SR
← Catechism of the Church of Geneva (Le catéchisme de l'Église de Genève)/Book 1 · Catéchisme de l'Église de Genève
Chapter 4GenevaCat.1.4

I. Des articles de la foi — Le 3e dimanche

The Structure of the Creed

The catechism outlines the four main divisions of the Apostles' Creed, focusing on the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.

17. M: To explain this confession carefully and in detail, into how many parts should we divide it?1 E: Into four main parts. Four parts. Minister: Which ones? S: The first will be about God the Father; the second about his Son Jesus Christ, in which the whole history of our redemption is recounted; the third about the Holy Spirit; the fourth about the Church and God's graces toward her.2

The Mystery of the Trinity

The dialogue explains how the three persons of the Trinity exist within one divine essence without division.

On the Trinity 19. M: Since there is only one God, why do you speak of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three? E: Because, within one single divine essence, we must consider the Father as the beginning and origin, or the first cause of all things; then after him his Son, who is the eternal Wisdom; and the Holy Spirit, who is his power and strength, which is poured out on all creatures and yet always remains in him.✦3 20. M: You mean that we have no trouble clearly understanding these three persons in one and the same Divinity, and that God is still not divided. E: That's right. The first part

God the Father Almighty

The first article of the Creed is recited, and the meaning of God as Father—both to Christ and to believers—is explored.

21. Minister: Now recite the first part. Student: "I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth."✦ Father M: Why do you call him Father? E: It’s because of Jesus Christ, who is the eternal Word, begotten of him before time began; then, when he was revealed to the world, he was confirmed and declared to be his Son.✦✦✦4 But insofar as God is the Father of Jesus Christ, it follows that he is also ours.✦

The Providence of the Almighty

The catechism defines divine omnipotence not as an idle power, but as the active, governing providence of God over all creation.

What God's power involves Minister: How do you understand that he is almighty? Elder: It doesn't just mean that he has the power without using it; it means he holds all creatures in his hand and under his authority, that he orders all things by his providence, governs the world by his will, and directs everything that happens as he sees fit.5 God's power is not idle 24. M: So according to what you say, God's power isn't idle, but means more than that: namely, that he always has his hand to the work, and that nothing is done except by him, or with his permission and his ordinance.67 E: That's right.

Read the original Latin

17. M : Pour bien expliquer cette confession par le menu, en combien de parties la diviserons-nous? E : En quatre principales.

Quatre parties 18. M : Quelles? E : La première sera de Dieu le Père; la seconde de son Fils Jésus-Christ, en laquelle est récitée toute l'histoire de notre rédemption ; la troisième du Saint- Esprit ; la quatrième de l'Église et des grâces de Dieu envers icelle.

De la Trinité 19. M : Vu qu'il n'y a qu'un Dieu, qui te meut de réciter le Père, le Fils et le Saint-Esprit, qui sont trois? E : Parce, qu'en une seule essence divine, nous avons à considérer le Père, comme le commencement et origine, ou la cause première de toutes choses; puis après son Fils, qui est la sagesse éternelle; le Saint-Esprit, qui est sa vertu et puissance, laquelle est épandue sur toutes créatures, et néanmoins réside toujours en lui.

20. M : Par cela tu veux dire qu'il n'y a nul inconvénient qu'en une même Divinité nous comprenions distinctement ces trois personnes, et que Dieu n'est pourtant pas divisé. E : Il est ainsi. La première partie

21. M : Récite maintenant la première partie. E : « Je crois en Dieu le Père tout-puissant, Créateur du ciel et de la terre ».

Père 22. M : Pourquoi le nommes-tu Père? E : C'est au regard de Jésus-Christ, qui est la Parole éternelle, engendrée de lui devant les siècles; puis étant manifesté au monde, a été approuvé et déclaré être son Fils. Mais, en tant que Dieu est Père de Jésus-Christ, de là s'ensuit qu'il est aussi le nôtre.

Qu'emporte la puissance de Dieu 23. M : Comment entends-tu qu'il est tout-puissant? E : Ce n'est pas seulement à dire qu'il ait le pouvoir, ne l'exerçant plus, mais qu'il a toutes créatures en sa main et sujétion, qu'il dispose toutes choses par sa providence, gouverne le monde par sa volonté, et conduit tout ce qui se fait selon que bon lui semble.

La puissance de Dieu n'est pas oisive 24. M : Ainsi selon ton dire, la puissance de Dieu n'est pas oisive, mais emporte davantage; à savoir qu'il a toujours la main à la besogne, et que rien ne se fait, sinon par lui, ou avec son congé et son ordonnance. E : Il est ainsi.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩1Cor.1.24 — but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
  2. ↩Gen.1.1 — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
  3. ↩John.1.1-John.1.14 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John.1.2 — He was in the beginning with God. John.1.3 — All things came into being through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. John.1.4 — In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John.1.5 — And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John.1.6 — There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. John.1.7 — He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. John.1.8 — He himself was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. John.1.9 — The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John.1.10 — He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. John.1.11 — He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. John.1.12 — But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God—to those who believed in his name. John.1.13 — who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
  4. ↩Ps.2.7;John.1.14 — I will tell of the decree. The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
  5. ↩Matt.3.17 — And behold, a voice from the heavens said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
  6. ↩John.20.17;Rom.8.15-Rom.8.17;Gal.4.4-Gal.4.7 — Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.'" Rom.8.15 — For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, in which we cry, "Abba, Father." Rom.8.16 — The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Rom.8.17 — And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Gal.4.4 — But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Gal.4.5 — in order to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Gal.4.6 — And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father.' Gal.4.7 — So you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩«par le menu» means thoroughly / point by point / in detail; rendered as “carefully in detail.” «confession» here is the creed just recited (the Apostles’ Creed), not auricular confession.
  2. 2 ↩Speaker label E (Écolier/Enfant) rendered as S (Student) for dialogue clarity; M remains Master. Source icelle (archaic demonstrative) refers to l'Église and is rendered as her.
  3. 3 ↩French 'vertu et puissance' is a theological doublet (virtus/potentia), not moral 'virtue'; rendered as 'power and strength'.
  4. 4 ↩"au regard de" rendered as "with regard to": the name Father is explained first in relation to Christ as the eternal Word and Son, not merely as a general title for God.
  5. 5 ↩Middle French «ne l'exerçant plus» here means «without exercising it» (idle/unexercised power), not «no longer exercising it»; the next section confirms the contrast with power that is not idle.
  6. 6 ↩Middle French emporter here continues the sense of 'what does it involve/entail' from GenevaCat.1.4.7; rendered as 'means more than that' rather than physical carrying.
  7. 7 ↩congé = leave/permission; ordonnance = ordering/decree. Rendered as 'permission' and 'ordinance' to keep both consent and appointed ordering without sounding casual.

Catechism of the Church of Geneva (Le catéchisme de l'Église de Genève) companion

Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat

Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.

Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.

  • A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
  • One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
  • Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app) →