Why I Do Not Profess the Filioque: Part 1

I came across this article the other day via my friend Chuck's blog (here).

In this article Ben Myers defends Protestant use of the filioque in the Nicene Creed. Over the next few posts I will attempt to defend my position as to why I do not profess the filioque as a Christian.

Although I'm sure I'll address some of Myers concerns I don't think I'll spend much time picking apart his arguments. Rather, I intend to spend time discussion the development and the potential ramifications of this doctrine and why I find it to be erroneous.

From the outset I should note that much of my thoughts will be adapted from my paper "The Filioque Controversy: An Historical and Theological Analysis" written in 2007. I will try to condense things but will still strive to be true to my sources and cite them when necessary (even though I don't know how to do footnotes on a blog).

To start off the discussion let me just briefly define what is meant by "filioque."

In the 325 the Nicene Creed was birthed as the primary definitive statement of belief for the Christian at the council of Nicea. Since this time, the Nicene Creed (slightly clarified at the council of Constantinople) has remained the chief confession for Christians (even more popular than the apostles creed until the rise of various protestant usage).

In the Nicene Creed is a statement: "I believe in the Holy Spirit...who proceeds from the Father..."

There is however, a much later western tradition (which we will analyze later) that professes the Nicene Creed as follows: "I believe in the Holy Spirit...who proceeds from the Father and the Son..." This phrase "and the Son" is what is meant by "filioque."

While it may seem like this small phrase is something inconsequential we must realize that the theological implications of this phrase are huge. The Great Schism between the Eastern and the Western Church in 1054 was, after all, mostly due to this tiny little phrase.

- Ben

Reading from morning devotions

The last few days (maybe a week or so) I've been reading/singing through a hymnal along with my other disciplines. I find this to be absolutely enlightening. Most of the time i just flip page by page until I see a hymn I know and I sing it, but occasionally a title will catch my eye and I'll read it and meditate on the words. That's what happened today, a title caught my eye after singing like 4 hymns and I started to read the words. The words really spoke to me so I thought that I would share them on here. The hymn may reveal my charismatic/mystical biases, but I'm in good company because after I was done I looked at who wrote it and realized it was Charles Wesley.

Come, Holy Ghost, Our Hearts Inspire
by Charles Wesley - pg 131 in the 1966 Methodist Hymnal

Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire, Let us thine influence prove:
Source of the old prophetic fire, Fountain of life and love.

Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee The prophets wrote and spoke;
Unlock the truth, thyself the key, Unseal the sacred book.

Expand thy wings, celestial Dove, Brood o'er our nature's night;
On our disordered spirits move, and let there now be light.

God, through himself, we then shall know If thou within us shine,
And sound with all thy saints below, the depths of love divine. Amen.

I don't want to sound overly preachy, but we truly need the move of the Holy Spirit in our dead western Christendom. His move is not just for the charismatics or the pentecostals. No, the whole church is to be driven by the "celestial dove," we should expect to see the evidences of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God in our churches as we earnestly pursue God. We should be actively moving in and practicing the gifts that are given to the church for the edification of believers.

I would write more but I'm off to lunch with my Pastor, and no we're not going to study the Purpose Driven Life (see post below entitled: "an email I sent a few people the other day.” if you're confused). I guess since I have to go, my ranting and raving will have to be saved for another day, but fear not, it will come.