The oldest surviving manuscripts of the Athanasian Creed date from the late 8th century.
Quicunque vult These are the initial words of the symbol known as the Athanasian Creed. The real composer of this ancient formulary being unknown, its origin is a matter of conjecture. A cursory glance at its history in ancient and modern times is all that can be here offered. It probably had its origin in the Gallican Church. It was first used in that Church. Gallican councils and bishops have always treated it with especial deference. Churches which received the Gallican Psalter received with it this "expositio fidei." The oldest known translation into the vernacular was Gallican, as prescribed by Hincmar of Rheims to his priests. The first writers who cite its words were Avitus of Vienne and Caesarius of Aries; the oldest commentator upon its text was Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers; and MSS. were nowhere so abundant or so ancient as in Gaul (Waterland).
In its text we find this:
A Catholic reading, in conformity with the council of Florence, would interpret "and the Son" as meaning "through the Son". Thus in modern English one might edit the form shown above - which is from the Christian Reformed Church - to read:
Quicunque vult These are the initial words of the symbol known as the Athanasian Creed. The real composer of this ancient formulary being unknown, its origin is a matter of conjecture. A cursory glance at its history in ancient and modern times is all that can be here offered. It probably had its origin in the Gallican Church. It was first used in that Church. Gallican councils and bishops have always treated it with especial deference. Churches which received the Gallican Psalter received with it this "expositio fidei." The oldest known translation into the vernacular was Gallican, as prescribed by Hincmar of Rheims to his priests. The first writers who cite its words were Avitus of Vienne and Caesarius of Aries; the oldest commentator upon its text was Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers; and MSS. were nowhere so abundant or so ancient as in Gaul (Waterland).
In its text we find this:
The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.
The Son was neither made nor created;
he was begotten from the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;
he proceeds from the Father and the Son. [Athanasian Creed]
Which is interesting to me. It, as would be expected I guess, reflects the filioque clause from the western form of the Nicene creed.A Catholic reading, in conformity with the council of Florence, would interpret "and the Son" as meaning "through the Son". Thus in modern English one might edit the form shown above - which is from the Christian Reformed Church - to read:
The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone.
The Son was neither made nor created;
he was begotten from the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten;
he proceeds from the Father through the Son.
Would this be an acceptable "Western text" for Eastern Orthodox Christians to see in the western liturgy?
