Church.
Creed of Novatian of Rome, circa 250 CE
Taken from his treatise “Of the Trinity and of the Rule
of Faith”.
We believe in God
the Father and Almighty Lord, that is, the most perfect Maker of all
things. The same rule of truth teaches
us to believe, after the Father, also in the Son of God, Christ Jesus, our Lord
God but the Son of God. Moreover, the
order of reason and the authority of faith, in due consideration of the words
and Scriptures of the Lord, admonishes us, after this,
to believe also in the Holy Spirit, promised of old to the Church,
but granted in the appointed and fitting time.
Creed of Origen of Alexandria, circa 250 CE
Taken from “On the Principles”, Book I.
The form of those
things which are manifestly delivered by the preaching of the Apostles is this: First, that there is one God, who
created and framed everything, and who, when nothing was, brought all things
into being,—God from the first creation and forming of the world, the God of
all the just—Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
the twelve Patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets: and that this God, in the last
days, as he had before promised through his Prophets, sent our Lord Jesus
Christ, to all Israel first, and then, after the unbelief of Israel, also
to the Gentiles. This just and good God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
himself gave the Law and the Prophets and the Gospels, and he also is the God
of the Apostles, and of the Old and New Testaments.
Then, secondly,
that Jesus Christ himself, who came, was born of the Father
before all creation. And when in the formation of all things he had served the
Father (for by him all things were made), in these last times, emptying
himself, he became man incarnate, while he was God, and though made man,
remained God as he was before. He took a body like our body, differing in this
point only, that it was born of the Virgin and the Holy Spirit. And
since this Jesus Christ was born and suffered in truth, and not
in appearance, he bore the death common to all men and truly died; for
he truly rose from the dead, and after his resurrection, having conversed
with his disciples, he was taken up.
They also delivered
that the Holy Spirit was associated in honor and dignity with the
Father and the Son.
Creed of Gregory the Wonderworker of
Neo-Caesarea, 270 CE
Revealed to him by John the Apostle, according to Gregory
of Nyssa.
There is one
God, the Father of the living Word, who is the substantive wisdom and
eternal power and image of God: the perfect begetter) of the perfect: the Father
of the only-begotten Son. There
is one Lord, only of the only, God of God, the image and likeness of
the Godhead, the mighty Word, the wisdom which comprehends the constitution of
all things, and the power which produces all creation; the true Son of
the true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible,
and Immortal of Immortal, and Everlasting of Everlasting. And there is one Holy Ghost, having his
existence from God, and being manifested by the Son, namely, to men, the perfect
likeness of the perfect Son, Life, the cause of the living sanctity, the Leader
of sanctification: in whom is revealed God the Father, who is over all
things and in all things, and God the Son, who is through all things: a perfect
Trinity, not divided nor differing in glory and eternity and sovereignty. Neither, indeed, is there anything created or
subservient in the Trinity, nor introduced, as though not there before but
coming in afterwards; nor, indeed, has the Son ever been without the Father,
nor the Spirit without the Son, but the Trinity is ever the same, unvarying and
unchangeable
Creed of Nicaea, 325 CE
This was the “symbol” officially adopted by the majority
at the Council of Nicaea, meeting to discuss the dispute between Arius and
Athanasius, both presbyters of Alexandria.
We believe in one
God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, begotten of the Father; the only-begotten; that is, of the same being (homooúsios,
consubstantial) as the Father: God from God, Light from Light, true God
from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father. Through him all things were made, both in
heaven and on earth. For us and for our
salvation he came down, became incarnate, and was made man. He suffered, and the third day he rose again,
and ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and
the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit.
But those who say:
‘There was a time when he was not;’ and ‘He was not before he was made;’ and
‘He was made out of nothing,’ or ‘He is of another substance’ or ‘essence,’ or
‘The Son of God is created,’ or ‘changeable,’ or ‘alterable’— they are
condemned by the holy catholic and apostolic Church. Amen.
