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The Athanasian Creed
We worship one God in trinity, and trinity in unity, neither confounding the
persons nor dividing the substance. For the person of the Father is one; of
the Son, another; of the Holy Spirit, another. But the divinity of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one, the glory equal, the
majesty equal. Such as is the Father, such also is the Son, and such the
Holy Spirit.
The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, the Holy Spirit is uncreated.
The Father is infinite, the Son is infinite, the Holy Spirit is infinite.
The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal. And
yet there are not three eternal Beings, but one eternal Being. So also there
are not three uncreated Beings, nor three infinite Beings, but one uncreated
and one infinite Being.
In like manner, the Father is omnipotent, the Son is omnipotent, and the
Holy Spirit is omnipotent. And yet there are not three omnipotent Beings,
but one omnipotent Being. Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, and the
Holy Spirit is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God only. The
Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord. And yet there
are not three Lords, but one Lord only.
For as we are compelled by Christian truth to confess each person
distinctively to be both God and Lord, we are prohibited by the Catholic
religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords. The Father is made by
none, nor created, nor begotten. The Son is from the Father alone, not made,
not created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is not created by the Father and
the Son, nor begotten, but proceeds. Therefore, 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 prior or posterior, nothing greater or
less, but all three persons are coeternal and coequal to themselves. So that
through all, as was said above, both unity in trinity and trinity in unity
is to be adored. Whoever would be saved, let him thus think concerning the
Trinity.
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