Making Sense of the Creed with the Church Fathers

(Presbyter Dr) Doru Costache Adult Faith EducationSenior Lecturer in Patristic Studies Introducing the CreedSt Andrewrsquos Greek Orthodox Theological College St Johnrsquos Greek Orthodox Collegehttpwwwsagotceduauaboutprofile Preston VIC

Toward the Making of the Creed

bull The inextricable connection between dogma and lifebull St Cyril of Jerusalem ldquothe manner of [our] godly way consists

of these two things reverent doctrines and good practicesrdquo (ὁ γὰρ τῆς θεοσεβείας τρόπος ἐκ δύο τούτων συνέστηκε δογμάτων εὐσεβῶν καὶ πράξεων ἀγαθῶν) (Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened 42 )

bull St John Chrysostom maintained that we should conduct ourselves in such a way ldquothat [our] life is in an accord with the dogmas and that dogmas proclaim the [manner of] liferdquo (ἵνα καὶ ὁ βίος συμφωνῇ τοῖς δόγμασι καὶ τὰ δόγματα κηρύττῃ τὸν βίον) (Homilies on Genesis 214)

bull The structure of the Creed illustrates this principle

bull Tradition and noveltybull The Creed is a new expression of the initial

apostolic teachingbull The synods have not reached compromises

they discerned what was apostolic and ecclesial from what was foreign to tradition

bull In observing a lsquopatristicrsquo criterion the Creed reiterates consecrated formulae borrowed frombull the Scripturesbull the Fathersbull baptismal and martyrdom confessions

bull From the Fathersbull St Ignatius of Antioch ldquoI glorify God even Jesus Christ who has given

you such wisdom For I have observed that you are perfected in an immoveable faith as if you were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ both in the flesh and in the spirit and are established in love through the blood of Christ being fully persuaded with respect to our Lord that he was truly of the seed of David in terms of the flesh and the Son of God in terms of the will and power of God that he was truly born of a Virgin was baptised by John in order that all righteousness might be fulfilled by him and was truly under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch nailed [to the cross] for us in his flesh Of this fruit we are by his divinely-blessed passion that he might set up a standard for all ages through his resurrection to all his holy and faithful [disciples] whether among Jews or Gentiles in the one body of his Churchrdquo (Epistle to the Smyrneans 1)

bull Baptismal confessions

bull St Justin Martyr ldquoAs many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true and undertake to be able to live accordingly are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting for the remission of their sins that are past we praying and fasting with them Then they are brought by us where there is water and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated For in the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe and of our Saviour Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit they then receive the washing with water [hellip] [T]here is pronounced over them who choose to be born again and have repented of their sins the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe [hellip] And this washing is called illumination because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings And in the name of Jesus Christ who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and in the name of the Holy Spirit who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus those who are illuminated are washedrdquo (First Apology 61)

bull Martyrdom confessions

bull St Polycarp of Smyrna ldquoO Lord God Almighty the Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ by whom we have received the knowledge of you the God of angels and powers and of every creature and of the whole race of the righteous who live before you I give you thanks for having counted me worthy of this day and this hour that I should have a part in the number of your martyrs in the cup of your Christ to the resurrection of eternal life both of soul and body through the incorruption of the Holy Spirit Among whom may I be accepted this day before you as a fat and acceptable sacrifice as you the ever-truthful God has foreordained has revealed beforehand to me and now has fulfilled Wherefore also I praise you for all things I bless you I glorify you along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ your beloved Son with whom to you and the Holy Spirit be glory both now and to all coming ages Amenrdquo (Martyrdom of St Polycarp 14)

On the Son of God The Faith of Nicaea

bull Articulating the divinity of the Son against the Arians

bull The ὁμοούσιος (ldquoof one essencerdquo) initiativebull A solution meant to counteract Ariusrsquo ἑτερούσιος (ldquoof a

different essencerdquo)bull A third century theological term utilised both in

Alexandria (Clement Origen) and Antioch (Paul of Samosata)

bull Proposed by the Alexandrians ndash but who was itbull St Alexander (ἴδιος τῷ Πατρί )bull St Athanasius (ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρός)

bull A typical Nicene defence of Christrsquos divinitybull St Athanasius ldquo[Christ] is true Son of the Father

