DOCSLIB.ORG

The Filioque Clause Politics and Passion - What Is Filioque? Intro

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Filioque Clause Politics and Passion - What Is Filioque? Intro The Filioque Clause Politics and Passion - What is Filioque? Intro It has been apparent to me the Filioque Clause is an issue in a number of historical contexts, and often laid to one side as a theological issue of no great consequence. During the course of three weeks I want to discuss what it is, how it came about, some of which may be speculation, most of which will be well anchored in history. I will discuss the theology of it, though that is not the key point, but rather to understand how it has played out in history and why it has been important. A General Premise It is easy to confine History to being a WHERE and WHEN it was done is study of dates and places. also clearly of relevance to our understanding Logically it must be more than that, if we are to learn from it and hopefully My criticism of much of history as we preclude ourselves from repeating it. have been taught it is that it fails to address things happen. This requires us to understand WHO WHY did it. Sometimes that requires some I would argue that much of the speculation. reason why the lesson of history is Also we need to understand WHAT that do not learn the lesson of history was done. is that we do not consider the WHY question properly. The general acceptance of the Marxist Analysis of History has in a way taken a simple maxim as Reason the reason for all history. I contend that this, whilst often helpful, is inadequate and that much Marxist analysis of history contends of history requires more than this to properly that the root of all action is the control understand it. of productive resources. When we try to analyse the conflicts of the contemporary world whilst from a contemporary western perspective we may prefer to remove religion and ideology from the cause, this view is not shared by all. My argument is not that the Marxist analysis is wrong, simply that it is not sufficient to understand all of history. The Filioque is a single latin word which translates in English as ‘and the Son’. Filioque The clause was first used in the Nicene Creed in One word in latin, three in English Rome on the 14th of February 1014 for the coronation of Henry II as Holy Roman Emperor when Benedict VIII was Pope. This set in course a chain of events that lead to a splitting of the Church east and west in 1054. In today’s Church of the 2.2 billion Christians 1.2 billion are Catholic and 350 million are Eastern Christians, and this remains central of that divide, and the allied questions of Papal Primacy and authority on the Church. Nicene Creed Short History of the Nicene Creed 293 AD Diocletian established the Tetrarchy as a means of managing the Empire which was essentially too large to manage. CREEDS 306 AD on the death of his father Constantius, Constantine was acclaimed Augustus in York by the Creeds Councils and Controversy is the sub-title to any study of Early legions. Church History, however as it is the background to this, here is the short course. 312 AD returning to Rome Constantine was Triumphant at the battle of Milvian Bridge and became Caesar Augustus effectively drawing a close to the Tetrarchy. 314 AD the Edict of Milan which proclaimed a new religious pluralism for the Republic, and made Christianity legal for the 1st time. 325 AD The First Council of Nicaea is called to resolve the Arian Controversy and publishes the 1st Nicene Creed. Constantine is a complex person, and whilst his impact of Christianity is huge, his attitude is more Constantine complex. He did not acknowledge a Christian faith until the Saint or Sinner last year of his life when he was baptised by Eusebius 335. As Caesar he was Pontifex Maximus (the great bridge builder) of the Roman Pagan Cults. His new capital - Nova Romanum - later called Constantinople (and later Istanbul) was dedicated to the Christian God under the patronage of the Virgin Mother of God. Christianity at the time of the Edict of Milan may have claimed as many as 8% of the Empire’s inhabitants. Constantine attributed the success at Milvian Bridge to the Christian God. Constantine regarded Christianity as a desirable religion, and saw that it could bind the whole Empire in a single religion and empire. This was theme picked up in Augustine Civitas Dei. His Mother, Helena, and his wife, were Christians. He seems to have little interest in the outcome of the Council of Nicaea, but is rather more concerned that the matter be resolved. Eusebius who baptised him ten years after the Council was (or at least had been) an Arian. One of the consequences of Constantine’s favourable treatment of Christians is that it became attractive, rather than detrimental and the Nicaea I Church felt the need to firm up the boundaries. The First Oecumenical Council The Creed provided a Christology against Arius who argued that there was a time when the Son 325 AD was not. Arius and his followers were banished, yet within ten years they seem to have been able to return. In terms of stopping Arianism the Council was a complete disaster. Constantine probably didn’t care what the result of the Council was, but rather that peace inside Christianity helped peace in the Empire. Following the council there was some peace, and Between the the Arians seemed to slowly be restored from exile. Councils Another group arose called the pneumatomachi The period 325 - 381 who argued that the Spirit was a creation of