Quicumque vult...

In the old office before the Second Vatican Council, priests and religious would recite the Creed attributed St. Athanasius (d. 373), known as the "Quicumque vult..." (the Latin words beginning the statement of faith mean, "Whoever wishes...")  This creed, as others of the first five hundred years of Christianity, were written to proclaim the authentic faith and dismiss the sub-Christian heresies that arose in various places and times.  The Athanasian creed professes the Trinitarian theology with particular precision beyond the familiar Niceno-Constantapolitan Creed that is recited at Sunday Mass all over the world.  One of the properties of this creed that will sound odd to the contemporary audience is the condemnation against those who refuse to believe. The stakes are high--Trinitarian theology is not simply an academic, esoteric exercise in splitting hairs or counting angels dancing on a pin.  It demands our assent, that we can worship God "in Spirit and in Truth".

   The key to greater belief and understanding is not more study and external consideration of the great mystery of God, but to enter more directly into the reality of God's love through "worship of the one God in Trinity".  In worship, the fire of God's love is revealed--that love shared eternally among Father, Son, and Spirit; Three Persons, One God.  We do this each time we sign ourselves with the cross, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".  We do this each time we pray, to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit.  Each time we recite the Gloria and the Credo.  We do this every time we offer the Son to the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Eucharistic prayers.

   The vitrtue of worship feeds and informs a faithful orthodoxy (right belief), which then leads to a strong and healthy Christian life, or as the Latins say, "Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi"... "the law of prayer is the law of belief is the law of life".

 

   And so, ladies and gentlemen, the Athanasian Creed: 

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic ('universal') Faith.  Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. 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 Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreated, the Son Uncreated, and the Holy Ghost Uncreated. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Eternal and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.

God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born into the world. Perfect God and Perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by Unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into Hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.

Addendum:  Aha!  The Internet provides!  Here's an explanation of the carefulness we need to have when talking about the Trinity and how the Athanasian Creed is the solution.  Look at this, complements the Lutherans, and with a biretta tip to Sean Dailey:

Bulletin Article: Trinity Sunday

While scripture never explicitly uses the word Trinity to describe the relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the Early Church used this term to describe the essential unity and diversity of the Three Persons of the One God. St. John tells us that above all else, “God is Love”. (1 John 4:8) If God’s true nature is Love, then the reality of God must be relational—and so he is. St. Augustine advanced Trinitarian theology by describing the Trinity as a relationship of three persons: the One who Loves (the Father), the One who is Loved (the Son), and Love itself (the Holy Spirit). This understanding is reflected in our creed as we say that the Son is “eternally begotten of the Father.” God’s perfect and eternal Love is poured out on his eternal Son, which in turn inspires the Holy Spirit, who proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, With the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified as God himself.

   These words only approximate the mystery we celebrate this weekend on Trinity Sunday. One should remember however, that the Trinity is not simply an abstract theological construct, but it is, instead, a living reality of our faith. Our relationship to the Godhead is through our status as adopted sons and daughters in Christ. Thus, our place within the love of the Trinity is in and through Christ, “who lives and reigns with you [God the Father] and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever.” All authentic prayer acknowledges this Triune God, and is directed to him. At Mass, listen carefully to whom the different prayers are directed. The Eucharistic Prayers, for instance, are directed to God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through this prayer God the Son is made present.  Other prayers, such as the Sign of the Cross, the Glory to God, and the Creed are Trinitarian prayers. Trinity Sunday is presented to the Church to help us become more conscious of the reality of God and his desire to share his love with us. Love was the reason for creation itself. Love is the reason for God’s work to redeem his people after they fell. Love remains the reason God works within the Church today to unite all men and women in the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven.