Filioque: Eastern Orthodoxy vs. Catholicism

Main Topic

• Filioque: Term concerning the eternal hypostatic origin of the Holy Spirit.
• Eastern Orthodox Position: Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.
  • The Father alone communicates the Divine Essence to the Holy Spirit.
• Catholic Position: Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
  • The Father and the Son communicate the Divine Essence to the Holy Spirit through one principle of spiration.

Through the Son

• Eastern Orthodox view: Holy Spirit's procession from the Father through the Son shouldn't imply causality from the Son.
  • Council of Blachernae: Condemned the view that the Spirit receives its being from the Son.
• Catholic view: "Through the Son" can indicate the Spirit's eternal manifestation or economic procession.
  • The Council of Florence supported the dual procession argument.

Eternal Manifestation

• Majority View: Energetic procession equals eternal manifestation.
• Minority View: They are distinct concepts.
• Catholic Argument: The Holy Spirit's reception of essence and being from both Father and Son indicates a shared spiration.

Theological Arguments

1. Father and Son Spiration

   • The Father gives all to the Son except paternity.
   • The Father spirates, therefore the Son spirates.
   • Scriptural Basis: John 16: All that the Father has is mine.

2. Relation of Persons

   • Distinction in the Trinity based on relations of opposition.
   • Father's unique property: Being unbegotten.

Biblical Evidence

• John 16: Indicates the Holy Spirit receives from the Son.
  • Knowledge and spiration imply more than economic proceedings.
• Revelation 22:1: River of Water of Life (Holy Spirit) proceeds from the throne of God and the Lamb.

Church Fathers

• St. Augustine: Advocated that the Spirit proceeds from both Father and Son.
  • Identified hearing and knowledge from the Son as spiration.
• St. Athanasius: Supported the filioque through scriptural interpretation.
• St. Ambrose, St. Isidore, St. Epiphanius: All supported dual procession in various writings.

Theological Objections and Clarifications

• Monarchy of the Father: Catholic position maintains the Father as the sole source of deity.
• Subordination Argument: Shared spiration does not imply the Holy Spirit is lesser.
• Essence-Energy Distinction: Critiqued as leading to a composite God or denying divinity to energies.

Conclusion

• The Filioque is a substantial theological distinction between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
• Catholic dogma is that the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son, maintaining the monarchy of the Father while acknowledging a shared spiration.
• The debate is not merely semantic but has implications for understanding the Trinity's internal life and economic missions.