the Son and not divine as such but creature. The three great theologians of the period, the Cappadocian Fathers worked hard against this and against the resurgence of Arianism. Ultimately a new Council (The first Council of Constantinople) was called in the East, (not including Rome), who sent an observer, and who later affirmed the decisions of the Council, thereby making it an ecumenical council. The major work of the Council was to revisit the Constantinople 1 Creed of the Council of Nicea, and the creed from 381 AD this Council is the basic text established henceforth as the Nicene Creed. Significantly it fleshed out the Christological section of the Creed, essentially giving Arians no place to call home in the Creed. A lot of this was based on the understanding of the first 18 verses of John’s Gospel. It also fleshed out the section dealing with the Holy Spirit, to affirm the divinity of the Holy Spirit based on an understanding from John 14 and 15. I believe in One God Nicene Creed - in Summary The Father almighty … One Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of At this stage (381) the Creed very clearly does not have the filioque God… inserted. The Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father ( ) who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets I believe in one holy catholic & apostolic church I acknowledge one baptism ... I look for the resurrection for the dead ... The Heresy of Nestorius was that Jesus was the union of the Flesh and the Word, and as such was Nestorianism not actually the divine Son of God, so rejecting the title theotokos (the God bearer) to the Virgin Mary. This is about the origins of the Nestorian Church which is is alive today and continues to prosper East of The Heresy flourished East of Antioch, and in 435 Antioch. a Council was called at Ephesus to address this, the lead opposition being Cyril of Alexandria. The Nestorians had modified the Nicene Creed to fit their beliefs, and the Council of Ephesus proclaimed anathemas on all who would add to or take away from the Nicene Creed. The council met two days before Antioch arrived and this led to some bad blood, though Antioch subscribed to the decisions of the Council. Following the Council of Ephesus there was a lot of consideration about the nature of the person of Jesus. Monophysitism Cyril of Alexandria was accused of teaching the This has a great deal of bearing on the origins of the Oriental Orthodox - often Monophysite Heresy, suggesting that the body of called the Coptic Orthodox Church Jesus was human and the soul divine. It is generally agreed today that Cyril’s position was actually Monothelitism, that though Jesus had a human and a divine soul, these were coalesced in one will. Anyway it led to another Council The Council of Chalcedon met in 451 and Council of shades of Ephesus the matter of Cyril's Chalcedon teaching was dealt with before he arrived, and so he was not able to defend his position. The Christology of the Church based on the Nicene Creed, was further This Council affirmed the Nicene Creed and hammered out and the Christology of the anathemas of Ephesus. the Council is accepted almost universally as correct orthodox teaching. The essence of the Christology is that Jesus was complete and perfect in both Godhead and Humanity, completely reconciled in the one person. So the Nicene Creed has been affirmed by three of the Great Ecumenical Councils of the Church, and anathemas declared and affirmed on any So is that it who would change the Creed, henceforth by two of them. The only significant change to the Nicene Creed since that time has been the insertion of the ? filioque, and from here we will be moving into an area where some of the matter must be speculation, because we know where we got to, but we don’t actually know all the detail as to how it happened.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Preliminary Investigation of the Iconography of the Woman with the Skull from the Puerta De Las Platerías of Santiago De Compostela
    PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE WOMAN WITH THE SKULL FROM THE PUERTA DE LAS PLATERÍAS OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA By KAREN FAYE WEBB A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2004 Copyright 2004 by Karen Faye Webb To Dan and Judy Webb ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to many individuals for their support and guidance in my physical and conceptual pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I would most like to thank Dr. David Stanley who has been my constant supporter as my toughest critic and my most caring mentor. Dr. Carolyn Watson’s medieval art class at Furman University introduced me to the complex beauty of the south transept portal. My parents indulged my awe of this portal and physically and metaphorically climbed the steps leading to the Puerta de las Platerías with me to pay homage to the Woman with the Skull. Without them, this study would not have been possible. I would like to thank my reader, Dr. John Scott, for his insightful comments, and Jeremy Culler, Sarah Webb and Sandra Goodrich for their support, friendship, and unwavering faith in me. Finally, I would like to thank the Woman with the Skull, who brought me on this pilgrimage and has given me a new awareness about art and myself. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Continuity and Tradition: the Prominent Role of Cyrillian Christology In
