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We believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of His Father, only begotten, that is of the essence [ousia] of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made, of one substance [homoousion] with the Father, by whom all things were made, both things in heaven and things in earth, who for us men and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate and was made man, he suffered and the third day he rose again, ascended into the heavens and thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
(And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, who proceeds from the Father [Constantinople 381] and the Son [Toledo 589])
(But those who say ‘there was when He was not,’ and ‘before being begotten He was not,’ and ‘He was made out of nothing’ or ‘He is of another substance’ [hypostasis] or ‘essence’ [ousis] or ‘the Son of God is created,’ or ‘changeable,’ or ‘alterable’—they are condemned by the holy catholic and apostolic Church.)
Based on Schaff, adapted and modified.
The Creed of Constantinople (381)
We believe in one God, the Father All Governing [pantokratora], creator [poieten] of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God begotten from the Father before all time [pro panton ton aionon], Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not created [poiethenta], of the same essence [reality] as the Father [homoousion to patri], through Whom all things came into being, Who for us men and because of our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human [enanthropesanta]. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures, and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, who proceeds from the Father {and the Son},a who is worshipped and glorified together with the Father and Son, who spoke through the prophets; and in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
a “and the Son” was added at the Council at
Adapted from
The Holy Spirit and Procession
Since the church formulated its definite statement on the Spirit in the Godhead (Constantinople 381), one change, more accurately one addition, has been made at a provincial synod (Toledo, 589). The Western church, following the lead of Augustine added to the phrase in the Constantinopolitan Creed, “proceeds from the Father,” the phrase, “and the Son.” (filioque = from the son) -- thus: “... and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.” This was not acceptable in the East because, with its starting point in the trinitarian discussion at persons, it hinted in their minds at subordinationism (in the West the trinitarian starting point was a single “ousia”). Although a secondary issue, the East-West difference on the Holy Spirit would be one source of friction.
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CHURCH FATHERS |
APOLOGISTS |
THEOLOGIANS |
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Confusion on His Person Confusion on His Work |
Confusion on His Person Clarification on His Work |
Clarification of His Person |
Adapted and modified from John Hannah, unpublished notes. Used by permission.