Anthanasian Creed

The Anthanasian Creed speaks of that mystery, which we call the doctrine of the Trinity.  The following is a traditional translation of the Anthanasian Creed.  Please note the comparison chart shown below which indicates how the translation of the Anthanasian Creed found in the ELCA Lutheran Book of Worship is different.  Does the LBW version clearly express the doctrines as well?

 

Anthanasian Creed

     Whosoever will be saved, before all things, it is necessary that he hold the catholic (i.e., universal, Christian) 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 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 coeternal.
     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 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 Eternals, but one Eternal.
     As 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 we are 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, neigther 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 together and coequal, so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped.
       Any person, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.
     Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that we 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 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 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 an account of 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 (Christian) faith; which except you believe faithfully and firmly, you cannot be saved."

 

Traditional Translation

  Notes

LBW Translation

    "Whosoever will be saved, before all things, it is necessary that he hold the catholic (i.e., universal, Christian) faith. 

 

Whoever wants to be saved should above all cling to the catholic faith. 

Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 

 

Whoever does not guard it whole and inviolable will doubtless perish eternally. 

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.   

Now this is the catholic faith:  We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.   

For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one; the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.  

But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty.

"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. 

 

What the Father is, the Son is, and so in the Holy Spirit.  Uncreated is the Father; uncreated is the Son; uncreated is the Spirit.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the holy Ghost incomprehensible. 

 

The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite; the Holy Spirit is infinite.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.  And yet they are not three Eternals, but one Eternal. 

 

Eternal is the Father; eternal is the Son; eternal is the Spirit.  And yet there are not three eternal beings, but one who is eternal.

As 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.

 

As there are not three uncreated and unlimited beings, but one who is uncreated and unlimited.  Almighty is the Father; almighty is the Son; almighty is the Spirit.  And yet there are not three almighty beings but one who is 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.

 

Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God.  And yet there are not three gods, but one God.  Thus the Father is Lord; the Son is Lord; the Holy Spirit is Lord;  And yet there are 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 we are forbidden by the catholic religion to say, There be three Gods or three Lords.

  As Christian truth compels us to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so catholic religion forbids us to say that here are three gods or 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.

  The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten; the Son was neither made nor created, but was alone begotten of the Father; the Spirit was neither made nor created but is proceeding from the Father and the Son.

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 together and coequal, so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped.

  Thus there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits.  And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons.

Any person, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

"Must" and "should" have very different meanings.

Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that we also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

To say that our Lord Jesus Christ "took on flesh" actually isn't really as complete a statement as the traditional version which says "believe faithfully the incarnation."  Our Lord being God in heaven, remained God and came to earth, was born in the flesh, and was named Jesus.  First  of all, the person of the Son of  God was in heaven; and then there was the incarnation, so that there are two natures in the Son, a human nature, and a divine nature.

It is necessary for eternal salvation that one also faithfully believe that our Lord Jesus Christ became flesh.

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;

"God of the Substance of the Father, and "of the substance of His mother" are omitted from the LBW version.

For this is the true faith that we believe and confess; That our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, is both God and man.  He is God, begotten before all worlds form the being of the Father, and he is man, born in the world from the being of his mother--

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;

"As touching His Godhead" and "as touching His manhood" is a more clear definition.  Rather "in divinity," and "in humanity," only implies traits one could possess; and it is the two persons of Christ that should be clearly expressed.

Existing fully as God, and fully as man with a rational soul and a human body; equal to the Father in divinity, subordinate to the Father in humanity.

Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; 

The word "divided" is obscuring that Christ did have two distinct natures.  Use of the word "divided" in the LBW version is confusing and tends to imply that there were not two distinct and different natures. These two natures are "one Christ," however the Christ has two natures.

Although he is God and man, he is not divided, but is one Christ.

One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhood into God; 

The point is not why He is one (LBW says "united because") but that the divine nature took the human nature into itself.  "He does not transform deity into humanity" seems to cloud the meaning.

He is united because God has taken humanity into himself; he does not transform deity into humanity.

One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.

 

He is completely one in the unity of his person, without confusing his natures.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;

 

For as the rational soul and body are one person, so the one Christ is God and man.

Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead; 

"Who suffered for our salvation" includes all things He suffered. He suffered more than just "death for our salvation."  His entire walk on earth was a suffering.  Also, "the third day" is omitted.

He suffered death for our salvation. He descended into hell and rose again from the dead. 

He ascended into heaven; He siteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 

The words "God Almighty" are omitted.

 

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give an account of their own works.  And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.

 

At his coming all people shall rise bodily to give an account of their own deeds.  Those who have done good will enter eternal life, those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic (Christian) faith; which except you believe faithfully and firmly, you cannot be saved."

 

This is the catholic faith.  One cannot be saved without believing this firmly and faithfully.


Some things to note about the doctrine of the Trinity are:

1.  As with many of the doctrines of the Gospel, we cannot really explain the Trinity.  We can only state what we do believe regarding it. 

2.  As the Athanasian creed clearly states, one "cannot be saved," unless they hold this Christian faith of the Trinity, "Whosoever will be saved...it is necessary that he hold the Christian faith," and: “Any person, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity,”  And, "This is the catholic faith (that is, Christian faith); which accept you believe faithfully and firmly, you cannot be saved."

3. The divinity of Christ is an article of faith, an inseparable part of the Gospel itself.  When we speak of faith in Jesus, this is part of that particular faith of the Gospel.  We must believe Jesus is God and Man.

4. The two natures of Christ are put forward in the creed, as quoted above:  “That. . . the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ” results in the manifestation upon earth of there being two natures of Christ (now His human nature is incorruptible in heaven, having been raised from the dead.).  Whereas, before Christ’s victory our incorruptible inheritance hadn't yet been obtained except through promise; God’s promise has been fulfilled as the promised Messiah took on corruptible flesh and raised it incorruptible. Since Christ came and carried sin without sinning to the cross and beyond the grave, we are empowered through His victory (Rom. 6:4, II Cor. 5:21). The incarnation fulfilled God's promise, and “Jesus Christ is both God and Man. . .Man of the substance of His mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man. . . Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood." 
 

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