    Jacopo Gnisci Jacopo Gnisci CONTINUITY AND TRADITION: THE PROMINENT ROLE OF CYRILLIAN CHRISTOLOGY IN FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURY ETHIOPIA The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church is one of the oldest in the world. Its clergy maintains that Christianity arrived in the country during the first century AD (Yesehaq 1997: 13), as a result of the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch, narrated in the Acts of the Apostles (8:26-39). For most scholars, however, the history of Christianity in the region begins with the conversion of the Aksumite ruler Ezana, approximately during the first half of the fourth century AD.1 For historical and geographical reasons, throughout most of its long history the Ethiopian Church has shared strong ties with Egypt and, in particular, with the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. For instance, a conspicuous part of its literary corpus, both canonical and apocryphal, is drawn from Coptic sources (Cerulli 1961 67:70). Its liturgy and theology were also profoundly affected by the developments that took place in Alexandria (Mercer 1970).2 Furthermore, the writings of one of the most influential Alexandrian theologians, Cyril of Alexandria (c. 378-444), played a particularly significant role in shaping Ethiopian theology .3 The purpose of this paper is to highlight the enduring importance and influence of Cyril's thought on certain aspects of Ethiopian Christology from the early developments of Christianity in the country to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Its aim, therefore, is not to offer a detailed examination of Cyril’s work, or more generally of Ethiopian Christology. Rather, its purpose is to emphasize a substantial continuity in the traditional understanding of the nature of Christ amongst Christian 1 For a more detailed introduction to the history of Ethiopian Christianity, see Kaplan (1982); Munro-Hay (2003).
    [Show full text]
  • Our Lady of the Ozarks Catholic Church
    May 30, 2021 Bulletin – Most Holy Trinity Sunday Our Lady of the Ozarks Catholic Church 951 Swan Valley Drive Forsyth, MO 65653 phone: 417.546.5208 www.ourladyoftheozarks.com email: [email protected] Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Weekend Mass Time: Sunday 8:30 am Father David Hulshof Weekday Mass Times: Wednesday & Friday 9:00 am Pastor Sacrament of Reconciliation: Sundays before Mass, Wednesdays after Mass 417-334-2928 Holy Hour Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Wednesdays after Mass [email protected] Father Samson Dorival Associate Pastor 417-334-2928 [email protected] Deacon Daniel Vaughn Pastoral Associate 417-546-5208 or 812-204-2625 [email protected] Marilyn Guy Financial Administrator Nancy Loughner Office Assistant Laura Cairns Music Ministry Welcome Blessings from our parish family Whether you are visiting for a short while, have moved here and are joining our parish, or are returning to your Catholic Faith, we want to welcome you to Our Lady of the Ozarks Church. Our parish is committed to inviting and supporting every parishioner to become a disciple of Christ, building His Kingdom through prayer, fellowship and service to others. We encourage you to connect with the people and ministries of our parish Our Lady of the Ozarks Mission Statement community and look forward to We are a unique parish called together from far and near. We bring meeting you personally. our talents and our shortcomings, our histories, and our hopes. Please call the parish office and Most of all, we bring our faith, and together in this faith we grow in let the friendship begin.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded from Brill.Com09/29/2021 07:36:54AM This Is an Open Access Article Distributed Under the Terms of the Prevailing CC-BY-NC License
    _full_journalsubtitle: Journal of Patrology and Critical Hagiography _full_abbrevjournaltitle: SCRI _full_ppubnumber: ISSN 1817-7530 (print version) _full_epubnumber: ISSN 1817-7565 (online version) _full_issue: 1 _full_issuetitle: 0 _full_alt_author_running_head (change var. to _alt_author_rh): Dunn _full_alt_articletitle_running_head (change var. to _alt_arttitle_rh): Romani principes aduersum nos prouocantur _full_alt_articletitle_toc: 0 _full_is_advance_article: 0 Romani Principes AduersumScrinium Nos Prouocantur 14 (2018) 7-24 7 www.brill.com/scri Responses to Conflict in Early Christianity ∵ Romani Principes Adversum Nos Provocantur: Augustine of Hippo’s Epistula 87 to Emeritus of Caesarea Geoffrey D. Dunn University of Pretoria [email protected] Abstract Prior to the 411 colloquy at Carthage, Augustine had written to Emeritus, the Donatist bishop of Cherchell, urging him to abandon his adherence to Donatism. A complaint of the Donatists against the Caecilianists was that they urged the state to persecute Donatists. Augustine put words into Emeritus’ mouth: “… you stir up the Roman emper- ors against us.” (Ep. 87.8) Augustine told Emeritus that one can only be persecuted if one’s cause is right; if evil then it is legitimate punishment. In Augustine’s view the Donatists have brought imperial punishment (not persecution) upon themselves because of their schism. This paper will show how Augustine sidesteps a dilemma using Paul’s letter to the Romans: while it is true that Christians should not judge each other (Rom 14:4), it is the responsibility of the state to punish wrongdoers (Rom 13:2-4), while it is the responsibility of Christians to rehabilitate them (Rom 11:23). Keywords Augustine of Hippo – Donatism – religious coercion – religious violence ©Scrinium Geoffrey 14 D.
