FIL'IO'QUE. A Latin phrase meaning 'and from the Son,' which was added to the Nicene Creed by the Western Church, and has formed a prolific source of controversy between the Greek and Roman Catholic Chili-dies. According to the received Greek text, this article of the Creed runs thus: "And we believe in the Holy Ghost, . . . vho proceedeth from the Father." This was the form common to all sections of the Church in the fifth century. At the third synod of Toledo (A.D. 589), the Spanish bishops used a Latin version contained the filioque addition, thus: "I believe in the Holy Ghost, . . . who proeeedeth from the Father and the Son." This addition met with favor in the Western Church. especially in Spain and Gaul, but was very offensive to the East. Passages could be cited from the writings of Augustine and Len the Great, in support of the doctrine of the 'double procession,' as it is technically called, but its formulation as part of the Creed was destitute of ecclesiastical au thority. The early ecumenical councils had omitted any expression of the 'double procession,' and the symbol which expressed this faith had been pronounced unalterable. Nevertheless the Western Chnrch contended, first, for the truth of the doctrine implied in the filioque, and later, for the symbolie authority of the clause itself.
In 809 Charlemagne convened a synod at Aix la-Chapelle. to examine the whole question of the proper wording of this clause. The decision was in favor of the form samtioned at Toledo. But the ease coming before Pope Leo III.. lie dis ereetly refrained from giving his approval to the change in the Creed, though lie admitted the truth contained in the doctrine as a proposition of theology. The earliest formal recognition of the filioque by a Pope was in 1014, when Benedict V111. permitted its use at the coronation of
Henry II. Meanwhile the break between the East ern and the Western Church had come. Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, had charged Rome with violating the canons by allowing a change to be made in the Creed. and this, together with other Noises which need not he specified here (see CREEK Curenen), brought about the great schism. Frequent efforts have since been made to heal this breach, but without success. Even the most hopeful attempts of Greek and Roman Catholics to reach some agreement on the 'Moque question. e.g. at the councils of Lyons (1274), and espe cially of Ferrara--Plorenee (14:18-39)—bave ae comfflished no permanent result. That the East ern Church has persistently refused to admit the validity of the Roman contention bun may be seen from such °Mein] pronouncements as the Ortho dox OM feRNion of the Ea/aro; 'hurrh (111-13) , send the Larger Cateehism of the Orthodox ern (Russian) ('lurch (18311). The great (fri.ek theologian and doctor, John of Damascus, laid down the limits of orthodox liberty, when he said, "The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father, through the Son." it is worthy of note that these words formed the basis of doctrinal agree ment on this Creed article, reached at a confer ence of Old Catholic, Greek, and Anglican di vines in Bonn in 1875, but no practical result fol lowed their deliberations. Consult: E. S. Ffoulkes, Historical Account of the Addition of the Word Filioquc to the Creed (London, 1867) ; Hefele, History of the Councils, vol. iii., English trans lation (London, 1883) ; Schaff, (reeds of Chris tendom, vol. ii. (New York, 1890).