Spirit of Truth: Ecumenical Perspectives On the Holy Spirit

S. Mark Heim and Theodore Stylianopoulos, Editors
(Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1988)
NCR262, $9.95

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In October 1985, a consultation was held at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts to consider the similarities and differences among the Christian churches concerning our faith in the Holy Spirit. The Consultation used the Klingenthal Memorandum "The Filioque Clause in Ecumenical Perspective," Klingenthal, 1979 (Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ, Faith and Order Paper No. 103, Lukas Vischer, ed., [Geneva, 1981]) as a reference point for its work. To many in the ecumenical movement, this memorandum appears to open new pathways toward resolution of the filiogue question - between the Christian East and the Christian West over the insertion of the filioque clause into the Nicene Creed.

The Consultation on the Holy Spirit, the papers of which are presented in this volume, is one small part of a much larger ecumenical project. Within the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, there has been general agreement that the path to full Christian unity would necessarily include three major steps: agreement on the church-dividing issues of baptism, eucharist, and ministry; common confession of the apostolic faith; and common way of deciding and acting together. The papers which are published here reflect the diversity which enriched the US consultation and includes the summary statement which was issued from the meeting.