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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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11 Pages
Page 5
4. The Nicene formula in accordance with Scripture.
If then any cite the synod of Ariminum, firstly let them point out the deposition of the above persons, and what the bishops wrote, namely that none should seek anything beyond what had been agreed upon by the fathers at Nicaea, nor cite any synod save that one. But this they suppress, but make much of what was done by violence in Thrace [3724] ; thus shewing that they are dissemblers of the Arian heresy, and aliens from the sound Faith. And again, if a man were to examine and compare the great synod itself, and those held by these people, he would discover the piety of the one and the folly of the others. They who assembled at Nicaea did so not after being deposed: and secondly, they confessed that the Son was of the Essence of the Father. But the others, after being deposed again and again, and once more at Ariminum itself, ventured to write that it ought not to be said that the Son had Essence or Subsistence. This enables us to see, brethren, that they of Nicaea breathe the spirit of Scripture, in that God says in Exodus [3725] , 'I am that I am,' and through Jeremiah, 'Who is in His substance [3726] and hath seen His word;' and just below, 'if they had stood in My subsistence [3727] and heard My words:' now subsistence is essence, and means nothing else but very being, which Jeremiah calls existence, in the words, 'and they heard not the voice of existence [3728] .' For subsistence, and essence, is existence: for it is, or in other words exists. This Paul also perceiving wrote to the Hebrews, 'who being the brightness of his glory, and the express Image of his subsistence [3729] .' But the others, who think they know the Scriptures and call themselves wise, and do not choose to speak of subsistence in God (for thus they wrote at Ariminum and at other synods of theirs), were surely with justice deposed, saying as they did, like the fool did in his heart [3730] , 'God is not.' And again the fathers taught at Nicaea that the Son and Word is not a creature, nor made, having read 'all things were made through Him [3731] ,' and 'in Him were all things created, and consist [3732] ;' while these men, Arians rather than Christians, in their other synods have ventured to call Him a creature, and one of the things that are made, things of which He Himself is the Artificer and Maker. For if 'through Him all things were made' and He too is a creature, He would be the creator of Himself. And how can what is being created create? or He that is creating be created?
[3724] i.e. at Nike, 359.
[3725] Ex. iii. 14.
[3726] hupostemati, Jer. xxiii. 18, LXX.
[3727] hupostasei, v. 22.
[3728] huparxis, Jer. ix. 10, LXX.
[3729] Heb. i. 3.
[3730] Ps. xiv. 1.
[3731] John i. 3.
[3732] Col. i. 16.
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/athanasius/ad-afros-epistola-synodica.asp?pg=5
