Joint Statement on the Filioque Issue

Lutherans and Eastern Orthodox have issued a joint statement regarding the contentious theological issue of the Filioque, which concerns the procession of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine asserts that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, a perspective long debated between Western and Eastern church traditions. Historically viewed as a church-dividing matter, the statement aims to advance dialogue between Lutherans, who have inherited this Catholic notion, and Eastern Orthodox churches, which express varied stances on the topic. The complexity of this relationship is heightened by differing opinions among Orthodox factions regarding whether the Filioque represents a temporal or eternal procession.