The Filioque

Ed Siecinski examines how the Church has viewed the procession of the Holy Spirit throughout its history, beginning with the Trinitarian controversies of the early Christian centuries. The first comprehensive study of the key controversy separating the Eastern and Western churches.

Despite the burgeoning literature on Karl Barth, his doctrine of the Holy Spirit continues to be under-appreciated by his friends and critics alike. Yet, while Barth's commitment to the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son (Filioque) is well-known, many scholars dismiss his stand as ecumenically untenable and few have bothered to subject his stance on the Filioque to close theological analysis. For those interested in this long-standing ecumenical point of contention between Eastern and Western trinitarian theology, this book will show how Barth's doctrine of the Filioque may still have something to contribute to the debate. The work traces the origin of Barth's commitment to the Filioque in his early career (particularly in Romans and the Göttingen Dogmatics), and then analyzes how the doctrine functions throughout the Church Dogmatics. Guretzki concludes that Barth's doctrine of the Filioque, while clearly standing within the Western trinitarian tradition, is atypical in that he refuses to speak of a double-procession in favour of a common procession of the Spirit--a position that has more affinity with the Eastern position than many of Barth's critics may have thought

Among the issues that have divided Eastern and Western Christians throughout the centuries, few have had as long and interesting a history as the question of the filioque. Christians everywhere confess their faith in the ancient words of the Nicene Creed. But rather than serve as a source of unity, the Creed has been one of the chief sources of division, as East and West profess their faith in the Trinitarian God using different language. In the Orthodox East, the faithful profess their belief in "the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father." In the West, however, they say they believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father "and the Son"-in Latin "filioque." For over a millennium Christendom's greatest minds have addressed and debated the question (sometimes in rather polemical terms) in the belief that the theological issues at stake were central to an orthodox understanding of the trinitarian God. To most modern people, this may seem like a trivial matter, and indeed most ordinary Christians would be hard pressed to explain the doctrine behind this phrase. In the history of Christianity, however, these words have played an immense role, and the story behind them deserves to be told. For to tell the story of the filioque is to tell of the rise and fall of empires, of crusades launched and repelled, of holy men willing to die for the faith, and of worldly men willing to use it for their own political ends. It is, perhaps, one of the most interesting stories in all of Christendom, filled with characters and events that would make even the best dramatists envious. The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy is the first complete English language history of the filioque written in over a century. Beginning with the biblical texts and ending with recent agreements on the place and meaning of the filioque, this book traces the history of the doctrine and the controversy that has surrounded it. From the Greek and Latin fathers, the ninth-century debates, the Councils of Lyons and Ferrara-Florence, to the twentieth- and twenty-first century-theologians and dialogues that have come closer than ever to solving this thorny problem, Edward Siecienski explores the strange and fascinating history behind one of the greatest ecumenical rifts in Christendom.

In The Filioque Reconsidered, Chungman Lee offers a concise yet thorough evaluation of the contemporary discussion on the filioque and examines the trinitarian theologies of Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine of Hippo.

The Filioque (and the Son) controversy, about the words of the creed - that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father (and the Son) led to the final split between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Of the early attempts to heal the schism between the Byzantine and Western churches, none is as famous as the Council of Lyons, 1274. Less familiar is the Byzantine reaction that followed in the patriachate of Gregory of Cyprus, when the settlement of 1274 was formally repudiated by imperial decree and the solemn decision of the Byzantine Church at the Council of Blachernae, 1285. This work is a study of Gregory II and the Council of 1285

"The original Nicene Creed (381 AD) said that the Holy Spirit 'proceeds from the Father' and the Eastern Orthodox churches follow that wording to this day. However, in the West the growing tradition was to think of the Spirit as 'proceeding from the Father and the Son' (Latin: filioque) and eventually in 589 AD the ecumenical creed of Nicea was modified by the Catholic Church to include the word 'filioque' ('and the Son'). This controversial move was the sole doctrinal cause of the Great Schism that divided the Orthodox and Catholic Churches (1054 AD) and it remains a dividing issue with the Christian Church to this day. This study examines the defense of the filioque clause by four medieval theologians in the Catholic Church and seeks to show why it mattered so much to them: ¥ Anselm (1033-1109) ¥ Thomas Aquinas (1224-1275) ¥ Richard of St Victor (d. 1173) ¥ Bonaventure (1217-1274) Opening with a history of the filioque, Ngien places each theologian's rational defence within the broader context, making this book much more than a discussion of the one contentious clause, but also a general introduction to medieval conceptions of the Trinity. "

The most comprehensive scholarly survey of Karl Barth’s theology ever published Karl Barth, arguably the most influential theologian of the 20th century, is widely considered one of the greatest thinkers within the history of the Christian tradition. Readers of Karl Barth often find his work both familiar and strange: the questions he considers are the same as those Christian theologians have debated for centuries, but he often addresses these questions in new and surprising ways. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Karl Barth helps readers understand Barth’s theology and his place in the Christian tradition through a new lens. Covering nearly every topic related to Barth’s life and thought, this work spans two volumes, comprising 66 in-depth chapters written by leading experts in the field. Volume One explores Barth’s dogmatic theology in relation to traditional Christian theology, provides historical timelines of Barth’s life and works, and discusses his significance and influence. Volume Two examines Barth’s relationship to various figures, movements, traditions, religions, and events, while placing his thought in its theological, ecumenical, and historical context. This groundbreaking work: Places Barth into context with major figures in the history of Christian thought, presenting a critical dialogue between them Features contributions from a diverse team of scholars, each of whom are experts in the subject Provides new readers of Barth with an introduction to the most important questions, themes, and ideas in Barth’s work Offers experienced readers fresh insights and interpretations that enrich their scholarship Edited by established scholars with expertise on Barth’s life, his theology, and his significance in Christian tradition An important contribution to the field of Barth scholarship, the Wiley Blackwell Companion to Karl Barth is an indispensable resource for scholars and students interested in the work of Karl Barth, modern theology, or systematic theology.