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The first verse of Holy Scripture attributes creation of all that has come into existence to the Holy Trinity, does it not? The self-existence of the Holy Trinity is indeed, however, attributed to the Person of the Father. The filioque was not a matter of issue until the 7th Century.

Semantically it is difficult for a believer to ascertain what is meant by “proceeding from.” Technical terms have arisen throughout Church history that, to this day, beg for clarification so that we believe and teach in accord with what we receive from Above. That Ambrose of Milan had no problem with the filioque lends itself to some latitude in considering the nature and extent of any division along this line.

As to the filioque somehow effecting what the Church confesses in regard to the nature of God, this is true. What I am unable to ascertain, however, is how this pays out down the line in exercising faith and piety. Does it somehow detract from the merits and righteousness of Christ and His bodily participation in this creation to raise us up at the Last Day?

Thank you for your response to this. I gather from your screen name you are well-acquainted with the Eastern confession, for which I hold great admonition and respect. The subject we are discussing is one with which I am only mildly acquainted, having just begun to read some of the earliest fathers of the Church in an effort to understand the controversies encountered by the Church through the ages and how they are recycled in our age.

"What I am unable to ascertain, however, is how this pays out down the line in exercising faith and piety." For the average lay person, I doubt it has much effect at all in the exercise of The Faith. But then again, the Nestorian controversy, it was argued by some, was much ado about nothing, Christotokos, Theotokos; who cares? And yet the distinction touches on the very nature of the Son. Similarly, the distinction between the Greek "ἐκπορευόμενον" and the Latin "procédit" touches upon the "nature" (what can we say about "Ο ΩΝ"?) of The Father in our monotheistic system. Orthodox lay people are and always have been very prickly about these questions even if in fact saying in English "Proceeds from the Father" as opposed to "proceeds from the Father and the Son" likely won't determine our Theosis. We believe that we live out the dogmas of The Church in our day to day lives and so any change is almost immediately rejected unless it appears to be "of God" and that will only happen as a result of an Ecumenical Council.