Quicumque vult

The home planet of Son of God and all humanity

as seen in a photograph taken from a satellite orbiting Saturn

Quicumque vult - Athanasian Creed - is not from the highly respected Athanasius but may have come from the same milieu, namely the area of Lérins in southern Gaul and dates to the sixth century. Its theological content relies largely on the work on Holy Trinity by Augustine (415).

There is something repulsive in the threatening spirit of this Creed which is accepted by western churches and also by my own Evangelical-Lutheran church of Finland.

One reason to this feeling is the inclusion of anathemas.

But I am personally even more bothered by the "flattening"of Holy Trinity against the words of Jesus Himself as given in the Gospel of John.

This issue has wider implications in the modern world in which we are aware of the immense objects and distances in space.

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And the Catholic Faith is this:

That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence.

For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.

Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited.

The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal.

As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite.

So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty.

And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty.

So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another.

But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.

So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

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Section of Athanasian Creed

In these sacred words there is much important and essential about the Holy Trinity. But the flattening of the Holy Trinity lies here

"none is greater, or less than another"

However, in John 14:28 it is written

ἡκούσατε ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν, ὑπάγω καὶ ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. εἰ ἡγαπᾶτέ με, ἐχάρητε ἄν ὅτι εἶπον, πορεύομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ μου μείζων μού ἐστι·

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

KJV

...

When we look at the Cosmos, Universe, and the size and location of our beloved planet Tellus.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Savior of humanity, the human race that Father has created in this planetary system circulating our middle sized star we call Sun. In the Orion wing of this galaxy we call the Milky way.

As Jesus, the son of Mary, says "Father is bigger than me"

For us Christians, our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of Man, is certainly big enough!

...

so what to do

certainly no need to change the wording of Quicumque vult

just to note that it goes against divine revelation in its attempt to explain the Trinity.