NAME : RANGWANI IAN
REG NUMBER : M121301
PROGRAMME : B.A 2.1
YEAR : 2013
COURSE COD : RS 219
COURSE TITLE : CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY
LECTURER : MR MUZAMBI
QUESTION : Discuss the complexities associated with The Filioque.
DUE DATE : 30/04/13
Filioque is a combination of Latin words meaning "and from the Son ," added to the Nicene Creed by the Third Council of Toledo in 589 . It state that , "I believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and Son " . The Filioque debate is of importance , both as a theological issue in itself , and also as a matter of importance in the contemporary relations between the Eastern and Western Churches . The basic issue at stake is whether the Holy Spirit may be said to proceed from the Father alone or from the Father and Son .
Initially, the historical background is also of importance in this debate. “The Nicene Council in A.D. 325 was concerned with defending the Divinity of The Lord Jesus Christ against the Arian heresy. As such, the creed formulated by its fathers said little about the Church’s belief about The Holy Spirit. The Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381 was again concerned with defending the Divinity of The Lord Jesus Christ, but was also concerned with defending the Divinity of The Holy Spirit. For that reason, it expanded the Creed formulated by the previous Council in the section pertaining to the Church’s belief regarding The Holy Spirit. This section then read: “ We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-Giver, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke