'''''Filioque''''' is a Latin word meaning "and the Son" which was interpolated into added to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]] by the [[Church of Rome]] in the 11th century, one of the major factors leading to the [[Great Schism]] between East and West. This inclusion in the Creedal article regarding the [[Holy Spirit]] thus states that the Spirit "proceeds from the Father '''''and the Son'''''."

The interpolation of the Filioque into Its inclusion in the Creed is seen by Eastern Orthodox a violation of the [[canons]] of the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] in 431, which forbade and [[anathema]]tized any additions to the Creed, a prohibition which was reiterated at the [[Eighth Ecumenical Council]] in 879-880. The Eastern Orthodox, however, make no protest against the Latin interpolation "Deum de Deo" ("God from God") into the text of the Creed. The Filioque, like the phrase "Deum de Deo," This word was not included by neither the [[First Ecumenical Council|Council of Nicea]], nor of [[Second Ecumenical Council|Constantinople]]. The term itself has been interpreted in both an orthodox Orthodox fashion and wrongly in a heterodox fashion. It is may be read as saying that the Spirit proceeds from the Father through (''dia'') the Son; this . This was the position of St [[Maximus the Confessor]]. In On this reading, the Son is not an eternal cause (''aition'') of the Spirit. The heterodox reading, which is not held by the Latin Church, sees the Son, along with the Father, as an eternal cause of the Spirit. Most in the Eastern [[Orthodox Church]]es consider this latter reading to be a [[heresy]].

The description of the ''filioque'' as a heresy was iterated most clearly and definitively by the great [[Church Fathers|Father]]and [[Pillars of Orthodoxy|Pillar]] of the Church, St. [[Photiusthe Great]], in his ''On the Mystagogy of the Holy Spirit''. Ignoring the orthodox interpretation held by the West, he He describes it as a heresy of [[Triadology]], striking at the very heart of what the Church believes about God.

In the West, St. [[Augustine of Hippo]] taught that the Spirit came from the Father ''and'' the Son, though subordinate to neither. His theology was dominant in the West until the Middle Ages, including his [[Triadology|theology of the Trinity]]. Other Latin fathers also spoke of the Spirit proceeding from both the Father and the Son. While familiar in the West, this way of speaking was virtually unknown in the Greek-speaking, Byzantine Eastern Roman Empire.

Although the [[Second Ecumenical Council]] in 381 had expanded and completed the [[Nicene Creed]] begun at the [[First Ecumenical Council]], the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] (Ephesus, 431) had forbidden any further changes to the theology of the Creedit, except for by another [[Ecumenical Council]]. By this time, then, the theology text of the [[Nicene Creed]] had acquired a certain definitive authority, of ecumenical value and importance. Rome received the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]], which referred to preceding councils, citing the authority of the theology of the Creed.

The ''filioque'' was first used in Toledo, Spain in 587 without the consultation or agreement of Rome received the [[Pentarchy|five patriarchsFourth Ecumenical Council]] of , which referred to preceding councils, citing the [[Church]] at that time and in direct violation of [[canons]] authority of the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] that prohibited unilateral alteration text of the Creed by anything short of another [[Ecumenical Council]]. The purpose of its addition However, at this time, central Italy was in Spain was to counter a [[heresy]] that state of collapse. In 410 and 455, Rome was local to that regionvandalized and sacked by barbarian invasions. In 476, probably some form of [[Arianism]] brought there from the East by Western Roman Empire fell, with the Goths (who had been missionized by exile of Romulus Augustulus, the Arian bishop [[Wulfila]])last emperor. The practice spread then to France where it was repudiated at the Gentilly Council in 767Chaos followed.

