The Filioque: Revisiting the Doctrinal Debate Between Catholics and Orthodox

At the root of the schism between Catholics and Orthodox is the divergence between the two on the issue of the eternal procession of the Holy Spirit. From the 9th to 15th centuries, the doctrine of the Filioque occupied the greatest concern for the Greeks, since they understood its concept to entail an essential Trinitarian error. Were the Orthodox objections to the Filioque sound? Did the Catholics have a good response? Written for both the fresh inquirer and the seasoned theologian, this book sets out to answer these questions. The reader is provided with a robust investigation into the historic models of the doctrine of the Trinity as constructed by the Latin and Greek Fathers. Following this, the objections coming from pre-eminent voices of the Orthodox tradition such as Photius, Gregory II of Cyprus, and Gregory Palamas are explained and tested in light of Scripture and Tradition. While Catholics and Orthodox have never come to achieve any official resolution to this doctrinal disparity, when the core concerns of both are highlighted, it becomes plain that there are far greater similarities than there are dissimilarities. Nevertheless, because the Filioque controversy was the chief issue that caused the separation between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, one will need to give a critical examination of the theology of both sides so as to create a well-informed opinion on the matter. This book seeks to provide the reader with such an opportunity.