Filioque

Filioque

Preface

This article was originally published 20181024. It has been revised as a secondary article.

My Orthodox icon (art piece) from Bulgaria

Proceeding from: FILIOQUE-Pronounced FILLY O QUE or QAY (LATIN)

Nicene Creed section

Cited sections from the Nicene Creed 325 AD

The Nicene Creed: Zondervan Academic

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. 

The Nicene Creed: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.

---

My short article is focusing on Filioque and not on the development of the Nicene Creed, 325, or on the 1054 schism. But the difference in theologies can be seen here with the two different versions of the Nicene Creed, I provided. In contrast to Orthodoxy, within traditional Western Theology, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions, the Holy Spirit is understood as proceeding from both the Father and the Son.

Filioque

G.W. Bromiley states that the term ‘and from the Son' was not in the original 325 Nicene Creed or 381 Constantinople Creeds and was likely added to the Third Council of Toledo of 589. It was officially endorsed in 1017. Bromiley (1996: 415).

It did, in the minds of some historical commentators, in part, led to a split between the Western and Eastern Churches with the Eastern Churches rejecting it. Split in 1054.

V. Potapov 1996-98: Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 

'In the Western Church consciousness, the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Son of God. It is sufficient to leaf through Western theological texts in order to be convinced as to what an insignificant place Catholic theologians allocate to the activity of the Holy Spirit in the world, in the Church and in the life of individual men. The Filioque places the Holy Spirit in a state of subordination to the Father and the Son, and it distorted the teaching on the Church in the West (of this, we shall speak separately). Every false teaching about the Holy Spirit is a blow against the dogma about the Church. Because the place of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and in God's plan concerning man was ignored in Western theological thought, the Church gradually began to be accepted as an earthly institution, organized and administered according to the principles of worldly authority and juridical law.'

V. Potapov 1996-98, Filioque, Russian Orthdox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 

https://stjohndc.org/en/orthodoxy-foundation/filioque 

---

Based on the New Testament, is the Filioque clearly a false teaching? Both God the Father and God the Son sent the Holy Spirit in John 15: 26. Bromiley (1996: 415) further mentions that the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ (Son in Galatians) in Romans 8: 9 and Galatians 4: 6 which both support the same idea.

New Advent: Filioque

Key sources from that Roman Catholic, theological, website:

Maas, Anthony. "Filioque." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. .

Nihil Obstat. September 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.

Cited

'Filioque is a theological formula of great dogmatic and historical importance. On the one hand, it expresses the Procession of the Holy Ghost from both Father and Son as one Principle; on the other, it was the occasion of the Greek schism. Both aspects of the expression need further explanation.'

Cited

'The dogma of the double Procession of the Holy Ghost from Father and Son as one Principle is directly opposed to the error that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father, not from the Son. Neither dogma nor error created much difficulty during the course of the first four centuries.'

Cited

'At any rate, if the double Procession of the Holy Ghost was discussed at all in those earlier times, the controversy was restricted to the East and was of short duration.'

Cited 

'The rejection of the Filioque, or the double Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and Son, and the denial of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff constitute even today the principal errors of the Greek church.'

(I agree with Orthodoxy in denying the primacy of the Roman Pontiff)

Cited 

'As to the Sacred Scripture, the inspired writers call the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Son (Galatians 4:6), the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19), just as they call Him the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20) and the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Hence they attribute to the Holy Ghost the same relation to the Son as to the Father. Again, according to Sacred Scripture, the Son sends the Holy Ghost (Luke 24:49; John 15:26; 16:7; 20:22; Acts 2:33; Titus 3:6), just as the Father sends the Son (Romans 3:3; etc.), and as the Father sends the Holy Ghost (John 14:26).'

Cited 

'The only Scriptural difficulty deserving our attention is based on the words of Christ as recorded in John 15:26, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father, without mention being made of the Son. But in the first place, it can not be shown that this omission amounts to a denial; in the second place, the omission is only apparent, as in the earlier part of the verse the Son promises to "send" the Spirit.'

---

In my mind, the Filioque clause is supported by John 15: 26.

Greek New Testament

Cited 

Two selected English translations...