    [Show full text]
  • SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY and ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY Dmusjankiewicz Fulton College Tailevu, Fiji
    Andn1y.r Uniwr~itySeminary Stndics, Vol. 42, No. 2,361-382. Copyright 8 2004 Andrews University Press. SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY AND ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY DmusJANKIEWICZ Fulton College Tailevu, Fiji Sacramental theology developed as a corollary to Christian soteriology. While Christianity promises salvation to all who accept it, different theories have developed as to how salvation is obtained or transmitted. Understandmg the problem of the sacraments as the means of salvation, therefore, is a crucial soteriological issue of considerable relevance to contemporary Christians. Furthermore, sacramental theology exerts considerable influence upon ecclesiology, particularb ecclesiasticalauthority. The purpose of this paper is to present the historical development of sacramental theology, lea- to the contemporary understanding of the sacraments within various Christian confessions; and to discuss the relationship between the sacraments and ecclesiastical authority, with special reference to the Roman Catholic Church and the churches of the Reformation. The Development of Rom Catholic Sacramental Tbeohgy The Early Church The orign of modem Roman Catholic sacramental theology developed in the earliest history of the Christian church. While the NT does not utilize the term "~acrament,~'some scholars speculate that the postapostolic church felt it necessary to bring Christianity into line with other rebons of the he,which utilized various "mysterious rites." The Greek equivalent for the term "sacrament," mu~tmbn,reinforces this view. In addition to the Lord's Supper and baptism, which had always carried special importance, the early church recognized many rites as 'holy ordinances."' It was not until the Middle Ages that the number of sacraments was officially defked.2 The term "sacrament," a translation of the Latin sacramenturn ("oath," 'G.
    [Show full text]
  • The Woman in the Wilderness the Further Development of Christian Apocalypticism
    1 The Woman in the Wilderness The Further Development of Christian Apocalypticism I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. — The Revelation of John, 22:13 Pope Urban II stood before an extraordinary assemblage of high Church officials and French nobles at Clermont in 1095 to implore them to come to the aid of Constantinople, beleaguered by a Seljuk Turkish army, and then liberate the holy city of Jerusalem from Muslim rule. “[A] race from the kingdom of the Persians, an accursed race, a race wholly alienated from God” has long occupied the spiritual seat of Christendom, slaughtering God’s chil- dren “by pillage and fire,” he reminded them in stark, ominous tones. They have taken many survivors into doleful slavery “into their own country” and “have either destroyed the churches of God or appropriated them for the rites of their own religion.” In language that was pointedly both apocalyptic and millenarian, Urban rallied the French nobles, who reportedly cried out, “God wills it! God wills it” as he promised that the Christian recovery of Jerusalem would mark the advent of the Millennium. While the French nobility was likely more motivated by the prospect of conquering “a land flowing with milk and honey,” commoners and peasants throughout Western Europe took the eschatological significance of what became the First Crusade to their hearts. With bloodthirsty zeal the crusading armies harried and massacred Rhineland German Jews on their way to Constantinople in 1096, some of the Christians doubtless taking literally the prediction in Revelation 19 that all who did not follow Christ would be “slain by the sword.” This notion further inspired them in the war against the Muslim population of Palestine as they carved out the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem by 1099, and embarked upon subsequent crusades that have come to characterize the history of medieval A Dream of the Judgment Day.
