My statement of faith is composed of a few elements, including the Nicene Creed, without the Filioque, the Apostle’s Creed, and the following Canticles, beginning with the Quicunque Vult, also known as the Athanasian Creed, in its original form. The Nicene Creed is of course the most important part of my Statement of Faith, for it is the one unifying Creed and Symbol of Faith, and everything else adds to it. For example, the Apostle’s Creed contains statements that have the effect of completely rejecting Gnosticism, and also contains a confession of the doctrine of the Harrowing of Hell: when it says our Lord descended into Hell, this aludes to the fact that Christ Jesus did enter into the realm of the dead to preach to those trapped therein, so that the souls of the righteous could follow him out, which the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom, the sermon preached on every Sunday by the Eastern Orthodox Church, refers to, and additionally this Paschal Homily is also part of my Statement of Faith, which is the only part not usually set to music in any church (since the Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed and the Athanasian Creed also known as Quicunque Vult all have musical settings, indeed much of the Lutheran Baroque master composer JS Bach’s legendary Mass in B Minor consists of the dramatic singing of the Nicene Creed. Actually the fact the Pachal Homily is not usually sung is a bit surprising given how much of the Eastern Orthodox liturgy is normally sung, and the fact that St. Ephraim the Syrian composed a number of sermons which were intended to be sung rather than read. At any rate, it is as follows:
If any be devout and God-loving, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumph. If any be a good and wise servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. If any be weary of fasting, let him now receive his reward. If any have labored from the first hour, let him receive today his rightful due. If any have come at the third hour, let him feast with thankfulness. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him in no wise be in doubt, for in no wise shall he suffer loss. If any be delayed even until the ninth hour, let him draw near, doubting nothing, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him not be fearful on account of his lateness; for the Master, Who is jealous of His honor, receiveth the last even as the first. He giveth rest to him that cometh at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that hath labored from the first hour; and to the last He is merciful, and the first He pleaseth; to the one He giveth, and to the other He bestoweth; and He receiveth the works, and welcometh the intention; and the deed He honoureth, and the offering He praiseth. Wherefore, then, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; both the first and the second, receive ye your reward. Ye rich and ye poor, with one another exult.
Ye sober and ye slothful, honor the day. Ye that have kept the fast and ye that have not, be glad today. The table is full-laden, delight ye all. The calf is fatted; let none go forth hungry. Let all enjoy the feast of faith, receive all ye the riches of goodness. Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom hath been revealed. Let no one weep for his transgressions, for forgiveness hath dawned from the tomb. Let no one fear death, for the death of the Saviour hath set us free. He hath quench by it, He hath led hades captive, He Who descended into hades. He embittered it, when it tasted of His flesh. And foretelling this, Isaiah cried: "Hades," he saith, "was embittered when it encountered Thee below." It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered. It received a body and encountered God. It received earth, and met heaven. It received that which it saw, and fell to what it did not see. O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen, and thou art cast down.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life flourisheth.
Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tombs.
For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of them that have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Now for the Athanasian Creed, or
Quicunque Vult. This was not composed by St. Athanasius, but it includes a portion of one of his writings in defense of the doctrine of the Incarnation against the Arian heresy, and it also includes portions of the 21st Homily of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, also known as St. Gregory the Theologian, which was a panygeric composed in memory of St. Athanasius. This canticle interfaces with the Nicene Creed so as to ensure a proper understanding of the true nature of the Holy Trinity. Some people object to this creed because of the “damnatory clauses”, that is to say, its insistence that belief in the doctrine it outlines is required for salvation; my view on this point is that Christ will have mercy on who he will have mercy, but it is extremely dangerous for Christians to reject the doctrine of the Trinity, and the Athanasian Creed, Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed collectively represent the minimal beliefs required of normal Christianity, with the Athanasian Creed providing the most detail. So under ordinary conditions, one must believe in the doctrine it contains, but through God, all things are possible, so it is possible for people who reject the doctrine of the Athanasian Creed to be saved through the grace of God owing to his omnipotence, but for Christians, there really is no compelling reason to reject this doctrine. I have never understood the appeal of Unitarianism.
WHOSOEVER will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except every one 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 Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Spirit uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit 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. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, 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.
Concerning Christ
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 ages, and Man, of the Substance of His Mother, born in 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 sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the living 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, he cannot be saved.