King James Version 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

American Standard Version 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:

Stephens 1550 Textus Receptus

otan de elqh o paraklhtoV on egw pemyw umin para tou patroV

(When but (But when) comes the helper (paracletos) whom I will send to you from the Father)

Bible Hub

Hort and Westcot

otan elqh o paraklhtoV on egw pemyw umin para tou patroV 

(When comes the helper (paracletos) whom I will send to you from the Father)

Theological leanings

Personally, I hold to the Protestant position, not primarily because I am Reformed but because of the Biblical text. I do not think this places Orthodox Eastern Christians in the category of cultic (outside of the faith) on this point. But I do I think it is a questionable position to take. The Holy Spirit, with the Father and the Son together are worshipped and glorified; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all worshipped and glorified. The Holy Spirit is equally God within the trinity.

Boice explains that the Spirit is a person because He has knowledge, feelings and will and this is what is stated of God the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Boice (1981: 376). Boice further explains that the definition of the Holy Spirit as Counselor (Helper ESV) in John 14 from Christ is certainly that of one person describing another. Boice (1981: 376).

Following are some key examples where God the Holy Spirit is demonstrated as being fully God in glory as are the Father and Son. We have noted that Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and Son is John 15. The Holy Spirit as God is of course equally part of the Baptism formula at the ending of Matthew (28: 19). Acts 2 and Pentecost we see the Holy Spirit is given to the Church along with manifestations in many Biblical cases. The arrival of the Counselor as God the Son promised.

The disciples received the Holy Spirit in John 20: 22 post resurrection. Acts 5 lying to the Holy Spirit equals lying to God. Ananias and Sapphira. who spoke by the prophets; and we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church; Not the Roman Catholic Church in context which evolved in time, but the universal Church of the triune God in Christ that has been delivered through the Apostles of Christ such as Peter, John, James and Paul. The Holy Spirit of course spoke through the Prophets, Apostles and Scribes in the development of the Old and New Testaments.
---

BOICE, JAMES, MONTGOMERY (1981) Foundations of the Christian Faith, Downers Grove, IVP Press.

BROMILEY, G.W. (1996) ‘Filioque’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.) Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1552)(1995) Acts, Translated by Watermark, Nottingham, Crossway Books. 

COAD, F. ROY (1986) ‘Galatians’, in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan. 

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. 

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring the New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books. 

ELLISON, H.L. (1986) ‘Matthew’, in F.F. Bruce (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FRANCE, R.T. (1985) Matthew, Grand Rapids, IVP, Eerdmans. 

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

HANSON, Rev./Dr. B.B.M.J. Mackenzie-Hanson (2005-2006), Arian/Arianism
http://www.arian-catholic.org/arian/arianism.html

KNIGHT, KEVIN (2012) Filioque, New York, New Advent.

New Advent: Filioque

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers. 

SLICK, MATTHEW J. (2012) Arianism, Nampa, Indiana, Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. 

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Interdict

Maple Ridge: Last week

Cited

Most historians agree that the greatest Christian of the early 12th century was Bernard of Clairvaux, a man who excelled in all areas of Christian ministry and leadership. His powerful influence led to a renewed interest in and understanding of the humanity of Christ, and his deeply devotional emphasis served to recover an important part of Christian worship at a time when there had been considerable spiritual decline in the leadership of the Church. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com

New Advent

Born in 1090, at Fontaines, near Dijon, France; died at Clairvaux, 21 August, 1153.

New Advent

What most interested me from this video presentation from Mr. Gore, for the context of this website, was Interdict.

Cited

(Latin interdictum, from inter and dicere). Originally in Roman law, an interlocutory edict of the praetor, especially in matter affecting the right of possession; it still preserves this meaning in both Roman and canon law. In present ecelesiastical use the word denotes, in general, a prohibition.

Cited

An interdict is a censure, or prohibition, excluding the faithful from participation in certain holy things. These holy things are all those pertaining to Christian worship, and are divided into three classes: the Divine offices, in other words the Liturgy, and in general all acts performed by clerics as such, and having reference to worship the sacraments, excepting private administrations of those that are of necessity; ecclesiastical burial, including all funeral services. 

This prohibition varies in degree, according to the different kinds of interdicts to be enumerated: 

First, interdicts are either local or personal; the former affect territories or sacred buildings directly, and persons indirectly; the latter directly affect persons. Canonical authors add a third kind, the mixed interdict, which affects directly and immediately both persons and places; if, for instance, the interdict is issued against a town and its inhabitants, the latter are subject to it, even when they are outside of the town (arg. cap. xvi, "De sent. excomm." in VI). Local interdicts, like personal interdicts, may be general or particular. 