Creed of Eusebius of Caesarea, 325 CE
Laid before Constantinus Augustus and the delegates at
the Council of Nicaea.
We believe in one
God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one
Lord, Jesus Christ, the Logos of God, God of God, Light of Light, Life of Life,
the only-begotten Son, the first-born of every creature, begotten of God the Father
before all ages, by whom all things were made; who for our salvation was made
flesh and made his home among men; and suffered; and rose on the third day; and
ascended to the Father; and will come again in glory, to judge the living and
the dead. And we believe in the Holy
Spirit. We believe that each of these is
and exists, the Father truly Father, and the Son truly Son, and the Holy Spirit
truly Holy Spirit; even as our Lord, when sending forth his disciples to
preach, said: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’
And concerning
these things we affirm that we so hold and so think, and have of old so held,
and will so hold till death, and stand steadfast in this faith, anathematizing
all ungodly heresy. We testify before Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ
that we have thought all this in heart and soul ever since we knew ourselves,
and we now so think and speak in truth, being able to show by evidence and to convince
you that we in past times so believed and preached accordingly.
Creed of Arius, 328 CE
Reported by several authorities as that which Arius put
before Constantinus Augustus in the aftermath of the Council of Nicaea. Short of having nothing about
We believe in one
God, the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ, his Son, who was begotten of him
before all ages, the divine Logos, through whom all things were made, both
those in the heavens and those on the earth; who came down and was made flesh;
and suffered, and rose again; and ascended to the heavens; and shall come again
to judge the living and the dead. And in
the Holy Spirit; the resurrection of the flesh; and the life of the world to
come; and in the kingdom of heaven; and in one Catholic Church of God which
extends to the ends of the earth.
Symbol of the Canons of Hippolytus, 340 CE
Adapted from its
baptismal interrogatory form.
I believe in God the Father Almighty. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
whom Mary the Virgin bore of the Holy Ghost, who came to save the human race,
who was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, who died and rose from the dead
the third day, and ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of the
Father, and shall come to judge the living and dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
proceeding from the Father and the Son, and in the holy Church.
Creed of Lucien of
Antioch, 341 CE
Lucien died a martyr
in 311, but this was found among his writings and was presented at the Synod of
Antioch in 341 in an attempt to replace the Nicene Creed.
We believe, in accordance with evangelic and apostolic
tradition, in one God the Father Almighty, the Maker and Provider of
all things.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ his Son, the
only-begotten God, through whom all things were made, who was begotten of the
Father before all ages, God of God, Whole of Whole, One of One, Perfect of
Perfect, King of King, Lord of Lord, the living Word, Wisdom, Life, True Light,
Way, Truth, Resurrection, Shepherd, Door, unchangeble and unalterable, the
immutable likeness of the Godhead, both of the substance and will and power and
glory of the Father, the first-born of all creation, who was in the beginning
with God, the Divine Logos, according to what is said in the gospel: 'And the
Word was God,' through whom all things were made, and in whom 'all things
consist:' who in the last days came down from above, and was born of a Virgin,
according to the Scriptures, and became man, the Mediator between God and man,
and the Apostle of our Faith, and the Prince of life; as he says, 'I have
come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
me:' who suffered for us, and rose for us the third day, and ascended into
heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father, and again is coming with glory
and power to judge the quick and the dead.
And in the Holy Spirit given for consolation and
sanctification and perfection to those who believe; as also our Lord Jesus
Christ commanded his disciples, saying, 'Go ye, teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; clearly
of the Father who is really a Father, and of a Son who is really a Son, and of
the Holy Ghost who is really a Holy Ghost; these names being assigned not vaguely
nor idly, but indicating accurately the special personality, order, and glory
of those named, so that in Personality they are three, but in harmony one.
Having then this faith (from the beginning and holding it to
the end) before God and Christ we anathematize all heretical false doctrine.
