The eternal procession of the Holy Spirit refers to the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the other two persons of the Trinity – God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. It describes how the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son. This procession is a mysterious inner life of the Trinity that has been going on from all eternity.
The Bible shows that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. Jesus said in John 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” Here Jesus states that He will send the Holy Spirit from the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. But other verses also indicate the Spirit proceeds from the Son as well.
In the Great Commission, Jesus commands the disciples in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This places the Holy Spirit on the same level as the Father and the Son. Just as the Father eternally begets the Son, and the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, so the Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son.
The Apostle Paul also links the Spirit with the work of the Son in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is called both the “Spirit of the Lord” and simply “the Lord.” This identifies the Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Romans 8:9, Paul also says, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Here the Spirit is called both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit belongs to, and proceeds from, both the Father and the Son.
The Nicene Creed summarizes the biblical teaching about the procession of the Spirit: “And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.” This affirms that from all eternity, the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son in the unity of the Godhead.
The difference between proceeding and begotten
An important distinction needs to be made between the eternal procession of the Spirit, and the eternal begetting of the Son. The Nicene Creed states that the Son is “begotten from the Father before all ages.” This refers to the Father eternally begetting the Son. The Son is called the “only begotten” in John 1:14, 18. Begetting refers to the Father generating or giving rise to the Son within the Trinity.
Procession, on the other hand, refers to the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son. The difference is the Son is eternally begotten of the Father only, while the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. The Spirit is not said to be begotten or generated. The procession of the Spirit has more to do with relationship and connection than causation.
So while only the Father begets the Son, both the Father and Son are the source from which the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally. The begetting of the Son is from the Father alone. But the procession of the Spirit is from the Father and the Son.
Why the procession of the Spirit matters
Understanding the procession of the Holy Spirit has been important through church history for several reasons:
- It preserves the unity and consubstantiality of the Trinity. If the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son, this means all three persons share the same divine essence.
- It protects the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit. That the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son shows His divine origins.
- It distinguishes the role and function of the persons. The Son is begotten, while the Spirit proceeds.
- It guards against subordinationism, the idea that the Son and Spirit are somehow lower than the Father in essence or dignity.
- It enables a full understanding of the Trinitarian relations for theology and doctrine.
The procession of the Spirit has been part of the church’s doctrine of the Trinity since the 4th century. The Western church officially affirmed the filioque clause, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father “and the Son.” The Eastern Orthodox church objected to adding “and the Son” (filioque in Latin), preferring to say the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son. But both affirm the Spirit’s eternal origins in the Father and the Son.
The role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is fully God, the third person of the Trinity. His divine procession leads to several key functions and roles:
- The Spirit was involved in creation – Genesis 1:2, Psalm 104:30
- He inspired the prophets – 2 Peter 1:21, Acts 1:16
- He conceived Christ in Mary’s womb – Matthew 1:18, 20
- He empowered Jesus’ earthly ministry – Luke 4:14, Acts 10:38
- He inspired Scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21
- He convicts the world of sin – John 16:8
- He regenerates sinners – Titus 3:5, John 3:5
- He indwells believers – Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19
- He sanctifies Christians – Romans 15:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:13
- He leads believers into truth – John 14:17, 16:13
- He gives spiritual gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
- He produces fruit in God’s people – Galatians 5:22-23
The Holy Spirit applies the work of redemption to believers’ lives. His procession from the Father and Son makes possible His saving work. He glorifies Jesus Christ, convicts sinners, regenerates them, then dwells in them to produce righteousness.
The procession and Christian theology
The doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit has impacted many areas of theology:
- Trinitarian Theology – It establishes the eternal relations between the persons of the Trinity. The Son is begotten of the Father. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. This protects unity and equality.
- Christology – Christ sends the Spirit in His name (John 14:26). The Spirit reveals and glorifies Christ (John 16:14). This shows Christ’s deity.
- Pneumatology – The Holy Spirit is revealed as a distinct person but also eternal and divine because He proceeds from Father and Son.
- Soteriology – The Spirit applies salvation by convicting sin, regenerating hearts, sanctifying believers because of His procession from the Triune God.
- Ecclesiology – The church is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). He unites believers in the body of Christ.
- Eschatology – The Holy Spirit guarantees the hope of future resurrection (Eph 1:13-14, Rom 8:11).
Understanding how He proceeds from the Father and Son allows the Spirit to fulfill this saving, sanctifying, and uniting work.
The filioque controversy
During the 5th-11th centuries, significant debate developed in the church over the eternal procession of the Spirit, particularly the Latin term filioque which means “and the Son.” The Nicene Creed originally did not contain this term, saying only the Spirit “proceeds from the Father.” But the Western church began professing the Spirit proceeds “from the Father and the Son” (filioque).
This was to combat the Arian heresy which denied the full deity of Christ and the Spirit. But the Eastern church saw it as a unilateral change to the Creed. Debates escalated and contributed to the East-West schism in 1054. To this day, the filioque remains one of the theological differences between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
The major issues in the filioque controversy are:
- The West affirmed that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son to show their unity of essence and protect monotheism. The East preferred to say the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son to distinguish their roles.
- The West believed the filioque clause should be included in the Creed to help refute heresy denying the Spirit’s divinity. The East saw this as altering a creed outside an ecumenical council.
- The West tended to emphasize the unity of God. The East emphasized the distinctness of the persons of the Trinity.
Thankfully, much progress has been made in recent dialogue between Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches on this historically divisive issue. There is general agreement now that both Eastern and Western formulations are legitimate. The Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, and this procession should be understood in a way that maintains triune unity and equality.
The mystery of the procession
While Scripture clearly teaches the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, the exact nature of this procession remains mysterious. We should not think of it mainly in terms of causation within time, but as an eternal relation of origin. The early church father, Augustine, explained it this way:
“If you ask me to tell you what exactly the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son means, I am not ashamed to confess that I do not know. It is just something we say, something we believe because it is revealed to us by the Scriptures. But how it happens is not clear” (On the Trinity 15.27.48).
The Cappadocian fathers spoke of the Spirit proceeding as the divine energy, radiance, or breath from the Father through the Son. Other church fathers used analogies like will, love, or power to describe the procession.
These metaphors point to the mystery of the Spirit’s relationship with the Father and Son. Human language and concepts cannot fully express this eternal procession within the immanent Trinity. It remains a profound spiritual reality even if the modality exceeds our finite comprehension.
Conclusion
The eternal procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son is a foundational doctrine of Christian theology. While the metaphysical mechanics defy total understanding, the Spirit’s procession clearly affirms His divine nature and role in the Trinity. He proceeds from the Father and Son, equal to Them in essence, and is sent into the world to apply salvation to the people of God. Believers experience new birth and sanctification through the Spirit proceeding eternally from the Triune Godhead. Although the procession surpasses human language and reason, its theological fruits enrich the church’s understanding of the Trinity, salvation, and God’s eternal plan.