filioque

Filioque is a Latin term meaning “and from the Son.” In Christian use, it refers to a clause added to the Nicene Creed in the Western (Latin) Church, stating that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son.” The phrase is not part of the original Greek text of the Creed attributed to the early ecumenical councils.

Historically, the clause was developed and adopted in Western churches during the medieval period, with early appearances in the Iberian peninsular region and gradual spread in the Latin West, notably after the Council of Toledo in 589. By the time of the Carolingian reforms and later medieval liturgy, many Western rites included filioque as a standard addition. The Eastern Orthodox Church, and later the Eastern Churches, have maintained the Creed without the clause, arguing that it alters the original text and obscures the Father as the sole source of the Spirit.

Theological implications center on the relationship within the Trinity. Proponents argue that the phrase expresses the unity of the Godhead and clarifies the Spirit’s procession as originating from the Father with the Son’s character and mission. Critics contend that it implies a double origin for the Spirit and disrupts the order of the Trinity, which they see as contrary to the original creed.

The filioque clause became a major point of contention in relations between the Eastern and Western churches and is one of the historical factors associated with the East–West Schism of 1054. In contemporary ecumenical dialogue, many churches acknowledge the theological differences while seeking common ground in shared creedal statements. Some Protestant groups retain filioque in their versions of the Creed, while others do not.