(Regrettably the PECUSA never had this Creed to its great disadvantage – here it is translated to remove its alleged sexism – see use of person for man etc)
The Athanasian Creed
Whosoever desires to be saved must above all things hold the Catholic Faith. Unless a person keeps it in its entirety inviolate, that person will assuredly perish everlastingly.
Now this is the Catholic Faith, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, without either confusing the Persons or dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son and other of the Holy Spirit, but the Godhead of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is one, their glory is equal and their majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, such also the Holy Spirit. The Father is increate [uncreated], the Son increate, and the Holy Spirit increate. The Father is infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite. The Father is eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. Yet there are not three eternals but one Eternal, just as there are not three increates or three infinites, but one Increate and one Infinite. In the same way the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty; yet there are not three almighties, but one Almighty.
Thus the Father is God, the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God; and yet there are not three Gods but one God. Thus the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord; and yet there are not three Lords but one Lord. Because just as we are obliged by Christian truth to acknowledge each Person separately both God and Lord, so we are forbidden by the Catholic religion to say that there are three Gods and three Lords.
The Father is from none, not made nor created nor begotten. The Son is from the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, not made nor created but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but all three Persons are coeternal with other and coequal. So that in all things, as has already been stated, both Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity must be worshipped. So anyone who desires to be saved should think thus of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation faithfully to believe in the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the right faith is that we should believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is equally both God and man.
He is God from the Father’s substance [Being], begotten before time; and he is man from his mother’s substance [being], born in time. Perfect God, perfect man composed of a rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father in respect of his divinity, less than the Father in respect of his humanity.
Who, although he is God and man, is nevertheless not two, but one Christ. He is one, however, not by the transformation of his divinity into flesh, but by the taking up of his humanity into God; one certainly not by confusion of substance, but by oneness of Person. For just as the rational soul and flesh are a single man, so God and man are a single Christ.
Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, from where he will come to judge the living and the dead; at whose coming all persons will rise again with their bodies, and will render an account of their deeds; and those who have done good will go into life everlasting, those who have done evil into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith. Unless a person believes it faithfully and steadfastly, that person cannot be saved.
petertoon@msn.com
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