And if any one, contrary to the right faith of the Scriptures, teaches and says
that there has been a season or time or age before the Son of God was begotten,
let him be accursed. And if any one says that the Son is a creature as one of
the creatures, or generated as one of the things generated, or made as one of
the things made, and not as the divine Scriptures have handed down each of the
forenamed statements; or if a man teaches or preaches anything else contrary to
what we have received, let him be accursed.
For we truly and clearly both believe and follow all things from the
holy Scriptures that have been transmitted to us by the Prophets and Apostles.
Creeds of Cyril of
Jerusalem, circa 350
Symbol of Jerusalem, adapted
from the baptismal interrogatory of his diocese, given in his “Cathetical
Lecture XIX”.
I believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy
Spirit, and in one baptism of repentance.
Cyril’s beliefs in
creedal form, as deciphered by several scholars specializing in his works.
I believe in one God, the
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and of all things
visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of
God, begotten by the Father before all ages, true God, by whom all things were
made. Who appeared in the flesh, and became man.
He was crucified and buried; rose on the third day, and sat at the right hand
of the Father; and will come in glory to judge the living
and the dead, of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in one Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, who
spoke by the Prophets; and in one baptism of repentance for the remission
of sins, and in one one hold Catholic Church, and in the resurrection of the
body, and in life everlasting.
Symbol of the Apostolic Tradition, 355 CE
Adapted from its
baptismal interrogatory form.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty. I believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God,
who was born of the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, was crucified under Pontius
Pilate, was dead and buried, rose again the third day, alive from the dead,
ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and will come to
judge the living and the dead. I believe
in the Holy Spirit, and the holy Church, and the resurrection of the flesh.
Instead of the interrogatory
form, the Sahidic, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions have the candidate repeat the
following symbol after the presbyter:
I believe in the only true God, the Father Almighty, and his
only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and in the Holy Spirit,
the life-giver to the universe, the Trinity in one substance, one Godhead, one
Lordship, one Kingdom, one faith, one baptism in the Catholic apostolic holy
church. Amen.
Creed of Ariminum,
359
The answer of the
Arians to the Nicene Creed.
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, from whom are
all things; and in the unique Son of God, who was begotten before all ages and
all beginning, through whom all things came into being, both visible and
invisible, begotten uniquely, only from the Father only, God from God, like to
the Father who begot him, according to the Scriptures, whose generation no one
knows except only the Father who begot him.
We know that this unique Son came down from heaven, the Father sending
him, as it is written, for the destruction of sin and death, and was born of
the Holy Spirit, or Mary the Virgin according to the flesh, as it is written,
and companied with the disciples, and when all dispensation was fulfilled
according to the Father’s will, was crucified, and died and was buried and
descended to the lower regions, before whom hell itself trembled, who also rose
again from the dead on the third day and sojourned with the disciples, and when
forty days were fulfilled was taken up into heaven, and sits on the right hand
of the Father, is to come on the last day, of the resurrection, in the Father’s
glory, to render each according to his works; and in the Holy Spirit, whom the
unique son of God himself, Christ our Lord, promised to send to the race of men
as a Paraclete, as it is written, the Spirit of truth, whom he sent to them
when he ascended into heaven. But as to
the word ousia, which was used by the
Father in simplicity, but, being unknown to the people caused scandal, because
the Scriptures do not contain it, it seems best that it should be taken away
and no mention of it made in the future, since the divine Scriptures nowhere
made mention of the essence of Father and Son; nor, similarly, should the word hypostasis be used of the Father and Son
and Holy Spirit. But we say that the Son
is like the Father, as the divine Scriptures say and teach; and let all
heresies which have been condemned before and such recent ones as may have
arisen and are contrary to this statement be anathema.
Creed of Epiphanius,
374 CE
This was the Bishop of
Salamis’ own-written symbol, preserved in “The Anchored One”, Chapter 120.
We believe
in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things, invisible and visible.
