Theological Term of the Week: Augsburg Confession

Augsburg Confession
The oldest Protestant confession and the most significant Lutheran one. It was drafted by Philip Melancthon in order to explain the teachings of the Lutheran churches, and presented to Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire at the Imperial Diet in 1530.        

• From the Augsburg Confession:

Article I: Of God.    

Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting; that is to say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  And the term “person” they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself.

They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil- also the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such.  They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that “Word” signifies a spoken word, and “Spirit” signifies motion created in things.

• From A Summary of Christian History by Robert A Baker and John M. Landers, page 218:

In 1530 Luther was considered an enemy of the Empire, but Melancthon wrote the [Confession of Augsburg] and presented it to the Imperial Diet to explain the teachings of the Lutheran Churches. 

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What is the Augsburg Confession?
2. Book of Concord Online: The Augsburg Confession
3. A. A. Hodge: A Short History of Creeds and Confessions

Related terms:

• Belgic Confession
• Canons of Dort
• Heidelberg Catechism
• London Baptist Confession
• Westminster Confession 

Filed under Creeds and Confessions

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Theological Term of the Week: Athanasian Creed

Athanasian Creed
An early statement of Christian doctrine affirming the triune nature of God and the dual nature of Christ. originally attributed to Athanasius but almost certainly not written by him. Nonetheless, it is one of the three great ecumenical creeds.         

• The text of the Athanasian Creed:

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith.

Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic faith:

That we worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence.
For the person of the Father is a distinct person,
the person of the Son is another, and that of the Holy Spirit still another.
But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son and such is the Holy Spirit.
The Father is uncreated,
the Son is uncreated,
the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

The Father is immeasurable,
the Son is immeasurable,
the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

The Father is eternal,
the Son is eternal,
the Holy Spirit is eternal.

And yet there are not three eternal beings;
there is but one eternal being.
So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;
there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Similarly, the Father is almighty,
the Son is almighty,
the Holy Spirit is almighty.
Yet there are not three almighty beings;
there is but one almighty being.

Thus, the Father is God,
the Son is God,
the Holy Spirit is God.
Yet there are not three gods;
there is but one God.

Thus, the Father is Lord,
the Son is Lord,
the Holy Spirit is Lord.
Yet there are not three lords;
there is but one Lord.

Just as Christian truth compels us
to confess each person individually
as both God and Lord,
so catholic religion forbids us
to say that there are three gods or lords.

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.

Accordingly, there is one Father, not three fathers;
there is one Son, not three sons;
there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.

None in this Trinity is before or after,
none is greater or smaller;
in their entirety the three persons
are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier,
the unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in unity,
is to be worshipped.

Anyone then who desires to be saved
should think thus about the Trinity.

But it is necessary for eternal salvation
that one also believe in the incarnation
of our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully.

Now this is the true faith:

That we believe and confess
that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
is both God and man, equally.

He is God from the essence of the Father,
begotten before time;
and he is man from the essence of his mother,
born in time;
completely God, completely man,
with a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father as regards divinity,
less than the Father as regards humanity.

Although he is God and man,
yet Christ is not two, but one.
He is one, however,
not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
but by God’s taking humanity to himself.
He is one,
certainly not by the blending of his essence,
but by the unity of his person.
For just as one man is both rational soul and flesh,
so too the one Christ is both God and man.

He suffered for our salvation;
he descended to hell;
he arose from the dead on the third day;
he ascended to heaven;
he is seated at the Father’s right hand;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
At his coming all people will arise bodily
and give an accounting of their own deeds.
Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith:
That one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.

• From The Athanasian Creed by R. C. Sproul:

The Athanasian Creed reaffirms the distinctions found at Chalcedon, where in the Athanasian statement Christ is called, “perfect God and perfect man.” All three members of the Trinity are deemed to be uncreated and therefore co-eternal. Also following earlier affirmations, the Holy Spirit is declared to have proceeded both from the Father “and the Son,” affirming the so-called filioque concept that was so controversial with Eastern Orthodoxy. Eastern Orthodoxy to this day has not embraced the filioque idea. 

Finally, the Athanasian standards examined the incarnation of Jesus and affirmed that in the mystery of the incarnation the divine nature did not mutate or change into a human nature, but rather the immutable divine nature took upon itself a human nature. That is, in the incarnation there was an assumption by the divine nature of a human nature and not the mutation of the divine nature into a human nature. 

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What is the Athanasian Creed?
2. R. C. Sproul: The Athanasian Creed
3. Simply Put: The Athanasian Creed
4. Gavin Ortlund: The Athanasian Creed: Christianity’s Most Controversial Statement of Faith (video)
5. Justin Holcomb: The Athanasian Creed
6. J. F. Johnson: The Athanasian Creed
7. Philip Bartelt: The Athanasian Creed and It’s Importance

Related terms:

• Apostles’ Creed
• Arianism
• Chalcedon Definition
• Eutychianism
• Nestorianism
• Nicene Creed

Filed under Creeds and Confessions

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Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

Theological Term of the Week: Apostles' Creed

Apostles’ Creed
An early creed of the Christian church that serves as a summary of apostolic teaching and emphasizes the true humanity of Christ.       

• The text of the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

• From Systematic Theology by Robert Letham:

An early Latin baptismal creed, the Apostles’ Creed probably originated in the second century in the church of Rome. It has gained universal approval in the Western church but is not in use in the East.

Learn more:

1. Stephen Nichols: The Apostles’ Creed
2. Joe Carter: 9 Things You Should Know About the Apostles’ Creed
3. Kim Riddlebarger: Why Do We Recite the Apostles’ Creed?
4. Gavin Ortlund:The Apostles’ Creed: Every Word Explained
5. R.C. Sproul: The Apostles’ Creed (series of expository messages)
6. Ligon Duncan: Apostles’ Creed (sermon series)
7. James E. Kiefer: The Apostles’ Creed Versus Gnosticism

Related terms:

• Athanasian Creed
• Chalcedon Definition
• Nicene Creed

Filed under Creeds and Confessions

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Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.