natural and genuine (φύσει καὶ γνήσιος) proper to his essence (ἴδιος τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ) Wisdom Only-begotten and true and only Logos of God neither made nor a creature (οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα οὔτε ποίημα) but offspring proper to the essence of the Father (ἴδιον τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας γέννημα) Wherefore he is true God (Θεός ἐστιν ἀληθινὸς) being of one essence with the true Father (ἀληθινοῦ Πατρὸς ὁμοούσιος ὑπάρχων)rdquo (Orations against the Arians 19)

bull A sample of non-technical Nicene orthodoxy

bull St Alexander of Alexandria ldquo[W]e thus believe as the apostolic Church believes In one Father unbegotten who has from no one the cause of his being who is unchangeable and immutable [hellip] And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Son of God not begotten of things that are not but of him who is the Father [hellip] We have learnt that he is equally with the Father unchangeable and immutable [hellip] and the perfect Son and like to the Father [hellip] He is the exact image of the Father and in nothing differing from him [hellip] [I]n ascribing to him [hellip] a generation from the Father without beginning we offer him adoration [hellip] by no means rejecting his divinity [hellip] And [hellip] we confess one Holy Spirit [hellip] Furthermore [we confess] one catholic and apostolic Church [hellip] After this we know of the resurrection of the dead the first-fruits of which was our Lord Jesus Christ who [hellip] carried a body of Mary the Theotokos who in the fullness of time came to the human race to put away sin was crucified and died [hellip] being risen from the dead taken up into heaven seated at the right hand of majestyrdquo (Letter to Alexander of Constantinople 12)

bull The soteriological dimension of Nicene Christologybull St Athanasius ldquoif the Son were a creature humanity had

remained no less than mortal not being joined to Godrdquo (εἰ κτίσμα ἦν ὁ Υἱὸς ἔμενεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐδὲν ἧττον θνητὸς μὴ συναπτόμενος τῷ Θεῷ) (Orations against the Arians 269)

bull St Antony the Great ldquoThe Logos of God was not changed but remaining the same (ὁ αὐτὸς ὢν) he assumed a human body for the salvation and benefit of mankind ndash so that sharing in the human birth he might enable mankind to share in the divine and spiritual nature (ἵνα τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ γενέσει κοινωνήσας ποιήσῃ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους κοινωνῆσαι θείας καὶ νοερᾶς φύσεως)rdquo (Life of St Antony 69)

On the Holy Spirit The Faith of Constantinople

bull Articulating the divinity of the Holy Spirit against the Macedonians

bull Pre-synodical reactionsbull St Athanasius the Great (Letters to Serapion)bull St Gregory the Theologian (Fifth Theological Oration 10

ldquothe Spirit is Godrdquo (θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα) and ldquoof one essencerdquo (ὁμοούσιον) with the Father and the Son )

bull St Basil the Great (On the Holy Spirit)

bull No controversial terminology was utilised by the synod ldquoworshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Sonrdquo

bull The Spirit is true Godbull St Athanasiusbull The Spirit is ldquofrom Godrdquo (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ) (Letters to Serapion

211)bull ldquothe Spirit belongs to the Father in the same way as much

as it is said about the Son [to belong]rdquo (οὕτως τοῦ πατρός ἐστι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὅπερ τοῦ υἱοῦ εἴρηται) (Letters to Serapion 210)

bull ldquothe Son is in him and he in the Sonrdquo (ἐν αὐτῷ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς καὶ αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ) (Letters to Serapion 212)

bull ldquothe Spirit is not a creationrdquo (οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα τὸ πνεῦμα) (Letters to Serapion 34)

bull A soteriological perspective in pneumatologybull St Athanasius ldquothe given grace and gift are

communicated [to us] by the Trinity from the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spiritrdquo (ἡ γὰρ διδομένη χάρις καὶ δωρεὰ ἐν τριάδι δίδοται παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς διrsquo υἱοῦ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ) (Letters to Serapion 211)

bull Confessing the Holy Trinity is not merely an article of faith it is the revelation of the mystery of both existence and holiness without which nothing can be

bull Two doxologies in Caesarea of Cappadociabull St Basil (On the Holy Spirit 13)bull δόξα Πατρὶ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι (ldquoglory

to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spiritrdquo)

bull δόξα Πατρὶ μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ σὺν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ (ldquoglory to the Father together with the Son and with the Holy Spiritrdquo) ndash the latter seemingly inspired by St Cyril of Jerusalem (ὅπερ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τῇ τῆς θεότητος δόξῃ τετίμηται Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened 416) 15

