The Apostle's Creed: the whole Trinity or just the Father?

[Hatikvah]

I was wondering whether to put this in Liturgy & Sacraments or if here was sufficient. I ended up putting it here because it was probably more agreeable.

I suppose this is pretty minute, but it’s helpful because the Apostle’s Creed is a traditional, oftentimes used statement of belief for all sorts of Christians. Is the Apostle’s Creed referring to God the Father or to the whole Trinity in the first part?

I’ve noticed that some English translations have “God the Father” while others have “God, the Father” (whereas the latter may mean God in all Persons as the Father, not the distinct God the Father). Due to perichoresis or circumincession, the divine Persons are all present together with interpenetration (e.g., the Son is present with the Father but they maintain their distinction, etc).

Both the one given in the Catechism and the 2011 one used in the Roman Rite say “God the Father almighty,” but various translations (not from any groups in particular) say “God, the Father.”

Then I’ve also noticed that the Roman Rite’s Rite of Baptism says, “Do you believe in God, the Father almighty?”

The Wikipedia article lists several editions on it and the usage of the Apostle’s Creed: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles%27_Creed

I’m aware that this is a small thing and it does not affect the creed in its entirety, nor the obvious reflection of theology proper, but that one line is an opening.

Thanks!

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

In the Roman & Baltimore Catechisms, along with my Novus Ordo and 1962 missals, the Apostle’s Creed is written as “God, the Father”. The beginning of the Apostles’ Creed is referring specifically to God the Father, the first Person of the Holy Trinity. The Roman Catechism says:

The meaning of the above words * is this: I believe with certainty, and without a shadow of doubt profess my belief in God the Father, the First Person of the Trinity, who by His omnipotence created from nothing and preserves and governs the heavens and the earth…* It goes on to say, “The name ‘Father’ also discloses the plurality of Persons in God”. This makes sense since the Apostles’ Creed goes on to profess belief in each divine Person separately by saying “and in Jesus Christ, His only Son” and “I believe in the Holy Ghost”.

 

[Usagi]

In both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, the three Persons are talked about separately and in order, so I would think the first part is talking about the Person of the Father, along with those attributes and activities commonly associated with Him.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Different languages use commas differently, and if we recall that prayer texts are officially Latin, I’m not sure there’s any relevance to the English placement of the comma. Furthermore, within English, you find varying opinions on the use of commas, so again, I’m not sure there’s an actual distinction in forms, here. My experience with prayer texts in English has been that comma placement is simply where someone thought it was a good idea to take a breath and nothing more is indicated by that punctuation.

To me, it is more logical to follow Usagi’s explanation above.

 

[PJM]

I was wondering whether to put this in Liturgy & Sacraments or if here was sufficient. I ended up putting it here because it was probably more agreeable.

I suppose this is pretty minute, but it’s helpful because the Apostle’s Creed is a traditional, oftentimes used statement of belief for all sorts of Christians. Is the Apostle’s Creed referring to God the Father or to the whole Trinity in the first part?

I’ve noticed that some English translations have “God the Father” while others have “God, the Father” (whereas the latter may mean God in all Persons as the Father, not the distinct God the Father). Due to perichoresis or circumincession, the divine Persons are all present together with interpenetration (e.g., the Son is present with the Father but they maintain their distinction, etc).

Both the one given in the Catechism and the 2011 one used in the Roman Rite say “God the Father almighty,” but various translations (not from any groups in particular) say “God, the Father.”

Then I’ve also noticed that the Roman Rite’s Rite of Baptism says, “Do you believe in God, the Father almighty?”

The Wikipedia article lists several editions on it and the usage of the Apostle’s Creed: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles%27_Creed

I’m aware that this is a small thing and it does not affect the creed in its entirety, nor the obvious reflection of theology proper, but that one line is an opening.

Thanks!

NOT sure that I understand your point?

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.

John 17:22
And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one:

The Trinity is a Mystery that we will not be able to fully comprehend until we pass into Eternity.

Yet we know that they are in “Three in One”; what one thinks they all think, what one desires they all desire…

They are at one and the same time separate but inseparable.

Matthew 3:13-17
[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him.
[14] But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?
[15] And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.
[16] And Jesus{GOD THE SON} being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God {GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT}descending as a dove, and coming upon him. [17] And behold a voice from heaven, {GOD THE FATHER} saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

As a fact: The Apostles Creed is a concise-statement of Roman Catholic beliefs

God Bless you

Patrick