The Lord be with you
In volume 59: Numbers 1-2, the January-April 1995 issue of
the Concordia Theological Quarterly, there was an article by Avery Dulles, S.J.
titled “The Filioque: What Is at Stake?” A link to the article is
provided at the end of this review.
“Filioque” is a Latin word which translates into English as “and
the Son.” It is part of the Nicene Creed as it is commonly confessed in Western
Churches when we say the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son.”
For many it may come as a surprise that this word was not in the original
Nicene Creed. In fact, in that original creed, the third article was only once
sentence long and read, “We believe in the Holy Spirit.”
A second ecumenical council was held in Constantinople about
six decades later and they fleshed out the third article, giving us pretty much
what we have in the West today. However the word “Filioque” was not there. It
read, “We believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father, who with
the Father and the Son …” This is how the creed is typically confessed in
Eastern churches to this day.
This article begins with a history of the use of the word “Filoque”
in the West and the history of the tension that developed between the East and
the West that came to focus on the word. This information can probably be
gathered from any decent encyclopedia. The real value of the article is found in
its examination of the theology expressed in the word “Filoque.”
In the end, to reject the word “Filoque” as false doctrine
undermines the co-equality of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Indeed, the only
thing truly unique and belonging to only one person of the Trinity is that the
Father is the Father, the Son is the Son and the Holy Spirit is the Holy
Spirit. So, as the Athanasian Creed puts it, “The Father is not made nor
created nor begotten by anyone. The Son is neither made nor created, but
begotten of the Father alone. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son,
neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding. Thus, there is one
Father, not three Fathers, one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three
Holy Spirits.”
We should also understand that the way the creed is
confessed in Eastern churches is not “wrong.” Creeds are not intended to be a
comprehensive treatment of all doctrine. They do confess certain core truths.
This is a “core truth” that, while accepted, is not explicitly confessed in the Eastern form of the creed. Of
course some in the Eastern church reject this core truth, which in itself is a
good argument to retain the word “Filoque.”
Dulles covers his topic well however he is clearly writing
for pastors, professors and the like. Also, he is a bit dry. Some of the
concepts might be hard for those not familiar with the literature to easily
grasp. Still, if you wish to ponder some of the deeper spiritual meat taught in
the Bible about the Godhead, this is a great little article for you to read and
think about.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor
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