On Faith and the Creed · §16 · Augustine of Hippo

The Holy Spirit is consubstantial and co-eternal with Father and Son

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Augustine has just finished explaining the Son's earthly mission and now turns to the Holy Spirit, the third person confessed in the creed.

So when the faith has been set in order and handed over, and the divine begetting of our Lord and his human earthly mission have been joined to our confession about God, the Holy Spirit is added to complete the faith. He is not less in nature than the Father and the Son, but is, so to speak, consubstantial and co-eternal with them, because this Trinity is one God. It is not that the Father is the same as the Son and the Holy Spirit, but that the Father is Father, the Son is Son, and the Holy Spirit is Holy Spirit, and this Trinity is one God, as it is written: "Hear, Israel: the Lord your God is one God" (Deuteronomy 6:4). Yet if we are asked about each one individually and someone says to us, "Is the Father God?" we will answer, "God." If it is asked whether the Son is God, we will answer the same. And if such a question is asked about the Holy Spirit, we must not answer that he is anything other than God, while being very careful not to take this the way it was said of human beings: "You are gods" (Psalm 82:6). For those who are made and created by the Father through the Son in the gift of the Holy Spirit are not gods by nature. The Trinity itself is what the apostle means when he says: "For from him and through him and in him are all things" (Romans 11:36). Therefore, although when asked about each one individually we answer that the one in question is God—whether Father, Son, or Holy Spirit—let no one suppose that three gods are worshipped by us.

Latin

Digesta itaque fideique commendata et diuina generatione domini nostri et humana dispensatione adiungitur confessioni nostrae ad perficiendam fidem, quae nobis de deo est, spiritus sanctus non minore natura quam pater et filius, sed, ut ita dicam, consubstantialis et coaeternus, quia ista trinitas unus est deus: non ut idem sit pater, qui est filius et spiritus sanctus, sed ut pater sit pater et filius sit filius et spiritus sanctus sit spiritus sanctus, sed haec trinitas unus deus, sicut scriptum est: audi, Israhel: dominus deus tuus deus unus est. tamen si interrogemur de singulis et dicatur nobis: deus est pater? Respondebimus: deus. si quaeratur, utrum deus sit filius, hoc respondebimus. nec si fuerit de spiritu sancto talis interrogatio, aliud eum esse debemus respondere quam deum, uehementer cauentes sic accipere, quomodo de hominibus dictum est: dii estis. non enim sunt naturaliter dii, quicumque sunt facti atque conditi ex patre per filium dono spiritus sancti. ipsa enim significatur trinitas, cum apostolus dicit: quoniam ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipso sunt omnia. quamquam ergo de singulis interrogati respondeamus deum esse, de quo quaeritur, siue patrem siue filium siue spiritum sanctum, non tamen tres deos a nobis coli quisquam existimauerit.

About this text

The text does not explicitly state the occasion.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430) delivered this treatise as a presbyter, at the request of the bishops assembled for a council of the whole North African episcopate at Hippo-Regius. He later issued it as a book at the desire of friends. The work offers a fuller treatment of the brief creed memorized by new Christians, to protect it against heretics.

Augustine explains the articles of the creed in order, beginning with God the Father almighty as creator of all things from nothing. He then treats the eternal generation of the Son, the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and future judgment. He defends the full divinity and co-equality of the Holy Spirit within the one divine substance, and finally expounds the church, forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the body, urging that faith must be held before it can be understood.

Augustine quotes Scripture throughout and reports the claims of heretics, Gentiles, and philosophers. Augustine uses Old Latin versions of the Bible, with Psalms numbered according to the Septuagint.

New English from the Latin base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from CSEL 41 (1900) (Latin)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.