The ''filioque'' was first used in Toledo, Spain in 587 without the consultation or agreement of the [[Pentarchy|five patriarchs]] of the [[Church]] at that time and in direct violation of [[canons]] of the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] that prohibited unilateral alteration of the Creed by anything short of another [[Ecumenical Council]]. The purpose of its addition in Spain was to counter a [[heresy]] that was local to that region, probably some form of [[Arianism]] brought there by the Goths (who had been missionized by the Arian bishop [[Wulfila]]). The practice spread then to France where it was repudiated at the Gentilly Council in 767. After generations of social upheaval, strong leadership appeared in the person of Pepin the Short, king of the Franks, and his son, [[Charlemagne]], crowned as emperor in 800. Charlemagne intended to restore the Roman Empire in the West, with himself in charge, to the chagrin of the leaders of the Byzantine Eastern Roman Empire, whom he referred to as "Greeks" (and thus not Romans), despite the Roman capital being in the East and the continued use by Easterners of ''Roman'' to describe themselves. Charlemagne called for a council at Aix-la-Chapelle in 809 at which Pope [[Leo III of Rome|Leo III]] forbade the use of the ''filioque'' clause and ordered that the original version of the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]] be engraved on silver tablets displayed at St. Peter's Basilica in Romeso that his conclusion would not be overturned in the future. Some historians have suggested that the Franks in the 9th century pressured the Pope to adopt the ''filioque'' in order to drive a wedge between the Roman Church and the other patriarchates. Despite this action, It is true that the ''filioque'' came had come into wide use in the West and became was widely thought to be an integral part of the Creed, while Rome, renowned for its conservatismstability in Orthodoxy, resisted. Similarly, unleavened bread had come to be thought of as normative for the [[Eucharist]]; diocesan priests were expected to be unmarried. In such cases, in the West, ancient tradition was forgotten. Contemporary usage was thought to be normative and authentic. In these matters of discipline, the influence of the Franks is certain. They intended to exalt Charlemagne, as the new Roman Emperor. The Catholic religion, as they knew it, was to be part of the package. Meanwhile, from cca. 726 to 843, the Byzantine Eastern Roman Empire, under the thumb of successive emperors, was dominated by the heresy of [[iconoclasm]]. Both Franks and Greeks, in their own way, departed from ancient tradition. Unlike the East, however, where iconoclasm was repudiated at the [[Seventh Ecumenical Council]] and the use of icons later confirmed by the [[Theodora (9th century empress)|Empress Theodora]], the West to date never recovered from its departure.

Within a couple of generations, in 858, a new situation came to pass. The Byzantine Eastern Emperor Michael III removed [[Ignatius of Constantinople|Ignatius I]] as patriarch of Constantinople. The emperor replaced him with a layman, St. [[Photius the Great]], who was the first Imperial Secretary and Imperial Ambassador to Baghdad. However, Ignatius refused to bow to secular authorityabdicate. Michael and Photius invited Pope [[Nicholas I of Rome]] to send legates to preside over a synod in Constantinople to settle the matter. With the council, the legates confirmed the patriarchate of Photius, much to Nicholas's chagrin, who then declared that they had "exceeded their authority."

In opposition to this removal of Ignatius, the bishop of Rome supported Ignatius as legitimate patriarch. Moreover, violating contrary to existing canons, Photius had been ordained to the office of bishop very quickly. Some scholarship suggests that violation of these canons was the main reason the bishop of Rome rejected the appointment of Photius, though other major actions by Nicholas to bolster his power and position as pope puts his intervention in Eastern ecclesiastical matters more firmly in the context of his general programme of the growth of papal monarchy.

After Therefore, after the arrival of an embassy from Ignatius, in 862, Nicholas said that Photius was deposed, as well as the bishop who ordained him and all the clergy Photius had appointed. The sheer temerity of this action did not even generate a response from Constantinople. However, several years later in 867, Photius finally rejected the Pope's assertion, particularly because of the activities of Latin missionaries in Bulgaria, who were, as St. Photius claimedsays, turning the Orthodox Christians there away from the their pure Orthodox faith and leading them into [[heresy]]—most notably, the ''filioque''. Photius' response cited the ''filioque'' as proof that Rome had a habit of overstepping its proper limits.

