The Athanasian Creed
'Quicumque Vult'

1 Whosoever would be saved, before all things it is needful that he hold the Catholic Faith, 2 which Faith except a man have kept whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish eternally.

(a) Divine Personality is triune

3 Now the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship the one God as a Trinity, and the Trinity as an Unity; 4 neither confusing the Persons nor dividing the Substance. 5 For there is a Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Ghost; 6 but the Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

(b) Attributes of the Godhead arranged in subsidiary antitheses

7 Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost; 8 the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Ghost uncreated; 9 the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Ghost infinite; 10 the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal; 11 and yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal; 12 as also they are not three uncreated nor three infinites, but one uncreated and one infinite. 13 So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Ghost almighty; 14 and yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty.

(c) In which Christian Truth acknowledges the Trinity

15 So the Father is God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God; 16 and yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 17 So the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, the Holy Ghost Lord; 18 and yet they are not three Lords, but one Lord. 19 For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to confess each of the Persons by himself† to be both God and Lord; 20 so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to speak of three Gods or three Lords.

Divine Relationships in Scriptural terms are unique, coeternal, coequal

21 The Father is of none, not made, nor created, nor begotten. 22 The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. 23 The Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Son; not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24 There is therefore one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. 25 And in this Trinity none is before or after, none is greater or less; 26 but all three Persons are coeternal one with another and coequal.

27 So that in all ways, as is aforesaid, both the Trinity is to be worshipped as an Unity, and the Unity as a Trinity. 28 Let him therefore that would be saved‡ think thus of the Trinity.

The Incarnation

29 Furthermore, it is necessary to eternal salvation that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 30 The right Faith therefore is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at once both God and Man;

We confess that Christ in Two Natures

31 He is God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and He is Man, of the Substance of His Mother, born in the world; 32 perfect God, perfect Man, of reasoning soul and human flesh consisting; 33 equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, less than the Father as touching His Manhood.

Is One Person

34 Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; 35 One, however, not by change of Godhead into flesh, but by taking of Manhood into God; 36 One altogether, not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. 37 For as reasoning soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;

The Redeemer, the Judge

38 Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again from the dead; 39 ascended into heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, to come from thence to judge the quick and the dead. 40 At whose coming all men shall rise again|| with their bodies and shall give account for their own deeds. 41 And they that have done good will go into life eternal, they that have done evil into eternal fire.

42 This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man have faithfully and steadfastly believed he cannot be saved.

The Athanasian Creed 'Quicumque Vult'