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Fathers of the Church

A Declaration of Faith

Description

The Catholic Encyclopedia states, "Such a formula, stating clearly the distinction between the Persons in the Trinity, and emphasizing the eternity, equality, immortality, and perfection, not only of the Father, but of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, proclaims a marked advance on the theories of Origen."

Provenance

Gregory was converted to Christianity by Origen in Alexandria and continued as his student for seven years. He wished to prove that the Christian religion was the only true philosophy. Gregory was consecrated bishop of his hometown Caesarea, where he governed for thirty years. Although at the beginning of his episcopacy there were only seventeen Christians in Caesarea, at the end of his life there were only seventeen pagans left in the entire town. He performed many miracles, because of which he is called "thaumaturgos," or "wonder-worker." The straightforward declaration of faith in this work is a development of the foundations laid by Origen.

by Gregory of Neocaesarea in Between 260 and 270 A.D. | translated by Rev. S.d.f. Salmond, M.A

THERE is one God, the Father of the living Word, who is His subsistent Wisdom and Power and Eternal Image: perfect Begetter of the perfect Begotten, Father of the only-begotten Son. There is one Lord, Only of the Only, God of God, Image and Likeness of Deity, Efficient Word, Wisdom comprehensive of the constitution of all things, and Power formative of the whole creation, true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible, and Immortal of Immortal and Eternal of Eternal. And there is One Holy Spirit, having His subsistence from God, and being made manifest by the Son, to wit to men: Image of the Son, Perfect Image of the Perfect; Life, the Cause of the living; Holy Fount; Sanctity, the Supplier, or Leader, of Sanctification; in whom is manifested God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged. Wherefore there is nothing either created or in servitude in the Trinity; nor anything superinduced, as if at some former period it was non-existent, and at some later period it was introduced. And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son; but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abideth ever.

Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in 1867. (ANF 6, Roberts and Donaldson). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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