Abstract

The article aims to analyse the origin of the so-called Athanasianum or Symbolum Quicumque. The text, whose extraordinary reception from the 8^th century onwards is clear from the various manuscripts and commentaries of this time, has to be dated before the first reference to it in 670 (or perhaps even before 630). For establishing the terminus post quem, a detailed analysis of the verbal parallels in Augustine and the various authors of the 5^th and 6^th century has been done again. This leads to the conclusion that the text is for the most part a compilation of verbal quotes of Augustine and Augustinian theologians. Especially those authors who tried to ‘compress’ the trinitarian and christological theology of Augustine as Vincentius, Fulgentius and even Caesarius, are used, nearly no expression of the text cannot be found in these Augustinian traditions. As Caesarius (even Sermo 10) does not seem to be the first witness of the Symbolum Quicumque, but one of its sources, even the famous prologue of the manuscript of Zwiefalten is not originally by Caesarius, but uses the Caesarian-Augustinian tradition stating that the prologue is written by Augustine himself. The manuscript shows clearly the purpose of the compilation, i.e. the aim to establish an Augustinian “standard level” for the clergy. So the text is not only a reception of Augustine, but in the same instance an important multiplication of this Augustinian tradition. This is a very useful example for describing the focus of a modern “Dogmengeschichte” – searching for the concepts and theological thoughts that were not only conditioned by, but even shaping the cultural frame-work and the Christian identity (or identities) of their time.