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Creeds

This page will give a few of the historic creeds, starting with Athanasius's creed which is famous for its clarity of thought and expression, it is not the first Creed nor the last but is probably the finest of its type, it is worth the reading even if it may seem complicated, read carefully understanding will come !

                                             The Creed of Athanasius.

                                                                        SOMETIMES KNOWN AS "QUICUNQUE VULT"

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 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; 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 like wise 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 Ftaher is one Lord, the Son one Lordand the Holy Ghost one Lord, And yet they 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 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 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 coeternal together; and: and co-equal. 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: andand 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 the 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 in to hell rose again on 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 hae done good shall go  into life everlasting: and those that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholick Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

 

Saint Patricks Creed

 

 

Because there is no other God,
nor was there ever before,
nor will there be hereafter,
besides God the Father, unbegotten,
without beginning,
from whom is all beginning, containing all things
as we have been taught;
and his Son Jesus Christ,
whom we testify
to have always existed with the Father
before the beginning of the world,
spiritually and ineffably begotten by the Father,
before all beginning
and through him all things have been made,
visible and invisible.

He was made man,
and having conquered death,
he was received into heaven by the Father.
And he has given him all power above every name
in heaven,
and on earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess to him
that Jesus Christ is Lord and God,
in whom we believe,
and we look hopefully for his coming, soon to be,
the judge of the living and the dead,
who will repay each one according to his own deeds,
and he poured out on us abundantly the Holy Spirit
as the gift and believers pledge of immortality,
who makes believers and listeners
so that they may be children of God
and joint heirs with Christ,
whom we confess and adore,
one God in the Trinity of the Sacred Name

Translated by Máire Bríd de Paor pbvm

 

 

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