Catholic-Orthodox talks reach partial accord on ancient creedal dispute
WASHINGTON (AP) - The official dialogue between Roman Catholic and Orthodox leaders in North America announced partial agreement on a doctrinal issue that has divided the two Christian branches for nearly 1,000 years.
The groups issued a joint statement Tuesday about the wording of the Nicene Creed, which is recited in all Orthodox and Catholic churches.
The Orthodox insist on the original Greek text from the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381), which speaks of "the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father." In 1014, the papacy added "and the Son" ("filioque" in Latin) after that phrase, despite opposition from Eastern churches.
The creedal change and the exercise of papal power without church-wide agreement were major issues in the "Great Schism" between Catholicism and Orthodoxy that was formalized in 1054.
The new statement, the 22nd since the talks began in 1965, notes that the Vatican has affirmed the "normative and irrevocable dogmatic value" of the wording from 381. The paper thus recommends that Catholicism use the original text in worship, and cancel an anathema against Orthodox usage from a Catholic council in 1274.
However, such actions require approval by the Vatican, which sponsors separate Orthodox-Catholic discussions at the world level.
The North American negotiators say the exact relationship of the three persons within the divine Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) "awaits full and final ecumenical resolution."
The talks are chaired by Orthodox Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh and Catholic Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati.
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Bumping this for some folks!