ATHANASIAN CREED, the third of the three ecumenical symbols, derived its name from its composition being attributed to Athanasius; it is also known, from its initial words in Latin, as the creed Quicunque Vial. The first part of this creed contains a detailed exposition of the Trinity; the second, the doctrine of the incarnation. Modern criticism has called in question the title of Athanasius to be considered the author of this creed. It was known as early as the beginning of the 6th c., but not under its present name. It is spoken of as " Athanasius's Tract on the Trinity," in some articles of the middle of the 8th c., and is supposed to be alluded to, "as the faith of the holy prelate Athanasius, in the council of Autun, about 670. Athanasius himself makes no mention of this creed, although its doctrines are essentially his; nor do any of the church fathers. Other two circumstances speak against its authenticity: it is in Latin, and Athanasius wrote in Greek; the expressions, again, are different from those used by Athanasius in speaking of the same things. By Protestants, 'therefore, and even by most Catholics, its Athanasian origin has been given up, and its production has been assigned with most probability to the 5th c., and to Gaul; Hilary, archbishop of Arles (about 430), being conjectured to be the author. The title of Athanasian probably became attached to it during the Arian controversy in Gaul, as being an exposition of the system of doctrine which was opposed to the Arian system, and which would naturally be called Athana sian from its chief propounder. It was received into the public offices of the Gallic church in the 7th c., and by the middle of the 10th c. it was adopted at Rome and all over the west. In Britain, it was probably in use as early as 800. The Greek church was late in receiving it, and even then not without altering the article concerning the "Procession of the Holy Ghost." The reformers adhered to the A. C., and Luther called it "a bulwark of the apostles' creed." Even those churches that do not in any way
acknowledge it as a symbol (as the Presbyterian churches of Britain and America, as well as the independents) generally accept its doctrines.
The A. C. is the most rigid and intolerant of the three Catholic symbols, and has given rise to much controversy; and though still generally received by Protestants as well as Catholics, the regard once had for it has declined. The points in this creed that give offense to some are defended by others, on the plea that it was not drawn up for the sake of gratuitously dogmatizing on abstruse speculative truths, but to counteract other dogmas which were held to be dangerously heretical. Waterland, in his Critical History of' the Athanasian Creed. says: "The use of it will hardly be thought superfluous-so long as there are any Arians, Photinians, Sabellians, Macedonians, Apollinarians, Nestorians, or Entychians in these parts." (See articles under these heads.) With respect to what are called the " damnatory clauses" (the clauses, namely: "Which faith except every One do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt lie shall perish everlastingly;" and: "This is the Catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved "), the churches which adopt the creed do not mean by them to imprecate curses, but to declare, as a logical sequence of a true faith being necessary to salvation, that those who do not hold the true faith are in danger of perishing; as it is said, Mark xvi. 16, "He that believeth not shall be damned." These clauses are also held to apply to those who deny the substance of the Christian religion, and not infallibly to every person who may be in error as to any one particular article. A rubric to this effect was drawn up by the commissioners appointed in 1689 for the review of the English common prayer-book, but none of their suggestions took effect. Compare also the 18th article of the church of England with these clauses.