In 867 and 869-70, synods in Rome and Constantinople (the [[Robber Council of 869-870]]) restored Ignatius to his position as patriarch and deposed Photius. In 877, after the death of Ignatius, Photius again resumed office, by order of the emperorand by the request of Ignatius himself, to whom Photius had been reconciled. In 879-880, he was officially restored to his seeand the ''filioque'' effectively condemned by the [[Eighth Ecumenical Council]], a council at which papal legates participated and which the current pope, [[John VIII of Rome|John VIII]], eventually confirmed. He was deposed in 886 when Leo VI took over as emperor, who had had a dispute with his father and turned his animosity for his father toward one of his father's friends, Photius. Photius spent the rest of his life as a monk in exile in Armenia; he is revered by the Eastern Orthodox today as a [[saint]], one of the great [[Pillars of Orthodoxy]]. He was the first important [[theologian]] to accuse Rome of [[heresy]] in the matter of the ''filioque'', although it was an accusation based on a false reading of the Latin understanding.

In the ninth century, Pope [[Leo III of Rome]] agreed with the ''filioque'' phrase theologically but was opposed to adopting it in Rome, in part because of his loyalty to the received [[tradition]]. (He also knew that the Greeks resented the new Roman Empire in the West and Charlemagne in particular; the Pope wanted to preserve Church unity.) In fact, Leo had the traditional text of the Creed, without the ''filioque'', displayed publicly, having the original text engraved on two silver tablets, at the tomb of St. [[Apostle Peter|Peter]]. In any case, during the time of Pope Leo's leadership, 795-816, there was no Creed at all in the Roman Mass.

Later, in 1014, the German Emperor Henry II of the Holy Roman Empire visited Rome for his coronation and found that the Creed was not used during the Mass. At his request, the bishop of Rome added the Creed, as it was known in the West with the ''filioque'', after the Gospel. At this time, the papacy was very weak and very much under the influence of the Germans. For the sake of survival, the Pope needed the military support of the Emperor. This was the first time the Creed phrase was used in the [[Mass]] at Rome.

In 1054, however, the argument contributed to the [[Great Schism]] of the East and West, and the West went so far as to accuse the East of heresy for not accepting the theology of including the ''filioque''in the Creed. There were many other issues involved, in large part based on misunderstandings between Greek and Latin traditions, as well as the irascible temperament of the antagonists. These were Cardinal [[Humbert]] from Rome and Patriarch [[Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople|Michael Cerularius]] of Constantinople. In addition to the actual difference in wording and doctrine in the ''filioque'', a related issue was the right of the Pope to make a change in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]] on his own for exclusive use in the Roman liturgy, apart from an [[Ecumenical Council]].

In the thirteenth century, St. Thomas Aquinas was one of the dominant Scholastic theologians. He dealt explicitly with the processions of the divine Persons in his ''Summa Theologica''. While the theology of Aquinas and other Scholastics was dominant in the Western Middle Ages, for all its apparent clarity and brilliance, it remains theology, not official [[Roman Catholic Church]] teaching. In 1274, the Second [[Council of Lyons]] said that the [[Holy Spirit]] proceeds from the [[God the Father|Father]] and the [[Christ|Son]], in accord with the ''filioque'' in the contemporary Latin version of the [[Nicene Creed]]. Reconciliation with the East, through this council, did not last. Remembering the Crusaders' sack of Constantinople in 1204, Orthodox Christians did not want to be reconciled with the West in terms of capitulation to Latin [[Triadology]] and [[ecclesiology]]. In 1283, Patriarch [[John Beccus]], who supported reconciliation with the Latin Church, was forced to abdicate; reunion failed.

In 1274, The Crusaders in question were the Second [[Council Venetians of Lyons]] said that the [[Holy Spirit]] proceeds from the [[God the Father|Father]] and the [[Christ|SonFourth Crusade]], who had earlier been excommunicated for attacking other Christians. In 1204, they were getting even for a slaughter of Venetian merchants, in accord with the ''filioque'' rioting, that took place in 1182. Pope Innocent III had sent them a letter, asking them not to attack Constantinople; after hearing of the contemporary Latin version sack of the [[Nicene Creed]]. Reconciliation with the Eastcity, through this council, did not lasthe lamented their action and disowned them. Remembering Nevertheless, the Crusaders' sack people of Constantinople in 1204had a deep hatred for the people they called the "Latins" or the "Franks, Eastern Orthodox Christians did not want to be reconciled with " and of course the Western church's major "endowment" from the West spoils carried away now still largely rests in terms the hands of capitulation to Latin [[Triadology]] and [[ecclesiology]]. In 1283, Patriarch [[John Beccus]], who supported reconciliation with the Latin Church, was forced to abdicate; reunion failedVatican.