bull The activity of the Holy Spiritbull St Basil ldquoTo him turn all things needing sanctification after

him reach all things that live in virtue as being watered by his inspiration and helped on toward their natural and proper end perfecting all other things (τελειωτικόν τῶν ἄλλων) but himself lacking in nothing he gives life to all things (ζωῆς χορηγόν) and is never depleted [hellip] omnipresent (πανταχοῦ ὄν) origin of sanctification (ἁγιασμοῦ γένεσις) light perceptible to the mind (φῶς νοητόν) supplying as it were through himself illumination to every faculty in the search for truth by nature unapproachable apprehended through goodness (ἀπρόσιτον τῇ φύσει χωρητόν δι᾽ἀγαθότητα) filling all things with his power (πάντα πληροῦν τῇ δυνάμει) yet participated in only by the worthy ones (μόνοις ὂν μεθεκτόν τοῖς ἀξίοις)rdquo (On the Holy Spirit 922)

Interpreting the Creed with the Fathers

bull The Creed represents a summarised expression of the otherwise complex and broad theological efforts of the Holy Fathers

bull The Creed cannot be properly considered outside the patristic context of its formulation although it reminds us of the teachings of the Fathers it cannot stand on its own without those teachings

bull Given the difficulties entailed by its interpretation (thinking eg of St Cyril of Alexandria vs Nestorius of Constantinople or the Filioque debates) we need to turn to the Fathers for guidance

bull Teaching about Christ in the Nicene faithbull St Cyril of Jerusalem ldquoBelieve that this Only-begotten Son of God for

our sins came down from heaven upon earth and took upon him this human nature of like passions with us and was begotten of the Holy Virgin and of the Holy Spirit and was made man not in seeming and mere show but in truth nor yet by passing through the Virgin as through a channel but was of her made truly flesh and did truly eat as we do and truly drink as we do For if the incarnation was an illusion salvation is an illusion also Christ was of two natures man in what was seen but God in what was not seen as man truly eating like us for he had the like feeling of the flesh with us but as God feeding the five thousand from five loaves as man truly dying but as God raising him that had been dead four days truly sleeping in the ship as man and walking upon the waters as Godrdquo (Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened 49)

bull Teaching about the Spirit in the pre-Constantinople erabull St Cyril of Jerusalem ldquoBelieve also in the Holy Spirit and hold the

same opinion concerning Him which you received to hold concerning the Father and the Son and follow not those who teach blasphemous things of him But learn that this Holy Spirit is one indivisible of manifold power having many operations yet not himself divided [hellip] Who descended upon the Lord Jesus Christ in form of a dove who wrought in the Law and in the Prophets who now also at the season of baptism seals your soul of whose holiness also every intellectual nature has need [hellip] Who with the Father and the Son together is honoured with the glory of the Godhead [hellip] Who spoke in the Law and in the Prophets in the Old and in the New Testamentrdquo (Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened 416)

bull The spirit in which we have to receive the Creed

bull St Cyril of Jerusalem ldquoattend closely to the teachings and [hellip] do not let your mind be wearied out [hellip] Study our teachings and keep them forever [hellip] For we deliver to you a mystery and a hope of the life to come [hellip] [And so] may the gate of Paradise be opened to every man and every woman among yourdquo (Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened Procatechesis 10-12 15) 20

Toward the Making of the Creed (2)

On the Son of God The Faith of Nicaea (2)

On the Holy Spirit The Faith of Constantinople (2)

Interpreting the Creed with the Fathers (2)

bull The inextricable connection between dogma and lifebull St Cyril of Jerusalem ldquothe manner of [our] godly way consists

of these two things reverent doctrines and good practicesrdquo (ὁ γὰρ τῆς θεοσεβείας τρόπος ἐκ δύο τούτων συνέστηκε δογμάτων εὐσεβῶν καὶ πράξεων ἀγαθῶν) (Catechisms for Those about to Be Enlightened 42 )

bull St John Chrysostom maintained that we should conduct ourselves in such a way ldquothat [our] life is in an accord with the dogmas and that dogmas proclaim the [manner of] liferdquo (ἵνα καὶ ὁ βίος συμφωνῇ τοῖς δόγμασι καὶ τὰ δόγματα κηρύττῃ τὸν βίον) (Homilies on Genesis 214)

bull The structure of the Creed illustrates this principle

Documents

Making Sense of the Creed with the Church Fathers