Apparently, the reason why it was left out of the first American edition of the Anglican Prayer Book in 1789 was because of what are known in technical terms as the “minatory” or “damnatory” clauses which are found in its opening sentence as well as later in the text. In the 1662 Prayer Book, the opening lines of this Creed are:
Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
Then, after an exposition of the dogma of The Holy Trinity it is stated:
He therefore that will be saved: must thus think of the Trinity.
Further, after an exposition of the dogma of The Person of Christ it is stated:
This is the Catholic Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
One can see why, especially in the rationalistic age of the late eighteenth century, such statements would be offensive to “enlightened” man. Indeed, the same offence is felt by many today for few believe that holding to the precise [patristic] doctrine of The Trinity and The Person of Christ is necessary unto eternal salvation.
Perhaps some people will be relieved to learn that it is reasonably certain that the translation of these clauses in the Prayer Book of 1662 is misleading, and for two reasons. First of all, those who originally translated The Athanasian Creed actually believed that it had been composed by St Athanasius of Alexandria in the fourth century. Thus they used in their translation not only the received Latin text of the Western Church but also a Greek version, which they believed was a superior text since Athanasius was Greek-speaking. And it is from the Greek text rather than the Latin that they appear to have made their translation of these “minatory” clauses. In the second place, this “Creed” was originally composed not so much as a statement of orthodoxy but rather as a commitment to fidelity in persecution and hardship, to the holding fast to the “faith once delivered to the saints”. [In the fifth century, those who invaded Spain and North Africa were Arians and they sought to impose upon the churches there a brand of Arianism (the heresy against which Athanasius had fought). This “Creed” from that period is a call for the genuinely orthodox to stand firm, to hold fast, to endure and to persevere.]
In The Book of Common Prayer (1962) of the Church of Canada there is a translation which is based upon the Latin text (for we know now that it was written in Latin) and also, while using traditional English, has taken account of the changed meaning of words. Thus:
Whosoever would be saved / needeth before all things to hold fast the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except a man keep whole and undefiled, / without doubt he will perish eternally.
He therefore that would be saved, / let him thus think of the Trinity.
This is the Catholic Faith, / which except a man do faithfully and stedfastly believe, he cannot be saved.
It will be observed that the emphasis here is not upon holding orthodoxy as such but on being committed, faithful, steadfast and persevering in the received Christian Faith. It is about passing on the “deposit” of the Faith to the next generation and thus being faithful to God and his Church. Also “would be saved” is used instead of “will be saved” to take account of changed meaning in English. The biblical call to hold fast is pronounced -- see 1 Thess. 5:21; Rev. 2:13, 25; 3:11; Coloss 2:19; 1 Cor. 11:2; Hebrews 4:14 & Mark 7:8. – and this is surely the background here.
However, even with these explanations, it remains a very strong statement of the need for right and true faith and faithfulness if one is desirous of receiving God’s eternal salvation. Also a clear connection is made between the defining of dogma by the Ecumenical Councils of the Church (Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon) and personal faith, trust and fidelity.
But there is one further piece of information that needs to be borne in mind in the evaluation of this “Creed”. It was treated in the Western Church as if it were a Psalm and it is named, “Psalmus, Quicunque Vult” in the various manuscripts of the liturgy. This heritage and tradition is still seen in the Prayer Book of 1662 where it is divided into verses, the musical symbol of the colon is used (:), and it ends as a psalm with the Gloria. (Note in the Canadian Prayer Book of 1962 this same tradition holds except '/' is used not ':')
Treating it not as a Creed like the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed but rather as a Christian Psalm written in a time of persecution as a way of rallying Christians to endurance and faithfulness, places it in a special category and makes it easier for all to use it – even those who have doubts about patristic orthodoxy, if they are prepared to call upon their historical imagination as they surely do with Psalms from ancient Israel.
Happily there still remains a tradition of singing “The Psalm, Quicunque Vult” in some churches (e.g., St Timothy, Fort Worth, TX) and of reciting it in others on the days required by the Prayer Book (1662).
I believe that if more can see it as a Christian Psalm and bring in back into the Liturgy then western liturgy will be enriched!
I would like to see a CD or DVD made of recordings of the several music settings to this Christian Psalm, along with perhaps an explanatory talk on the same CD/DVD of the origin and meaning of it. But, maybe there are recordings in existence in archives – if so I would like to know. [Please contact me at peter@toon662.fsnet.co.uk if you have any suggestions.]
A final comment – the Lutherans use it as Creed and it is printed in their service books, but it appears they do not use it as a Psalm.
The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.),
Christ Church, Biddulph Moor & St Anne's, Brown Edge
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