St. Gregory of Nyssa and Filioque Controversy

Oct 29, 2024

Lecture Notes: St. Gregory of Nyssa and the Filioque Controversy

Key Figures

  • St. Gregory of Nyssa: Important Church Father, one of the Cappadocian Fathers.
  • Cappadocian Fathers: Influential group of early theologians in the Eastern Church.

Main Concepts

Filioque Doctrine

  • Filioque: Refers to the belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.
  • Catholic Position: Supports the Filioque as a key doctrine.
  • Eastern Orthodox Position: Rejects the Filioque, adhering to the belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.

Causation in Trinitarian Theology

  • Greek Terminology: 'Aetia' means cause, used to describe the origin of one divine person from another in the Trinity.
  • Latin Terminology: Uses 'principle' instead of cause.
  • St. Gregory's View: Persons of the Trinity are distinguished based on causation; Father is the cause, Son is directly from the Father, Spirit is through the Son.

St. Gregory’s Arguments

On the Not Three Gods (to Ablabius)

  • Mature Work of St. Gregory: Written around 390 AD.
  • Distinctions: Confirms that distinctions in the Trinity are based on cause and that which is caused.
  • Role of the Son: Indicates that the Spirit's procession involves the Son as a mediating cause.

Against Eunomius

  • Concepts of Causation: Discusses the causation relation, emphasizing that all three persons are eternal.
  • Son as a Cause: Suggests that the Son has a causal role in the Spirit's procession.

Orthodox Counter-Arguments

Eternal Manifestation

  • Eastern Orthodox Position: Suggests an eternal shining forth distinct from procession.
  • Criticism: The position is seen as lacking basis and a reaction to the evidence for the Filioque.

Relations of Opposition

  • Eastern Orthodox Claims: Deny the notion of relations of opposition in the Trinity.
  • St. Gregory’s Rebuttal: Clearly teaches relations of opposition, aligning with the Catholic understanding.

Importance of the Filioque in Catholic Doctrine

  • Catholic Interpretation: The Spirit's procession from both Father and Son upholds the distinctions within the Trinity.
  • St. Gregory’s Support: His teachings are used as evidence for the Catholic position.
  • Critiques of Eastern Orthodox: Paint their counter-arguments as misunderstandings or misrepresentations of patristic evidence.

Historical and Theological Implications

  • Council of Florence: Reinforces the Catholic doctrine regarding the procession of the Holy Spirit.
  • Synods and Councils: Eastern Orthodox synods have anathematized views supporting the Filioque.

Takeaways

  • The Filioque is a significant point of theological divergence between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
  • St. Gregory of Nyssa's writings and theology are central to the Catholic defense of the Filioque.
  • Misunderstandings and historical developments have fueled the Filioque controversy over centuries.