The filioque has been a topic
which has separated Eastern Christianity from Western Christianity. It played a
major role in the Schism of 1054 between the Latin West and the Greek East.
Many have expressed their views. Here Metropolitan Kallistos Ware expresses,
laconically, this serious issue, a theology defended by most faithful of the
Western Church and attacked by the whole Orthodox Church. Bishop Kallistos
explains,
“In the Latin West, it is usually
held that the Spirit proceeds “from the Father and from the Son”; and the word filioque (“and from the Son”) has been
added to the Latin text of the Creed. Orthodoxy not only regards the filioque as an unauthorized addition –
for it was inserted into the Creed without the consent of the Christian East –
but it also considers that the doctrine of the “double procession”, as commonly
expounded, is theologically inexact and spiritually harmful. According to the
Greek Fathers of the fourth century, whom the Orthodox Church follows to this
day, the Father is the sole source and ground of unity in the Godhead. To make
the Son a source as well as the Father, or in combination with him, is to risk
confusing the distinctive characteristics of the persons”[1].
On matters of worship The Orhodox spend hours in it. Services lasting 3 - 4 hours not uncommon especially during holy week
ReplyDeleteBut, on matters of Faith, there are so little words needed.
God bless Met Kallistos. Lovely Father.