Terminology Tuesday: filioque

A Latin term literally meaning “and the Son,” filioque became significant because of its addition to the description of the Holy Spirit in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (A.D. 381) by the Western (Latin) churches in the sixth century. Originally the Creed stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, but the addition of filioque suggested that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father “and the Son.” The addition of the filioque clause without the consensus of the Eastern churches ignited a great controversy and became a major factor in the subsequent split between the Eastern and Western churches in A.D. 1054.

Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling (1999). Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Kurt Jaros is the Executive Director of Defenders Media, where he oversees numerous apologetic web ministries including Apologetics315 and his weekly podcast, Veracity Hill.

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