And in one
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, begotten of God the Father, only begotten,
that is of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of
very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom
all things were made, both which be in heaven and in earth, whether they be
visible or invisible. Who for us men and for our salvation came down, and was
incarnate, that is to say was conceived perfectly through the Holy Ghost of the
holy ever-virgin Mary, and was made man, that is to say a perfect man,
receiving a soul, and body, and intellect, and all that make up a man, but
without sin, not from human seed, nor [that he dwelt] in a man, but taking
flesh to himself into one holy entity; not as he inspired the prophets and
spake and worked [in them], but was perfectly made man, for the Word was made
flesh; neither did he experience any change, nor did he convert his divine
nature into the nature of man, but united it to his one holy perfection and
Divinity. For there is one Lord Jesus
Christ, not two, the same is God, the same is Lord, the same is King. He
suffered in the flesh, and rose again, and ascended into heaven in the same
body, and with glory he sat down at the right hand of the Father, and in the
same body he will come in glory to judge both the quick and the dead, and of
his kingdom there shall be no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost, who spake in the Law, and
preached in the Prophets, and descended at Jordan, and spake in the Apostles,
and indwells the Saints. And thus we believe in him, that he is the Holy
Spirit, the Spirit of God, the perfect Spirit, the Spirit the Comforter,
uncreate, who proceeds from the Father, receiving of the Son, and believed on.
We believe in
one Catholic and Apostolic Church; and in one baptism of penitence, and in the
resurrection of the dead, and the just judgment of souls and bodies, and in the
kingdom of heaven and in life everlasting.
And those who say that there was a time when the Son was not,
or when the Holy Ghost was not, or that either was made of that which
previously had no being, or that he is of a different nature or substance, and
affirm that the Son of God and the Holy Spirit are subject to change and
mutation; all such the Catholic and Apostolic Church, the mother both of you
and of us, anathematizes. And further we anathematize such as do not confess
the resurrection of the dead, as well as all heresies which are not in accord
with the true faith.
Symbols of the Apostolic Constitutions, 375
From Book III, Chapter
16 of the Ethiopian version.
I believe in the only true God, the Father Almighty, and in
his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and in the Holy
Spirit, the Life-giver.
From Book VII, Chapter
41.
I believe in one unbegotten Being, the only true God Almighty,
the Father of Christ, the Creator and Maker of all things, from whom are all things;
and into the Lord Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, the First-born of the
whole creation, who, before the ages, was, by the good pleasure of the Father,
begotten, not created; through whom all things were made, both those in heaven
and those on earth, visible and invisible; who, in the last days, descended
from heaven, and took flesh, and was born of the holy virgin Mary, and lived a
holy life, according to the laws of his God and Father, and was crucified under
Pontius Pilate, and died for us; and rose again from the dead, after his
Passion, the third day, and ascended into the heavens, and sits at the right hand
of the Father; and again is to come at the end of the world, with glory, to
judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there shall be no end. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
who wrought in all the saints from the beginning of the world, but was
afterwards sent to the apostles by the Father, according to the promise of our
Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and, after the apostles, to all who believe, in
the holy Catholic church; in the resurrection of the flesh, the remission of
sins, the kingdom of heaven, the life of the world to come.
Creed of
Constantinopolis, 381
This was issued by the
majority of delegates to the First Council of Constantinopolis to condemn
Apollinarianism and Pneumatomachianism, and to reaffirm Athanasianism as
orthodox.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of
heaven and earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen. We believe in one Lord,
Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all
time: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not
made, consubstantial with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: he became
incarnate by the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius
Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living
and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who
proceeds from the Father. With the
Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic
Church. We acknowledge one baptism for
the forgiveness of sins. We look for the
resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Symbol of Pseudo-Ambrose’s On the Sacraments, 391
Adapted from his
primitive, and therefore probably ancient, baptismal interrogatory.
I believe in God the Father Almighty. I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and his
Cross. I believe in the Holy Spirit.
Symbol of Aquilea,
early 5th century
From Tyrannius
Rufinus’ “Commentary on the Apostles’ Symbol”.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, invisible and
impassible; and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was born from the
Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, was crucified under Pontius Pilate and was
buried. He descended into hell; on the
third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to the heavens; he
sits at the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come to judge the
living and the dead; And in the Holy Spirit, the holy Church, the remission of
sins, and the resurrection of this flesh.
