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“The Second Creed of Sirmium - 357 (The Blasphemy)”

This creed was something of a triumph for Arianism - stating that the Father is greater than the Son and that terms like "substance" and "ousia" should not be used because they are unscriptural. The texts as found in Athanasius, De Synodis, Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica and Hilary, De Synodis are all given along with an English translation.

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Click here to read at earlychurchtexts.com in the original Greek and Latin (with dictionary lookup links). The English translation below is from the NPNF series.

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Relevant books
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Frances Young

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J.N.D. Kelly

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Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski
Early Christian Doctrine and the Creeds

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Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski

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Liuwe H. Westra

Apostles' Creed: Origin History and Some Early Commentaries (Instrumenta Patristica Et Mediaevalia, 43)

 

 

A copy of the Blasphemia composed at Sirmium by Osius and Potamius.
11. Since there appeared to be some misunderstanding respecting the faith, all points have been carefully investigated and discussed at Sirmium in the presence of our most reverend brothers and fellow-bishops, Valens, Ursacius and Germinius. It is evident that there is one God, the Father Almighty, according as it is believed throughout the whole world; and His only Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, begotten of Him before the ages. But we cannot and ought not to say that there are two Gods, for the Lord Himself said, I will go unto My Father and your Father, unto My God and your God So there is one God over all, as the Apostle hath taught us, Is He God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. And in all other things they agreed thereto, nor would they allow any difference. But since some or many persons were disturbed by questions concerning substance, called in Greek οὐσία, that is, to make it understood more exactly, as to ὁμοούσιον, or what is called ὁμοιούσιον, there ought to be no mention made of these at all. Nor ought any exposition to be made of them for the reason and consideration that they are not contained in the divine Scriptures, and that they are above man’s understanding, nor can any man declare the birth of the Son, of whom it is written, Who shall declare His generation? For it is plain that only the Father knows how He begot the Son, and the Son how He was begotten of the Father. There is no question that the Father is greater. No one can doubt that the Father is greater than the Son in honour, dignity, splendour, majesty, and in the very name of Father, the Son Himself testifying, He that sent Me is greater than I. And no one is ignorant that it is Catholic doctrine that there are two Persons of Father and Son; and that the Father is greater, and that the Son is subordinated to the Father, together with all things which the Father has subordinated to Him, and that the Father has no beginning and is invisible, immortal and impassible, but that the Son has been begotten of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, and that the generation of this Son, as is aforesaid, no one knows but His Father. And that the Son of God Himself, our Lord and God, as we read, took flesh, that is, a body, that is, man of the womb of the Virgin Mary, of the Angel announced. And as all the Scriptures teach, and especially the doctor of the Gentiles himself, He took of Mary the Virgin, man, through whom He suffered. And the whole faith is summed up and secured in this, that the Trinity must always be preserved, as we read in the Gospel, Go ye and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Complete and perfect is the number of the Trinity. How the Paraclete, the Spirit, is through the Son: Who was sent and came according to His promise in order to instruct, teach and sanctify the apostles and all believers.

 


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Second Creed of Sirmium
2nd Creed of Sirimum
357
Arius and Arianism
Valens of Mursa
Ursacius of Singidunum (Belgrade)
homoousios
homoousion
substance
substantia

οὐσία
ὁμοούσιον
ὁμοούσιος
ὁμοιούσιον
ὁμοιούσιος
Anomoeans
Not of the same substance
The Blasphemy
Father Greater than the Son
unscriptural
not scriptural
Athanasius De Synodis,
Socrates Historia Ecclesiastica
Hilary De Synodis

 

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