The Athanasian Creed – What is it?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Athanasian Creed was written sometime in the late fifth or early sixth century as a clear summary of biblical teaching about the Trinity and the person of Christ. Though not written by Athanasius, it reflects his commitment to defending the full deity of the Son and the Spirit. It remains one of the most detailed early statements of orthodox belief.

The creed affirms that Scripture teaches the oneness of God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6, 45:5) while also presenting the Father, Son, and Spirit as fully divine (Genesis 1:2; Exodus 3:2-6; Isaiah 63:10). It says that the Father is God (1 Peter 1:2), the Son is God (John 1:1 and Titus 2:13), and that the Spirit is God (Acts 5:3–4). All three were present at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16–17). The creed also reflects the biblical pattern of describing the Son as begotten (John 1:14) and the Spirit as proceeding (John 15:26), while maintaining that all three share the same eternal glory (John 17:5).

The creed also summarizes the incarnation, in which the eternal Son took on true humanity (Philippians 2:6–8; Hebrews 2:14–17) without ceasing to be God. It affirms Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and future return (1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Acts 1:9–11) and the final judgment of all people (John 5:28–29).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament strongly affirms the oneness of God, which the creed reflects when it says, “Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God: and yet there are not three gods, but one God.” Deuteronomy 6:4 declares that “the LORD is one,” and passages such as Isaiah 44:6 and Isaiah 45:5 insist that no other gods exist. The creed’s statements about one divine essence and one Lord stand firmly on this Old Testament foundation.
• While saying there is one God, the creed rightly affirms that there are three Persons in the Godhead. That is also aligned with Old Testament teaching, which presents God acting in ways that involve more than one divine Person. For example, the Spirit of the LORD is a distinct personal agent who moves, speaks, and can be grieved, as seen in Genesis 1:2 and Isaiah 63:10–11. The Angel of the LORD, often understood as the second Person of the Trinity, appears in passages like Exodus 3:2–6, speaking as God while remaining distinct from God.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The creed says, “We worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being.” This expresses the New Testament’s presentation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as distinct Persons who act together, such as at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16–17). Scripture also speaks about the three Persons in ways that unify them, such as Jesus command to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He gave three names, yet used the singular word “name” to show the three Persons are unified. These passages show distinction without separation, which the creed summarizes in its wording.
• The creed says, “Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God: and yet there are not three gods, but one God.” This expresses the New Testament’s teaching that each Person is fully divine (John 1:1, 8:58; Titus 2:13; Acts 5:3–4) yet still one God (1 Corinthians 8:6).
• The creed also emphasizes equality, saying that “no one is before or after, greater or less than the other.” This reflects New Testament teaching in which the Son shares the Father’s glory (John 17:5), the Spirit searches the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), and all three Persons participate fully in the work of salvation (Ephesians 1:3–14). The creed’s language simply restates what Scripture reveals.
• The creed teaches that the Son is “both God and man…. existing fully as God and fully as man.” This follows the New Testament presentation of Jesus as truly divine (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15–19) and truly human (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14–17).
• The creed concludes that Christ “suffered death for our salvation…. rose again from the dead…. [and] will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Scripture teaches Christ’s death and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, His ascension in Acts 1:9–11, and His future return and judgment in 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10 and Revelation 22:12.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Some things in life seem “irreplaceable”–photos, sentimental items, etc. Scripture is certainly irreplaceable because it is the very Word of God. The best Bible commentaries and creeds can’t take the place of God’s words in Scripture. But some creeds well express key biblical truths, making doctrine more easily understood. The Athanasian Creed, for example, highlights key biblical truths about God. These truths describe the Trinitarian doctrine of God, a historically hard-to-grasp concept that no egg or ice analogy is up to.

That’s because words cannot fully express all that God is. The Athanasian Creed helps us apprehend who God is even though we may still not comprehend the Trinity. That is why we bend the knee to the One who has revealed Himself enough in Scripture so that we can worship and have a relationship with Him.

UNDERSTAND

• The Athanasian Creed clearly teaches that God is one in essence and three equal, distinct Persons.
• The Athanasian Creed affirms that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, united in one Person.
• The Athanasian Creed safeguards core Christian doctrine by precisely defining the Trinity and the incarnation.

REFLECT

• How does confessing God as one in essence and three in persons shape the way you worship and pray?
• How does trusting that Jesus is fully God and fully man deepen your confidence in His ability to save you completely?
• How does the clarity of the Athanasian Creed challenge you to hold firmly to biblical truth?

ENGAGE

• How does the Athanasian Creed help the church guard against misunderstandings in doctrine?
• Why does it matter that Jesus is confessed as both fully God and fully man?
• How can historic creeds like the Athanasian Creed help us today without replacing the authority of Scripture?