The Chalcedonian Creed was adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in Asia Minor as a response to certain heretical views concerning the nature of Christ. It sets forth a complex philosophical understanding of Jesus as incarnate Word of God, “truly God and truly [hu]man”.
This expression of the nature of Jesus, two-wrapped-into-one, is the theological understanding that underlies the story that is told and retold each Christmas season. This is the real “reason for the season”, surely.
In the light of this creed, and the clear admonitions that it offers, I present my contribution to Christmas caroling—to be sung to a very familiar tune, Hark the herald angels sing (7.7.7.7.D and refrain). Perhaps if we sing this regularly, the complex concepts of orthodox theology might be more widely known??
1
God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ,
Perfect in the Godhead, he;
Truly God and truly human,
perfect in humanity.
Reasonable in body and soul,
consubstantial, present, whole:
First Begotten as Godhead,
now with us in faithfulness:
God, the Word, Lord Jesus Christ,
This is the one whom we confess.
2
Inconfusedly he came,
pure, unchangeable, was he.
Indivisible he lives,
quite inseparable is he.
Whilst distinct, his natures stand,
for each nature does retain
each their property unique;
mystery of God, filioque!
Both concur in one Person,
One Subsistence, in the Son.
3
As the prophets have declared,
as the holy fathers say,
as the Lord himself has taught us,
so we faithfully do say:
God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ,
Perfect in the Godhead, thrice,
Truly God and truly man,
Perfect in humanity.
These two natures do concur,
One Subsistence, in the Son.
*** *** *** ***
Sing it, sisters and brothers!!
For another light-hearted take on the Chalcedonian theology, see
The text of the Chalcedonian Creed (in English translation, reflecting the original gendered language, typical of the time) reads as follows:
We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with us according to the manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the virgin Mary, the mother of God, according to the manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
An Informed Faith 