Amen.
Symbol of Pelagius, 417
From a letter of
Pelagius to Zozimus, Bishop of Rome, defending his teaching. The creed, or symbol, was approved by
Zozimus.
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible
and invisible. We believe in our Lord
Jesus Christ, only-begotten and true Son of God; he suffered, died, resurrected
on the third day, and ascended into heaven; he sits at the right hand of God
the Father; he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, and the
resurrection of the body.
Athanasian Creed, 431
Probably written by
Vincent of Lerins.
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary
that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one 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 Essence. 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 coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the
Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost
uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost
unlimited. 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 infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. 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 are 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 before, or
after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three
Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the
Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore
that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that
he also believe faithfully 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 Essence of the Father; begotten before the
worlds; and Man, of the Essence 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 is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ.
One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the
Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; 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 God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living
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 catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he
cannot be saved.
Symbol of the Testament of our Lord, 5th
century CE
Adapted from its
baptismal interrogatory.
I believe in God the Father Almighty. I believe also in Christ Jesus, the Son of
God, who came from the Father, who is of old with the Father, who was born of
Mary the Virgin by the Holy Spirit, who was crucified in the days of Pontius
Pilate and died, and rose the third day, came to life from the dead, and
ascended into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and comes to
judge the living and the dead. I believe
also in the Holy Ghost, and in the holy Church.
Chalcedonian Creed,
451
Adopted by the
majority of delegates at the Council of Chalcedon meeting to discuss the
controversies of Eutychianism and remnant Nestorianism.
Following, then, the holy Fathers, we all unanimously teach
that our Lord Jesus Christ is to us One and the same Son, the Self-same Perfect
in Godhead, the Self-same Perfect in Manhood; truly God and truly Man; the
Self-same of a rational soul and body; co-essential with the Father according
to the Godhead, the Self-same co-essential with us according to the Manhood; like
us in all things, sin apart; before the ages begotten of the Father as to the
Godhead, but in the last days, the Self-same, for us and for our salvation
(born) of Mary the Virgin Theotokos as to the Manhood; One and the Same Christ,
Son, Lord, Only-begotten; acknowledged in Two Natures unconfusedly,
unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the difference of the Natures being in
no way removed because of the Union, but rather the properties of each Nature
being preserved, and (both) concurring into One Person and One Hypostasis; not
as though He were parted or divided into Two Persons, but One and the Self-same
Son and Only-begotten God, Word, Lord, Jesus Christ; even as from the beginning
the prophets have taught concerning Him, and as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
hath taught us, and as the Symbol of the Fathers hath handed down to us
Gallican Symbol, 6th
century
Adapted from one of
the baptismal interrogatories of the Gallican churches.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty. I also believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son,
our Lord, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried; he was raised again on the third
day, ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father; from thence
he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the
holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the
resurrection of the flesh, and the life eternal. Amen.
Mozarabic Symbol, 7th
century CE
Adapted from one of
the baptismal interrogatories of the Mozarabic churches.
I believe in God the Father Almighty; and in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord: born of the Holy Spirit from the womb of the Virgin
Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, and buried: the third day he rose alive from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He sits at the right hand of God the Father
Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy
catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the flesh, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Symbol of Bangor, 7th
century
Adapted from the
baptismal interrogatory of the Bangor Sacramentary, this represents the creeds
of the churches in most of the Isles.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, invisible creator of
all things, visible and invisible. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our
Lord, God Almighty, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, conceived by the Holy
Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified and buried; he descended into
hell, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, is seated at
the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he will come to judge
the living and the dead. I believe in
the Holy Spirit, God Almighty, the holy catholic Church, the forgiveness of
sins, the communion of saints, and the resurrection of the body. I believe in life after death and life eternal
in the glory of Christ. Amen.
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