The next item in my Statement of Faith is the Christological hymn
Ho Monogenes, most likely composed by St. Severus of Antioch. This hymn is a defense against Nestorianism and other Christological errors, because it stresses the full humanity and divinity of Christ our True God, and the fact that by giving birth to our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary became the Theotokos, or Mother of God.
Only-Begotten Son and Immortal Word of God,
Who for our salvation didst will to be incarnate of the holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary;
Who without change didst become man and was crucified;
Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit:
O Christ our God, trampling down death by death, save us!
Next on the list is the ancient hymn
Te Deum Laudamus, composed by St. Ambrose of Milan and St. Augustine of Hippo:
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud,
the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty,
thine adorable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, halp thy servants,
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
in glory everlasting.
Next, the Syriac Orthodox Metrical Homily
Haw Nurone, by St. Jacob of Sarugh, which provides a very good confession of the true nature of the Eucharist and also of the important role of auricular confession in maintaining spiritual health:
The Lord Whom the seraphs fear to look at,
The same you behold in bread and wine on the altar.
The lightning clothed hosts are burned if they see Him in His brilliance.
Yet the contemptible dust partakes of Him with confidence.
The Son's Mysteries are fire among the heavenly beings,
Isaiah bears witness with us to have seen them.
These Mysteries which were in the Divinity's bosom,
Are distributed to Adam's children on the altar.
The altar is fashioned like the cherubim's chariot,
And is surrounded by the heavenly hosts.
On the altar is laid the Body of God's Son,
And Adam's children carry it solemnly on their hands.
Instead of a man clad in linen, stands the (priest),
And distributes alms (the Eucharist) among the needy.
If envy existed among the angels,
The cherubim would have envied men.
Where Zion set up the Cross to crucify the Son,
There grew up the tree that gave birth to the Lamb.
Where nails were driven in the Son's hands,
There Isaac's hands were bound for an offering.
Welcome, priest, who carries the Mysteries of his Lord,
And with his right hand distributes life to men.
Welcome, priest, who carries a pure censer,
And with its fragrance makes the world sweet and pleasant.
Welcome, priest, whom the Holy Spirit did raise up,
And on his tongue bears the keys to the house of God.
Welcome, priest, who binds man in the depth below,
And the Lord binds him in heaven on high. Halleluiah.
Welcome, priest, who unbinds men on earth,
And the Lord unbinds him in the highest. Kyrie eleison.
Praise be to the Lord. His mercy upon you and absolution for me.
Finally, some additional material which I lack the room to fit, but which is of great importance, such, the canticle known as the
Magnificat in Luke, and the the hymns “It is truly meet” and “All of creation rejoices in Thee” about the Blessed Virgin Mary are very important as they establish the proper veneration due to the woman who gave birth to God Incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord, God and Savior and is thus venerated as the saint closest to God, literally, since she did give birth to Him (since Jesus Christ is God). We obviously do not believe that she gave birth to the Trinity, as some people baselessly worry about the title “Mother of God” conveying, and indeed even of the cults that do inappropriately worship St. Mary in violation of the canons of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, to my knowledge none of them has claimed that. Rather, the worst they have done is to declare her co-redemptrix, or to say that she is present in the Eucharist along with our Lord, or to offer the Eucharist to her and to the Lord, all three of which are serious errors and represent idolatry, but are a far cry from believing that she gave birth to the entire Trinity, as some people fear. I had an interesting conversation with
@MarkRohfrietsch recently about how that is a baseless concern. It is extremely important that we venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary, as Martin Luther himself did, because of her vital role in God’s plan for our salvation, and indeed the Gospel of Luke predicts this veneration in the canticle the
Magnificat. Indeed, all three of the Evangelical Canticles found in the Gospel of Luke, along with John 1:1-18, and several other Canticles, such as Benedicite Omni Opera, located throughout Scripture, along with the Psalms, and the ancient Hebrew creed found in the Pentateuch known as the Shema, which is included in the Nicene Creed, naturally form part of my statement of faith, which ultimately extends to include all of the books of Scripture that are recognized as canonical by the various Orthodox churches. I also accept Psalms 152-155, which are of Syriac composition, as they are edifying and do not contain any suggestions of problematic doctrine (unlike the early Christian hymns known as the Odes of Solomon, some of which are seriously problematic and show a Gnostic influence). There is also a Coptic confession before the Eucharist, intoned by the Priest, which I greatly love, and am discussing with my friend
@dzheremi as to whether or not I should include it, or a related Byzantine confession.
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