Does anyone know, did a Council in the West affirm that the Father is the only cause? (this was my original question :))
Little,
I tried looking this up in
The Catholic Encyclopedia, and found something in the article on
The Council of Florence [
newadvent.org]. Paragraph 9 of the article reads as follows:
The seventeenth session of the council (the first at Florence) took place in the papal palace on 26 February. In nine consecutive sessions, the Filioque was the chief matter of discussion. In the last session but one (twenty-fourth of Ferrara, eighth of Florence) Giovanni di Ragusa set forth clearly the Latin doctrine in the following terms: "the Latin Church recognizes but one principle, one cause of the Holy Spirit, namely, the Father. It is from the Father that the Son holds his place in the 'Procession' of the Holy Ghost. It is in this sense that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father, but He proceeds also from the Son." In the last session, the same theologian again expounded the doctrine, after which the public sessions were closed at the request of the Greeks, as it seemed useless to prolong further the theological discussions. At this juncture began the active efforts of Isidore of Kiev, and, as the result of further parleys, Eugene IV submitted four propositions summing up the result of the previous discussion and exposing the weakness of the attitude of the Greeks. As the latter were loath to admit defeat, Cardinal Bessarion, in a special meeting of the Greeks, on 13 and 14 April, 1439, delivered his famous discourse in favour of reunion, and was supported by Georgius Scholarius. Both parties now met again, after which, to put an end to all equivocation, the Latins drew up and read a declaration of their faith in which they stated that they did not admit two "principia" in the Trinity, but only one, the productive power of the Father and the Son, and that the Holy Ghost proceeds also from the Son. They admitted, therefore, two hypostases, one action, one productive power, and one product due to the substance and the hypostases of the Father and the Son. The Greeks met this statement with an equivocal counter-formula, whereupon Bessarion, Isidore of Kiev, and Dortheus of Mitylene, encouraged by the emperor, came out strongly in favour of the ex filio.
In other words, yes and no.
I was unsuccessful at finding out which, if either, of these formulas was incorporated into the
Canons (i.e. the legally binding statements) of the Council of Florence, but I suspect the questions of Principle and Cause were simply not addressed.
In other words, I think Giovanni di Ragusa's statement at the Council is as close as a Council in the West ever came to affirming that the Father is the only cause. (Of course, statements made in the course of Council discussions are not pronouncements, and have no official standing.)
Peace,
Deacon Richard
