Sarah Mitchell
The inclusion of the Filioque in the Nicene Creed has been a significant point of contention between the Eastern and Western churches. The Filioque clause, meaning and the Son, asserts that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, which some argue compromises the monarchy of the Father as the original source of the Son and the Spirit. While the Latin liturgical tradition, including Roman Catholics, embraces this clause, Byzantine Rite Catholics have a more complex stance. They do not overtly reject the Filioque as heretical, but they generally omit it during liturgy, maintaining the Eastern understanding of the Father as the source of the Trinity. This difference in theological interpretation has been a contributing factor to the East-West schism within the Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recitation of the Filioque | Byzantine Catholics do not recite the Filioque during liturgy. |
| Belief in the Filioque | Byzantine Catholics do not believe the Filioque to be "misguided Western theological opinion" or "corrupting heresy". They believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son and as from one principle and one cause. |
| Use in Liturgy | The use of the Filioque in liturgy is up to the particular church, and most do not use it. |
| Position of the Church | Byzantine Rite churches agreed to union with Rome under conditions established at the Council of Florence in 1439, one of which was that they would not add the Filioque to the Creed. |
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What You'll Learn
- Byzantine Catholics do not recite the Filioque during liturgy
- They do not reject the Filioque as heretical, unlike the Orthodox Church
- The Filioque was added to the Creed by Charlemagne to accuse the Byzantine Emperor of heresy
- The Filioque is a legitimate variation of the Creed particular to the Latin liturgical tradition
- The Filioque is not recited by the Pope when concelebrating with Eastern bishops or during ecumenical prayer services
Byzantine Catholics do not recite the Filioque during liturgy
The inclusion of the Filioque in the Nicene Creed has been a contentious issue between the Eastern and Western churches. The Filioque refers to the part of the Nicene Creed where Christians declare that the Holy Spirit proceeds "from the Father and the Son". The addition of the Filioque to the Creed was made without consultation with the East or an Ecumenical Council, and this played a significant role in the East-West schism.
Eastern Catholic Churches, including Byzantine Catholics, generally do not recite the Filioque during liturgy. They recognise that it is not heretical in Latin, but in the original Greek, it contradicts their understanding of the Trinity, with the Father as the source. The Byzantine Rite churches agreed to union with Rome under the conditions established at the Council of Florence in 1439, which included respecting their traditions and not adding the Filioque to the Creed.
However, the Eastern Catholic stance on the Filioque is complex and varies between churches. While they do not use it during liturgy, some churches include "and the Son" parenthetically in the written liturgy. The use of the Filioque liturgically is ultimately left to the discretion of each particular church.
It is important to note that the Creed without the Filioque is considered the normative form for the entire Catholic Church, and the Holy Father celebrates the Creed without the Filioque when concelebrating with Eastern bishops or during ecumenical prayer services.
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They do not reject the Filioque as heretical, unlike the Orthodox Church
Byzantine Catholics do not reject the Filioque as heretical, unlike the Orthodox Church. The Filioque refers to the part of the Nicene Creed in which Christians declare that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son". The Orthodox Church, along with Eastern Catholic Churches, does not recite this part of the Creed.
The addition of the Filioque to the Creed was a significant point of contention between the Eastern and Western churches, contributing to the East-West schism. The Eastern Church viewed the Filioque as a corruption of the original Creed, which stated that the Holy Spirit proceeded only from the Father. The Western Church, on the other hand, argued that the Filioque was a legitimate development of the Creed that did not contradict the earlier version.
While Byzantine Catholics do not reject the Filioque as heretical, they often choose not to recite it during liturgy. This is because they recognise that the Filioque is a unique part of the Latin liturgical tradition and does not translate well into Greek, which is the theological root language of the Eastern Catholic Churches. By omitting the Filioque, they respect the traditions and understanding of the Trinity within their church.
Additionally, the Catholic Church has acknowledged the Creed of the First Council of Constantinople (AD 381), which did not include the Filioque. In recent years, there have been efforts to reconcile the differences between the Eastern and Western churches on this issue. For example, in 1995, the Holy Father requested the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity to reconsider the matter, resulting in a document that affirmed the Eastern understanding of the Father as the source of the Trinity.
In conclusion, while Byzantine Catholics do not consider the Filioque heretical, they generally choose not to recite it during liturgy out of respect for their theological traditions and to maintain harmony with the Orthodox Church's understanding of the Trinity.
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The Filioque was added to the Creed by Charlemagne to accuse the Byzantine Emperor of heresy
The addition of the Filioque to the Creed has been a major point of contention between Eastern and Western Christianity. The Latin term "Filioque" means "and from the Son" and was added to the original Nicene Creed, which was composed in Greek and did not include the term. The controversy surrounding the inclusion of the Filioque in the Creed has been attributed to Emperor Charlemagne, who is believed to have added it to accuse the Byzantine Emperor of heresy.