    [Show full text]
  • Doctrinal Controversies of the Carolingian Renaissance: Gottschalk of Orbais’ Teachings on Predestination*
    ROCZNIKI FILOZOFICZNE Tom LXV, numer 3 – 2017 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18290/rf.2017.65.3-3 ANDRZEJ P. STEFAŃCZYK * DOCTRINAL CONTROVERSIES OF THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE: GOTTSCHALK OF ORBAIS’ TEACHINGS ON PREDESTINATION* This paper is intended to outline the main areas of controversy in the dispute over predestination in the 9th century, which shook up or electrified the whole world of contemporary Western Christianity and was the most se- rious doctrinal crisis since Christian antiquity. In the first part I will sketch out the consequences of the writings of St. Augustine and the revival of sci- entific life and theological and philosophical reflection, which resulted in the emergence of new solutions and aporias in Christian doctrine—the dispute over the Eucharist and the controversy about trina deitas. In the second part, which constitutes the main body of the article, I will focus on the presenta- tion of four sources of controversies in the dispute over predestination, whose inventor and proponent was Gottschalk of Orbais, namely: (i) the concept of God, (ii) the meaning of grace, nature and free will, (iii) the rela- tion of foreknowledge to predestination, and (iv) the doctrine of redemption, i.e., in particular, the relation of justice to mercy. The article is mainly an attempt at an interpretation of the texts of the epoch, mainly by Gottschalk of Orbais1 and his adversary, Hincmar of Reims.2 I will point out the dif- Dr ANDRZEJ P. STEFAŃCZYK — Katedra Historii Filozofii Starożytnej i Średniowiecznej, Wy- dział Filozofii Katolickiego Uniwersytetu Lubelskiego Jana Pawła II; adres do korespondencji: Al.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. the Sacrament of Marriage and Its Impediments
    THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE AND ITS IMPEDIMENTS I. On Orthodox Marriage 1. The institution of the family is threatened today by such phenomena as secularization and moral relativism. The Orthodox Church maintains, as her fundamental and indisputable teaching, that marriage is sacred. The freely entered union of man and woman is an indispensable precondition for marriage. 2. In the Orthodox Church, marriage is considered to be the oldest institution of divine law because it was instituted simultaneously with the creation of Adam and Eve, the first human beings (Gen 2:23). Since its origin, this union not only implies the spiritual communion of a married couple—a man and a woman—but also assured the continuation of the human race. As such, the marriage of man and woman, which was blessed in Paradise, became a holy mystery, as mentioned in the New Testament where Christ performs His first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and thus reveals His glory (Jn 2:11). The mystery of the indissoluble union between man and woman is an icon of the unity of Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32). 3. Thus, the Christocentric typology of the sacrament of marriage explains why a bishop or a presbyter blesses this sacred union with a special prayer. In his letter to Polycarp of Smyrna, Ignatius the God-Bearer stressed that those who enter into the communion of marriage must also have the bishop’s approval, so that their marriage may be according to God, and not after their own desire.