The Crusaders in question For much of the 14th century, there were two bishops, each claiming to be Pope, each excommunicating the Venetians followers of the [[Fourth Crusade]], who had earlier been excommunicated for attacking other Christians. In 1204, they were getting avenging The Great Western Schism concluded with yet a third individual claiming to be Pope and the slaughter Council of Venetian merchants, in rioting, that took place in 1182Constance. Pope Innocent III had sent them The East could hardly seek reconciliation with a letter, asking them not to attack Constantinople; after hearing of the sack of the city, he lamented their action and disowned themWestern Church divided among itself. Nevertheless, (In the people middle of Constantinople had a deep hatred for the people they called the "Latins" or the "Frankscentury," even though the sack about a third of Western Europe died of Constantinople was done against the will of Black Death. People were more concerned about the Popeplague than about Church unity.)

For much At the [[Council of Florence]] in 1439, Emperor [[John VIII Palaeologus]], Patriarch Joseph of the 14th centuryConstantinople, there were two and other bishopsfrom the East travelled to northern Italy in hope of reconciliation with the West, each claiming mainly in order to be Popesolicit military assistance to fend off the encroaching Turkish invaders. After extensive discussion, in Ferrara, then in Florence, each excommunicating they acknowledged that some Latin Fathers spoke of the followers procession of the otherSpirit differently from the Greek Fathers. The Great Since the general consensus of the Fathers was held to be reliable, as a witness to common faith, the Western Schism concluded with yet a third individual claiming usage was held not to be Pope a heresy and not a barrier to restoration of full communion. All but one of the Council Orthodox bishops present agreed and signed a decree of Constanceunion between East and West, ''Laetentur Coeli'' in 1439. The East could hardly seek reconciliation with one bishop who refused to sign and was later heralded as a Western Pillar of Orthodoxy by the Church divided against itselfwas St. (In [[Mark of Ephesus]], who followed in the middle footsteps of the centuryprevious Pillar of Orthodoxy, about a third of Western Europe died of St. [[Photius the Black Death with no help from the EastGreat]].)

At Officially and publicly, Rome and the [[Council of Florence]] Orthodox Church were back in 1439communion. However, Emperor [[John VIII Palaeologus]]the reconciliation achieved at Florence was soon destroyed, Patriarch Joseph founded as it was on a compromise of Constantinople, faith. Numerous Orthodox faithful and other bishops from rejected the East travelled to northern Italy in hope of reconciliation with the Westunion. After extensive discussion in FerraraMoreover, and then after the Turks [[Fall of Constantinople|conquered Constantinople in Florence1453]], they acknowledged that some Latin Fathers spoke of the procession of the Spirit differently fostered separation from the Greek FathersWest, which remained an adversary to Islamic political and military dominance. Since the general consensus of Furthermore, the Fathers was held to be reliablepatriarch, as a witness to common faithGennadius, the Western usage was held not to be a heresy and not a barrier to restoration also one of full communion. All the Eastern patriarchs and bishops, except [[Mark who had repudiated the reunion of Ephesus]] signed a decree of union between East and West, ''Laetentur Coeli'' in 1439Florence on his own initiative.

Officially and publiclyFinally, the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches were back in communion. However, theology of rationalistic Western Scholasticism predominated among the reconciliation achieved at Florence was soon destroyed. Numerous Eastern Orthodox faithful Latin theologians and bishops rejected and so obscured the union even though it was decided biblical, patristic perspective long advocated by an ecumenical council. Moreoverthe East, after in which the Spirit is said to proceed "from the Turks Father" (as in [[Fall Gospel of ConstantinopleJohn|conquered Constantinople in 1453John]]15:26) or, they fostered separation more rarely, "from the Father ''through'' the Son" (as in some of the Fathers). The Eastern bishops had not imbibed the rationalist intellectualism of the West, which remained and so were unconvinced by the highly abstract and convoluted arguments of the Scholastics. Hence, the agreement of Florence, intellectually, represented in many respects an adversary to Islamic political and military dominanceimposition of Scholastic theology.

