Filioque clause

In Christian theology the filioque clause or filioque controversy (filioque meaning "and the Son") is a disputed part of the Nicene Creed. (Actually it is not a clause but a phrase, and is most often referred to as simply "filioque" or "the filioque," as is often done in this article.)

Related Topics:
Christian - Theology - Nicene Creed

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Following John 15:26b, the Nicene Creed states that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father." This creed was first promulgated at the First Council of Nicea in 325 and modified at the First Council of Constantinople in 381. Hence, it is also called "Nicene-Constantinopolitan" or "Niceno-Constantinopolitan."

Related Topics:
Holy Spirit - First Council of Nicea - 325 - First Council of Constantinople - 381

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In thinking about God as Father, Son, and Spirit, the Trinity, following Jesus (Matt 28:19), Christians from early times have made some important distinctions. The Son and the Spirit are said to have their eternal origin from the Father; the Son, the eternal Divine Logos (John 1:1) is "generated" ("born" or "begotten") of the Father, while the Spirit "proceeds" from the Father. These statements are made in reference to the being of God, from all eternity, "before all ages" in the words of the Nicene Creed. With regard to creation, God is said to "send" his Son and his Spirit. In this case, "procession" or "generation" in English would not be used; "mission" is a more common term. In Greek, however, there are two words for "procession." One of these words would be used in reference to God's relationship to creation; although there is only the single word processio in Latin, such an idiom could also be used in that language, thereby giving rise to some confusion.

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On the one hand, the Nicene Creed and the Bible do not say explicitly that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as the Father; that is, there is no statement that the Spirit's eternal origin is found anywhere but in the Father. To be sure, Christians found evidence for a connection between the Son and the Spirit. For example, the New Testament teaches that the Spirit testifies to the Son (1 Jn 5:6) and is called the "Spirit of Christ" (Rom 8:9;15:5; Phil 1:19; 1 Pet 1:1) and "Spirit of Son" (Gal 4:6). The Church Fathers further explained that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are "of one essence" (substantia/ousia) and have one common will and activity, with regard to their external actions (actiones ad extra). This tradition continued to be reaffirmed in both East and West, unanimously in medieval times by the Scholastic theologians. (See Scholastic Philosophy). In this second, "economic" sense, God is said to send us the Spirit through the Son (Acts 2:33; Titus 3:6).

Related Topics:
Church Fathers - Scholastic Philosophy

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On the other hand, while the New Testament teaches that there is a connection between the Son and the Spirit, the divinity of the Son and the Spirit may not be entirely clear from Scripture alone. Many theologians historically have been unconvinced by the texts, and readily quoted the Scripture in defense of their denials of the Trinity. For this reason, over the years, creeds, decrees, hymns, and prayers have been formulated, in order to clarify, defend, and make explicit this doctrine. The filioque is one such attempt.

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