Eastern Orthodox Church and Their Perspectives of Mission.docx (original) (raw)
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The volume "The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy" by A.Edward Siecienski (Oxford University Press, 2010 ; 355 pp,) is said to be "the first complete English-language history of the 'filioque' written in over a century", now surpassing in extent H. B. Swete's excellent "On the History of the Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit from the Apostolic Age to the Death of Charlemagne" (1876). The centuries-old dogmatic controversy over the 'Filioque' between Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, he writes, is "one of the most interesting stories in all Christendom"...and ultimately "a tragic tale insomuch as the 'filioque" [the word meaning 'and from the Son' added by the Western Church to the original Nicene-Constantinople Creed of 381 A.D.] became the source and focus of a schism between East and West that has endured for well over a millennium".(p. v.) As the author observes, "Catholics profess the Spirit's procession from the Son because they believe it to be true." The bloc of 16 or so Eastern Orthodox Churches, however, "cannot accept that profession of faith because they believe the Western doctrine to be in error", in fact, heretical and blasphemous. The Catholic doctrine embodied in the formula of the 'Filioque' (despite a few modern Eastern Orthodox theologians' expressed willingness to accept it as a legitimate theologoumenon (heological opinion) "remains an obstacle to ecclesial unity between Catholics and Orthodox". Though, as our author notes, "the power and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome has long supplanted the 'filioque' as the issue separating the Orthodox from their Catholic brethren" (pp. vi-vii), many Orthodox continue to regard the doctrine embodied in the "Filioque" as "heretical" and its recitation in the Creed of the Roman Church, unacceptable. This position continues to be generally maintained despite the explanations contained in the important 1985 document "The Greek and Latin Traditions Regarding the Procession of the Holy Spirit" issued by the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. This Study clarifying the linguistic expressions used by Western and Eastern theologians for the Procession attempted to articulate delicately but firmly Catholic teaching on the 'Filioque' "in light of historic Orthodox concerns". It was received with some sympathy by a number of Orthodox theologians, but its conclusions fundamentally rejected by others who demand the 'Filioque' must be expunged from any liturgical inclusion in the Creed, if Reunion is to take place.
Initially, communities of early Christian believers were able to choose their own leaders; however, as centuries passed, the practice of having secular rulers appoint church leaders became routine. These appointed leaders were eventually able to establish permanent institutions, which not only expressed Christian values, but also drew from many Greco-Roman Traditions. The creation of the Nicene Creed and the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church and the Byzantine Christian (Orthodox) Church allowed the Christian church to expand and thrive.
KANONIKA 31, 2024
In his early literary works as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI made a significant assertion: “Rome must not require more from the East with respect to the doctrine of primacy than had been formulated and was lived in the first millennium.”1 This statement forms a foundational pillar for our discussion. Our inquiry focuses on crucial aspects related to primacy during the first millennium. This prompts an exploration of historical modalities of exercising primacy across different epochs and an investigation into the diverse perspectives held by Eastern Churches, both those situated within and outside the confines of the Roman Empire. Precision in addressing these questions is essential. As suggested by the title, this work embarks on a dual examination: 1) a thorough analysis of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome in the first millennium, and 2) a comprehensive exploration of the ongoing ecumenical dialogues with the Orthodox Churches. This study is organized into two sections dedicated to these interconnected yet distinctive topics to ensure coherence and clarity.