The original Nicene Creed, adopted by the First Council of Nicaea in 325, ended with the phrase "and in the Holy Spirit" without specifying the procession of the Holy Spirit. In the late 6th century, some Latin Churches added the words "and from the Son" (Filioque) to describe the procession, which was not part of the original text from the First Council of Constantinople in 381. This addition was considered a violation by many Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Charlemagne's adoption of the practice of chanting the Latin Credo at Mass, including the Filioque, in 798 spread throughout his empire. He was crowned Emperor in Rome in 800 and sought to accuse the East, including the Byzantine Emperor, of heresy for not reciting the Filioque. Charlemagne's efforts to get Pope Leo III to approve the addition of Filioque to the Creed were met with resistance, and the Pope unambiguously supported the current theological position, refusing to change the creed.
The controversy over the Filioque continued for centuries, with the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius publishing the Ecthesis in 638, defining Monothelitism as the official imperial form of Christianity. This doctrine asserted that Christ had two natures but only a single will, and it was widely accepted in the East. However, the Latin theological tradition emphasized the role of the Son in the spiration of the Spirit while maintaining the Father's monarchy, as expressed in the Filioque clause.
Eastern Catholics do not have to accept the Filioque, and it is often omitted in their liturgical practices. They recognize that it is not heresy but is theologically incompatible with their understanding of the Trinity in the original Greek. The issue has largely been resolved in recent years, with the Holy Father acknowledging the Eastern understanding of the Father as the source of the Trinity as definitive for the Catholic Church, easing tensions between East and West.
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The Filioque is a legitimate variation of the Creed particular to the Latin liturgical tradition
The addition of the Filioque to the Creed has been a significant point of contention between the Eastern and Western churches. The Filioque refers to the affirmation of the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son" in the Nicene Creed. While the Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches do not recite this part of the Creed, it is a legitimate variation particular to the Latin liturgical tradition.
The Latin word "filioque" translates to "'and the Son' in English. The inclusion of the Filioque in the Creed is a development that can be traced back to the ancient Latin and Alexandrian traditions. Pope St. Leo I confessed it dogmatically in 447, and it was gradually admitted into the Latin liturgy between the eighth and eleventh centuries. This addition does not contradict the earlier version of the Creed, which was ratified by Pope St. Leo I in 451 at the Council of Chalcedon.
The Eastern Catholic Churches accept the Filioque as legitimate expression of the Latin theological tradition. They recognize that it is not heretical in Latin but respect the original Greek version, which does not include it. The use of the Filioque in liturgy is up to the particular church, and most Eastern Catholic Churches omit it when reciting the Nicene Creed.
The Filioque clause expresses the Latin Church's understanding of the Trinity, emphasizing the role of the Son in the spiration of the Spirit while maintaining the Father's monarchy. This variation of the Creed is a complementarity that does not affect the identity of faith in the reality of the same mystery confessed. The Catholic Church acknowledges the normative form of the Creed without the Filioque, as professed in Greek at Constantinople in 381 by the Second Ecumenical Council.
In summary, the Filioque is a legitimate variation of the Creed particular to the Latin liturgical tradition. Eastern Catholic Churches do not reject it as heresy but generally do not use it in their liturgy. The Filioque controversy is no longer a major stumbling block between East and West, and the Catholic Church has acknowledged the Eastern understanding of the Trinity as definitive.
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The Filioque is not recited by the Pope when concelebrating with Eastern bishops or during ecumenical prayer services
The addition of the Filioque to the Creed was a significant point of contention between the Eastern and Western churches, contributing to the East-West schism. The Filioque refers to the affirmation that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son", which was added to the Nicene Creed in the Latin liturgy between the 8th and 11th centuries. The Eastern Orthodox Church, along with Eastern Catholic Churches, do not recite this part of the Creed, as it is not present in the original Greek version from the Council of Constantinople in 381.
The Byzantine Rite churches agreed to union with Rome under the condition that they would not be required to add the Filioque to the Creed, and this has largely been respected. While Eastern Catholics do not overtly reject the Filioque as heretical, they generally omit it during liturgical recitations of the Creed. The use of the Filioque is up to the particular church, and most Eastern Catholic churches choose not to include it.
In an effort to promote Christian unity, the Pope has also respected this tradition. When concelebrating with Eastern bishops or during ecumenical prayer services, the Pope always recites the Creed without the Filioque. This is in line with the Catholic Church's acknowledgment of the Creed of the First Council of Constantinople as the normative form of the Creed for the entire Catholic Church.
The omission of the Filioque by the Pope and Eastern Catholics does not imply a rejection of its legitimacy within the Latin liturgical tradition. Rather, it is a recognition of the different theological understandings between the Eastern and Western churches and an effort to maintain harmony and respect for the traditions of both sides.
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Frequently asked questions
Byzantine Catholics do not say the Filioque during liturgy. It is omitted when reciting the Nicene Creed, although "and the son" may appear parenthetically in written liturgy.
Filioque is Latin for "and the Son". It refers to the part of the Nicene Creed where Christians declare the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son".
The Filioque was added to the Creed by Charlemagne as an excuse to accuse the Byzantine Emperor of heresy. The Eastern tradition expresses the Father as the first origin of the Spirit, while the Western tradition emphasizes the communion between Father and Son.
Byzantine Catholics do not consider the Filioque to be heresy, but they do not use it during liturgy.