    [Show full text]
  • UNDER CALL from SYNOD COUNCIL OR ELCA CHURCH COUNCIL Information on This Form May Be Shared with Other Synod Staff Persons During the Mobility Process
    PLEASE SAVE A COPY OF THIS FORM TO YOUR DESKTOP, OPEN THE SAVED COPY, FILL IT OUT, SAVE IT ONCE MORE, AND EMAIL THE SAVED COPY TO THE BISHOP. THANK YOU SAINT PAUL AREA SYNOD 2019 REPORT FOR MINISTERS OF WORD AND SACRAMENT (PASTOR) UNDER CALL FROM SYNOD COUNCIL OR ELCA CHURCH COUNCIL Information on this form may be shared with other synod staff persons during the mobility process Full name: _______________________________________________________ Date: _____________________ Info below is same as last year (if checked, skip the following section):__ Date of Ordination:____________________________ Date of Birth: _________________________________ Home mailing address: ______________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________ State: _______ Zip Code: _________________ Country: ________________ Home Phone: _______________ Cell Phone: _________________ Email: _____________________________ Work mailing address: _______________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________ State: _______ Zip Code: _________________ Country: ________________ Work Phone: _________________________ Work Email: __________________________________________ Preferred Mailing Address: Home Work Preferred Email: Home Work Preferred Phone: Home Cell Work Full name of spouse: _________________________________ Date of marriage: ______________________ Children: Full Name Relationship Date of Birth _____________________________ _______ _________________________ ________________________ _____________________________
    [Show full text]
  • The Chalcedonian Christology of St John Damascene : Philosophical Terminology and Theological Arguments
    Durham E-Theses The Chalcedonian Christology of St John Damascene : philosophical terminology and theological arguments Metallidis, George How to cite: Metallidis, George (2003) The Chalcedonian Christology of St John Damascene : philosophical terminology and theological arguments, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1085/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY GEORGE METALLIDIS The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consentand information derived from it should be acknowledged. The Chalcedonian Christology of St John Damascene: Philosophical Terminology and Theological Arguments PhD Thesis/FourthYear Supervisor: Prof. ANDREW LOUTH 0-I OCT2003 Durham 2003 The ChalcedonianChristology of St John Damascene To my Mother Despoina The ChalcedonianChristology of St John Damascene CONTENTS Page ABBREVIATIONS 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 12 INTRODUCTION 14 CHAPTER ONE TheLife of St John Damascene 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Synod Process
    The Synod Process I Convocation and Preparation of the Synod 2 Preparatory Commission 1 The bishop convenes the synod with the consultation of the • Members of the preparatory commission are chosen by the bishop. Presbyteral Council. • The preparatory commission assists the bishop in organizing and preparing for the synod. • The bishop establishes a synodal secretariat and possibly a press office. 1 2 4 Preparatory phases of synod • Spiritual, catechetical and formational preparation 4 1. All are invited to pray for the ongoing intention of the synod and its results, that it might become an authentic 3 event of grace for the Church. 3 Publication of the Synodal 2. All should be informed on the nature and Directory purpose of the synod and the scope of its The Synodal Directory includes: deliberations. 1. composition of the synod; • Diocesan Consultation 2. norms by which elections of synodal members are to be conducted; 1. The faithful and the clergy of the Diocese 3. various offices to be exercised by the synod; are encouraged to express their needs, 4. procedural norms of the synod meetings. desires, challenges and opinions regarding the synod topics. 2. Meetings will take place at each parish, then deanery, to discuss synod topics. II Conducting the Synod • Determining the questions 1. The bishop determines the • The actual synod consists of the synodal sessions, questions on which the synodal typically in the cathedral. debate will concentrate. • Members of the synod make the profession of the faith before commencing synodal discussions. • Themes to be examined are introduced from a brief report; discussion begins.
    [Show full text]
  • The Person of the Holy Spirit
    The WORK of the Holy Spirit David J. Engelsma Herman Hanko Published by the British Reformed Fellowship, 2010 www.britishreformedfellowship.org.uk Printed in Muskegon, MI, USA Scripture quotations are taken from the Authorized (King James) Version Quotations from the ecumenical creeds, the Three Forms of Unity (except for the Rejection of Errors sections of the Canons of Dordt) and the Westminster Confession are taken from Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1966) Distributed by: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church 7 Lislunnan Road, Kells Ballymena, N. Ireland BT42 3NR Phone: (028) 25 891851 Website: www.cprc.co.uk E-mail: [email protected] South Holland Protestant Reformed Church 1777 East Richton Road Crete, IL 60417 USA Phone: (708) 333-1314 Website: www.southhollandprc.org E-mail: [email protected] Faith Protestant Reformed Church 7194 20th Avenue Jenison, MI 49418 USA Phone: (616) 457-5848 Website: www.faithprc.org Email: [email protected] Contents Foreword v PART I Chapter 1: The Person of the Holy Spirit 1 Chapter 2: The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit 27 Chapter 3: The Holy Spirit and the Covenant of Grace 41 Chapter 4: The Spirit as the Spirit of Truth 69 Chapter 5: The Holy Spirit and Assurance 84 Chapter 6: The Holy Spirit and the Church 131 PART II Chapter 7: The Out-Flowing Spirit of Jesus 147 Chapter 8: The Bride’s Prayer for the Bridegroom’s Coming 161 APPENDIX About the British Reformed Fellowship 174 iii Foreword “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,” Jesus once declared to the unbelieving Jews at a feast in Jerusalem ( John 5:17).
    [Show full text]