The Athanasian Creed "Quicumque" on the Most Holy Trinity

Understanding Christianity's Most Detailed Statement on God's Nature

The Athanasian Creed represents one of Christianity's most comprehensive attempts to explain the mystery of the Trinity and the nature of Christ. While less familiar than the Apostles' or Nicene Creeds, this ancient text provides the most detailed theological explanation of core Christian beliefs about God's nature that has shaped Christian understanding for over 1,500 years.

Historical Background and Authorship

The authorship of this creed remains historically uncertain. Traditionally attributed to St. Athanasius, the great defender of Trinitarian orthodoxy, modern scholarship suggests it was likely composed by a Western theologian influenced by Athanasian theology, possibly a direct disciple. The creed demonstrates Western theological methodology—more philosophical and systematic in structure—while maintaining Eastern Trinitarian insights.

The Church has adopted this creed for liturgical use, particularly in the Liturgy of the Hours for the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity (the Sunday after Pentecost). It's also known as the "Credo Quicumque" from its opening Latin words meaning "Creed" and "Whoever."

The Creed's Purpose and Context

This creed emerged during a period when the Church needed precise language to distinguish orthodox Christian belief from various theological errors that were confusing the faithful. It addresses two crucial areas:

1. The Trinity: How God can be both one and three
2. The Incarnation: How Christ can be both God and man

The creed's detailed explanations helped Christians understand these mysteries more clearly and provided a standard for orthodox teaching.

The Text of the Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed teaches:

"According to this tradition, those who wish to be saved hold above all to the Catholic Faith; the creed states that unless each one preserves this whole and inviolate, he risks perishing in eternity.

The Catholic faith, as expressed in this creed, teaches that we venerate one God in Trinity, and the Trinity in oneness; 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 divine nature of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is one, their glory is equal, their majesty is coeternal.

Of such a nature as the Father is, so is the Son, so also is the Holy Ghost; the Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Ghost is uncreated; the Father is immense, the Son is immense, and the Holy Ghost is immense; the Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Ghost is eternal: and nevertheless there are not three eternals, but one eternal; just as there are not three uncreated beings, nor three infinite beings, but one uncreated and one infinite.

Similarly the Father is omnipotent, the Son is omnipotent, and the Holy Ghost is omnipotent: and yet there are not three omnipotents, but one omnipotent; thus the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God; and nevertheless there are not three gods, but there is one God; so the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Ghost is Lord: and yet there are not three lords, but there is one Lord.

According to Christian teaching, we acknowledge each person individually as God and Lord, while Christian doctrine maintains that there are not three gods or lords.

The Father was not made nor created nor begotten by anyone. The Son is from the Father alone, not made nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is from the Father and the Son, not made nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

There is therefore one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts; and in this trinity there is nothing first or later, nothing greater or less, but all three persons are coeternal and coequal with one another, so that in every respect, as has been said above, both unity in Trinity, and Trinity in unity are to be venerated.

The creed teaches that those who wish to be saved must think thus concerning the Trinity.

The creed further states that for eternal salvation one must faithfully believe also the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to this teaching, it is the right faith that we also believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God is God and man.

He is begotten of the substance of the Father before time, and He is man born of the substance of His mother in time: perfect God, perfect man, consisting of a rational soul and a human body, equal to the Father according to His Godhead, less than the Father according to His humanity.

Although He is God and man, yet he is not two, but He is one Christ; one, however, not by the conversion of Divinity into a human body, but by the assumption of humanity in the Godhead; one absolutely not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.

For just as the rational soul and body are one man, so God and man are one Christ. He suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty; thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

The creed teaches that at His coming all men will arise again with their bodies and will render an account of their own deeds: and those who have done good, will go into life everlasting, but those who have done evil, will face eternal fire.

The creed concludes: This is the Catholic faith; unless everyone believe this faithfully and firmly, they cannot be saved.

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Understanding the Creed's Key Concepts

The Trinity Explained

The creed addresses common misunderstandings about the Trinity:

Against Tritheism (believing in three gods): The creed repeatedly emphasizes that while there are three persons, there is only one God. Each person is fully God, but they are not three separate gods.