A general local interdict is one affecting a whole territory, district, town, etc., and this was the ordinary interdict of the Middle Ages; a particular local interdict is one affecting, for example, a particular church. A general personal interdict is one falling on a given body or group of people as a class, e.g. on a chapter, the clergy or people of a town, of a community; a particular personal interdict is one affecting certain individuals as such, for instance, a given bishop, a given cleric. 

Finally, the interdict is total if the prohibition extends to all the sacred things mentioned above; otherwise it is called partial. A special kind of partial interdict is that which forbids one to enter a church, interdictum ab ingressu ecclesiae mentioned by certain texts. Omitting the mixed interdict, which does not form a distinct class, we have therefore:
---
Mr. Gore explains that with Pope Gregory VII versus King Henry IV, the papacy placed an interdict on the Holy Roman Empire, therefore according to the Roman Catholic Church theology of the time, the Holy Roman Empire and its citizens were prohibited from taking part in the Roman Catholic sacraments and therefore outside of salvation.

Thankfully, biblically, the New Testament does not teach sacramental required salvation.

Rather, within various biblical Christian interpretations, the sacraments are indeed spiritual, but as a sign of obedience within salvation. Not a requirement for salvation.

In the New Testament sins are forgiven for salvation as the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) implements a plan of atonement for human sin through the death and resurrection of the incarnated God the Son, Jesus Christ. This salvific work is applied to chosen, believers by grace through faith through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (See the Gospels, Romans, Galatians, Titus, Hebrews, as examples).

APA citation. Boudinhon, A. (1910). Interdict. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08073a.htm

The problem when the Pope becomes a King

Cited

The first hint of the movement that would become a protest against the decline of the central leadership of the Church in the late middle ages came with a little known character named Peter Waldo. His reading of the New Testament led him to the conviction that the Church leaders had lost their way, and in simplicity of life and message, he attempted to call it back to its New Testament moorings. His followers, the Waldensians, persisted for centuries as a persecuted sect in Europe, but with unfailing vigilance the small group of maintained their devotion to Christ and the purity of the gospel message as they understood it. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com.

I especially relate to Mr. Gore's comments in his introductory:

(Paraphrased)

The problem when the Pope becomes a King.

This led to promises, for example, that participation in the crusades to the Holy Land, would earn forgiveness of sins.

Gore is not blatantly anti-Roman Catholic, but states that this theology is an historical embarrassment for the Roman Catholic Church.

Indeed, this ancient theology demonstrates heretical, politicized theology.

Yes, the Church is a vehicle of imputing God's forgiveness, but atonement should always be biblical and never political.

In the New Testament sins are forgiven as the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) implements a plan of atonement for human sin through the death and resurrection of the incarnated God the Son, Jesus Christ. This salvific work is applied to chosen, believers by grace through faith through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (See the Gospels, Romans, Galatians, Titus, Hebrews, as examples).

Titus 3: 4-7 New American Standard Bible

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs [a]according to the hope of eternal life.

Snipping tool

The Orthodox Study Bible: The Saints (Brief)

The text

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

This text review continues...

Five sources of Christian tradition (iv)

4) The Saints

I have already dealt with an aspect of this issue, veneration, in the second review entry. This is the sixth entry. Within my Reformed theology, in particular, I embrace Hebrews:

New American Standard Bible

Hebrews 9: 15

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 

Hebrews 12:24 24

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

In regard to reverence, related to prayer, Jesus Christ, as God-man, via the Trinity, within the Christian Church, is our source of atonement and resurrection, and this eliminates the need for any human, finite mode of veneration.
---

However, let us allow this section to present itself...

Within the saints are the Fathers, and sometimes the mothers. (vi). These are classic, historical examples of the Christian faith. (vi). These are those that show great spiritual wisdom and also defend Church doctrine. (vi).

These are the heroes of the Church. (vi). These provide witness to the traditions of the Church. (vi).

On this point, in regard to the saints, I am in agreement. So, I disagree on veneration, but agree in regards to saints, Church Fathers and mothers as historical Christian Church, examples.

Interestingly, I own a Bulgarian Orthodox icon, given to me by my Bulgarian friend, An Jela, and her husband. For me, it is purely a beautiful piece of art sitting on the fireplace mantel. As you may have noticed, I really like red (and blue).

Today, Maple Ridge

Yesterday, Maple Ridge

Sunday, Port Coquitlam