The Filioque and 1800 Years of History in 800 Words
Since this coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday, it seems to me a good time to lean into a point of some confusion regarding the Nicene Creed. You may have noticed that when we say together the words of the Nicene Creed during liturgy, most often in the 9:00 service, there is one phrase that is usually not written in the bulletin (but occasionally makes an inadvertent appearance). You may also have noticed that occasionally one or two voices will steam forward to say the three unwritten words, even when it is not spoken by most others. Always makes me chuckle.
But what is happening?