Against Modalism (believing God just appears in three different modes): The creed insists there are truly three distinct persons—the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, etc.

Against Arianism (believing the Son and Spirit are lesser than the Father): The creed teaches that all three persons are equally divine, eternal, and omnipotent.

The Incarnation Explained

The second part addresses how Christ can be both God and man:

Two Complete Natures: Christ has a complete divine nature (equal to the Father) and a complete human nature (rational soul and human body).

One Person: Despite having two natures, Christ is one person, not two beings somehow joined together.

Unity Without Confusion: His divine and human natures remain distinct—his humanity doesn't become divine, and his divinity doesn't become human. They are united in his one person.

Why This Creed Matters for Christians Today

Doctrinal Clarity

In an age of theological confusion, the Athanasian Creed provides precise language for understanding core Christian beliefs. It helps distinguish orthodox Christianity from various theological errors that still appear today.

Ecumenical Importance

This creed is accepted by Catholic, Orthodox, and many Protestant churches. It represents shared Christian heritage and fundamental beliefs that unite Christians across denominational lines.

Liturgical Significance

The Church uses this creed liturgically on Trinity Sunday, emphasizing that understanding God's nature is central to Christian worship and life.

Practical Faith

While highly theological, the creed addresses practical questions: Who do we worship? What kind of salvation has Christ accomplished? How do we understand God's nature?

Common Questions About the Creed

Why is the language so repetitive?
The repetitive structure serves a teaching purpose—it systematically addresses every possible misunderstanding about the Trinity and Incarnation.

Is this creed necessary for salvation?
The creed reflects the historical Christian understanding that certain core beliefs are essential to the faith. Different Christian traditions interpret this emphasis with varying degrees of strictness.

How does this relate to Scripture?
While the specific philosophical language isn't biblical, the creed attempts to systematize what Scripture teaches about God's nature, particularly passages about the Trinity and Christ's divine-human nature.

Why don't all Christians use this creed?
Some Christian traditions prefer simpler statements of faith or emphasize Scripture alone. However, the theological content is generally accepted across traditional Christianity.

The Creed's Theological Contributions

Trinitarian Doctrine

The creed provides the most systematic explanation of Trinitarian belief in Christian literature. Its careful distinctions help believers understand how God can be simultaneously one and three.

Christological Precision

The explanation of Christ's two natures in one person (the "Hypostatic Union") became the standard Christian understanding and helped resolve centuries of theological debate.

Defense Against Heresy

The creed specifically counters several theological errors:

• Unitarianism: Denying the Trinity
• Modalistic Monarchianism: Believing God simply appears in three modes
• Partialism: Believing the persons are parts of God rather than each being fully God
• Nestorianism: Believing Christ is two separate persons
• Monophysitism: Believing Christ has only one nature

Living with the Mystery

The Athanasian Creed acknowledges that we're dealing with divine mystery beyond complete human comprehension. Its purpose isn't to explain away the mystery but to provide faithful language for approaching it.

The Trinity remains a mystery—we can't fully understand how God is simultaneously one and three. Similarly, the Incarnation remains mysterious—we can't completely grasp how Christ is simultaneously God and man. The creed gives us faithful ways to speak about these mysteries without falling into error.

Conclusion: Faith Seeking Understanding

The Athanasian Creed represents "faith seeking understanding"—the Christian conviction that while God ultimately exceeds human comprehension, we can grow in faithful understanding of divine revelation.

For contemporary Christians, this ancient text offers:

• Doctrinal grounding in essential Christian beliefs
• Liturgical richness in worship and prayer
• Intellectual framework for understanding God's nature
• Historical connection to centuries of Christian faith
• Ecumenical bond with Christians across traditions

While challenging in its theological precision, the Athanasian Creed serves as a valuable resource for deepening Christian understanding of the God who is Trinity and the Christ who is both God and man—central mysteries of the Christian faith that continue to shape how believers worship, pray, and live.

In our next exploration, we'll examine how these Trinitarian and Christological beliefs shape Christian sacramental life, particularly in baptism and the Eucharist.