Why does the Coptic Orthodox Church reject the Filioque?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

The Coptic Orthodox Church rejects the Filioque (the Latin addition to the Creed stating that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son") for fundamental theological, scriptural, and canonical reasons. Our faith is rooted in the preservation of the "Monarchy of the Father," which is the biblical and patristic truth that the Father is the sole source and cause within the Holy Trinity.

The reasons for our rejection of this addition are as follows:

1. Scriptural Foundation

The Lord Jesus Christ explicitly defined the procession of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John:

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (John 15:26).

The Holy Scriptures distinguish between the eternal procession of the Spirit (from the Father alone) and the temporal mission or sending of the Spirit to the world (which involves the Son). The Filioque confuses these two, erroneously suggesting that the Son is a cause of the Spirit’s eternal existence.

2. The Monarchy of the Father

In Coptic Orthodox theology, as taught by Saint Athanasius the Apostolic and Saint Cyril the Great, the Father is the "begetter" of the Son and the "proceeder" of the Spirit. By adding "and the Son," the Western church introduces a "dual causality," which implies there are two sources within the Trinity. This destroys the unique personal property of the Father and risks falling into a form of semi-polytheism or, conversely, a blurring of the distinct Persons (hypostases) of the Trinity.

3. Canonical and Synodal Authority

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed was finalized at the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. The Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431) strictly forbade the composition of any other creed or the addition of any words to it. The Western church added the Filioque unilaterally—without an ecumenical council—initially in Spain during the 6th century to combat local Arianism. However, we do not believe that a local or regional necessity justifies changing the universal symbol of faith that belongs to the whole Church.

4. Distinction from Heretical Perspectives

While Catholics and Protestants may attempt to justify the Filioque by claiming the Son is a "participant" in the procession, this remains a departure from the Apostolic faith.

• The Catholic View: Catholics often try to explain the addition by distinguishing between the Greek word ekporeusis (procession from a source) and the Latin processio (a more general term), yet they still maintain the addition in their liturgical life, which we view as an illegal innovation.
• The Protestant View: Protestants generally inherited this addition from the Roman Catholic Church without the same depth of patristic scrutiny, further distancing themselves from the original Orthodox tradition.

Summary

The Coptic Orthodox Church remains the true Orthodox Christian church, maintaining the Creed exactly as it was handed down by the Holy Fathers. We confess in the Liturgy and the daily prayers:

"Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father."

By rejecting the Filioque, we preserve the biblical distinction between the Persons of the Trinity and uphold the authority of the Ecumenical Councils against unauthorized innovations.