The Filioque: Revisiting the Doctrinal Debate Between Catholics and Orthodox

by Erick Ybarra

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.

Genres: Catholic, Christian, Christianity, Theology, Religion, Church History

436 pages, Paperback

Published February 22, 2022

Reviews

[Ian Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative read, though I noticed a fair amount of grammatical errors.

[Andreas Østergaard Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endnu en dag med Ybarra - endnu en god dag! Ybarra gennemgår den utroligt afgørende Filioque-strid melle Vest- og Østkirken og argumenterer overbevisende fra Skriften, Traditionen og systematisk teologi, at Filioque både er bibelsk, historisk grundet og dogmatisk sammenhængende. Et af bogens adelsmærker er, at den er rig på primærlitteratur fra et væld af kirkefædre, både fra øst og vest før 1054, og Ybarra viser en god forståelse for de østortodokse kritikpunkter af Filioque, mens han argumenterer for, at det bibelske vidnesbyrd og selv de kappadokiske fædre bedst læses i kontinuitet med Vestkirkens fastholdelse af Filioque. Især omdiskuterede passager af Skt. Klemens af Alexandria og Skt. Gregor af Nyssa får tiltrængt opmærksomhed.

Bogen kan anbefales for teologisk interesserede, og det er en god hjælp at have et vist greb om Gudslæren og Treenighedslæren, før man går til bogen, selvom Ybarra forklarer alle sine begreber løbende.

[Baby Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very informative

Another great book from Erick Ybarra. Leaving Protestantism and trying to decide between joining the Catholic or Orthodox Church, I spent time in the Orthodox Church and was taught that the Filioque is a heresy. Erick shows that not only the western fathers, but even eastern fathers can be understood as teaching the Filioque. He explains the theology behind the Filioque, the logic, the history of the doctrine. This is my second book I’ve read of Erick’s and Lord willing it won’t be my last.