What is the Athanasian creed and how did it come about?

Question

Constatine played a major role in the deciding factor of the Church to adopt the Athanasian creed yet secular history shows that Constatine had no knowledge of Greek theology nor the questions debated to resolve the argument.

Answer 1

Constantine played a minor role in Christian development. Rather, he used it to his benefit, politically. The creed focused on resolving the doctrine of the Trinity and deity of Christ. It was written after Athenasius' death.

Answer 2

The Athanasian Creed mentioned nothing about a trinity. That doctrine, which is not supported by the Bible, was not hammered out until the Council of Constantinople in 351CE, over 300 years after the birth of Christianity.

Answer 3

The Athanasian creed was the belief that Jesus was God as well as man, leading to the doctrine of the Trinity. It rivaled Arianism, the belief that God created Jesus, and as such, Jesus was inferior and subject to God. This early dispute in Christianity threatened to tear apart the Church. Constantine was the High Priest of pagan Rome, and used Christianity as a way of unifying his empire. With this dispute in Christianity, it would have severely threatened Constantine's empire if there were two rivaling sects of Christianity. Because of this, Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 to settle the disagreement. At the end of the council, it was decided that the Athanasian creed was the correct form of Christianity. Subsequently, all Arians were exiled for their newfound heresy.

Answer 4

I hope you're ready for this answer!!!

The Athanasian Creed

Written against the Arians.

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 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 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 before or after other; 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. He, therefore, that will be saved must 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 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 faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.


Now, keep in mind that "catholic" here means "universal".

Athanasian Creed (Symbolum Quicunque).

1. The 3d and last of the creeds called ecumenical. Its origin is obscure. Since the 9th c. it has been ascribed to Athanasius; this view has been contested since the 17th c. and is today rejected (early councils do not mention this creed; it was written in Latin, whereas Athanasius wrote in Greek.; it presupposes later heresies: Nestorianism[Held that there is no communion of natures in the person of Christ, that Mary is not theotokos, or God-bearer, but Christotokos (mother of Christ), and that according to His human nature Christ is in effect the Son of God only by adoption.], and Eutychianism[2 natures in Christ before, but only 1 after, the incarnation]). It seems to have originated in Gaul or N Afr. as a summary of the doctrinal decisions of the 1st 4 ecumenical councils. It also seeks to state the doctrine of the Trinity* in Augustinian terms.

2. By the 9th c. this creed was in the liturgy in Germany and was used at prime (the first of the daytime hours). Luther regarded it as possibly the grandest production of the church since the time of the apostles.