Undeniably, the ''filioque'' controversy was at least officially resolved, for both Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians. However, because of the historical situation and because of the different ecclesiologies of the East and West—in the East, the whole Church is seen as the guardian of faith, while for the West, the Magisterium maintains the faith—this resolution was neither fully received nor permanently sustained.

In December of 1452, Though there had been a reunion [[Divine Liturgy|liturgy]] was held in December of 1452 at [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]] in Constantinople at which the Pope's name was commemorated and the ''filioque'' used in the Creed; some , that had been largely boycotted by most of the clergy and laity boycotted itin the city. On the evening of [[May 28]], 1453, however, another liturgy was held which also commemorated the Pope and used the ''filioque'', but which was not boycottedby the majority of the city. The next day, Constantinople fell to the Muslim invaders.

In the judgment of the consultation, the question of the ''filioque'' is no longer a "Church-dividing" issue, one which would impede full reconciliation and full communion, once again. It still stands for the bishops and faithful of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches to review this work and to make whatever decisions would be appropriate.

There has never been a specific conciliar statement in the Eastern [[Orthodox Church]]es that which defined the ''filioque'' as [[heresy]]. That being said, however, it has been regarded as heretical by multiple Orthodox saints, including Ss. [[Photius the Great]], [[Mark of Ephesus]], and [[Gregory Palamas]] (the three Pillars of Orthodoxy). At the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] and the [[Eighth Ecumenical Council|"Photian" council of 879-880]] (both of which councils Rome ratifiedsigned onto), all changes to the theology of the Creed are anathematized. It was Further, it is explicitly denounced as heretical by the non-ecumenical, 1848 ''[[Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs]]''.

*Some misinterpret the The ''filioque'' as distorting distorts Orthodox [[Triadology]] by making the Spirit a subordinate member of the Trinity. Traditional Triadology consists in the notion that for any given trait, it must be either common to all Persons of the Trinity or unique to one of them. Thus, Fatherhood is unique to the Father, while begottenness is unique to the Son, and procession unique to the Spirit. Godhood, however, is common to all, as is eternality, uncreatedness, and so forth. Positing that something can be shared by two Persons (i.e., being the source of the Spirit's procession) but not the other is to elevate those two Persons at the expense of the other. Thus, the balance of unity and diversity is destroyed. This interpretation does not *Given the previous objection, howeverthe repercussions to the acceptance of the ''filioque'' into church life are potentially massive. Because how we relate to God is significantly affected by what we believe about him, take into consideration false beliefs lead to damaging spirituality. One objection often raised about Filioquist theology is that it undermines the two kinds role of procession believed by both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians as expressed by Stthe Holy Spirit in the Church. Thus, with his role being denigrated, his traditional ministries are effaced or replaced. Maximus The Church's unity becomes dependent on an office, spirituality becomes adherence to the letter of the Confessorlaw rather than its spirit, sacraments come to be understood in terms of validity, and a spirit of legalism prevails.

*Though not really a question of heresy, a common objection is to the means of interpolating inserting the ''filioque'' into the Creed. That is, unlike the original adoption of the Creed at [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicea]] and its subsequent revision at [[Second Ecumenical Council|Constantinople]], the decision to interpolate include the ''filioque'' into in the Creed for use in the Latin Church was not done by an [[Ecumenical Council]]. Rather, it was initially inserted by the Third Synod of Toledo, Spain (589), to combat Arianism, which had arrived there from the East with the Goths.

*Rome resisted the inclusion of the ''filioque'' for centuries. Leo III, the Pope of Rome at the time the ''filioque'' began its history in Western theology, strongly advised against its inclusion, even though he agreed with the soundness and validity of the doctrine contained in ''filioque''. Later, however, Rome contradicted its previous more Orthodox stance by the promulgation of the ''filioque'', thus anathematizing its own spiritual forebears.