A few years ago, I was reading F. R. Webber's Studies in the Liturgy and was surprised to read that the Quicunque Vult (the Athanasian Creed) had been used among Lutherans "on the Festival of the Holy Trinity, and frequently on Christmas, the Epiphany, Easter Day, Ascension and Pentecost as well." I was surprised because I had never encountered this confession outside of Holy Trinity Sunday.
In my estimation, the custom of making this confession on the Christ Festivals of the Church Year is commendable and worthy of revival. This was vividly illustrated for me on Christmas Day morning, within an hour after confessing both the Quicunque Vult and the Nicene Creed, after preaching a sermon on the two natures of Christ (the Gospel was John 1), when I received a knock on my door from a Jehovah's Witness, who stopped by to deny the divinity of Our God and Savior Jesus Christ! Kyrie eleison!
I would like to join McCain and Veith in wishing you all a "Merry Christmas and a slappy new year!"(I love this picture of St. Nicholas from Cyberbrethren : )
2 comments:
Thank you, Fr. Higgins, for this information. I think I will join you in the restoration of using this Creed at the times you mention.
Thematically, it makes a lot of sense to use this confession of faith on those particular festivals.
I have typically used the Athanasian Creed in place of the Gradual, spoken responsively between Pastor and Congregation. I've never used it, but one might consider the possibility of using the hymnic paraphrase from the ELS hymnal (#39). FWIW
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