Procession of the Spirit

Doctrine Concept

Procession names the Spirit's eternal relation of origin from the Father. Orthodox theology distinguishes this from the Spirit's temporal sending through the Son.

Key points

John 15:26 is a primary scriptural text for the term.
Different Christian traditions have disputed the wording of the creed and its interpretation.

Scripture

John 15:26 — Jesus says he will send the Spirit from the Father and that the Spirit proceeds from the Father; the verse includes both sending and procession.
John 14:26 — The Father sends the Spirit in the Son's name; distinguish this mission from eternal origin.

Primary sources

The creed confesses the Spirit as:

The creed associated with Constantinople I states that the Spirit proceeds from the Father.

the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified
— First Council of Constantinople, Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (Creed), trans. Henry Percival, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 14

Passage context and translation

The council confesses the Spirit's divine lordship and the Father's monarchy in the Creed received by the Church.

Before the excerpt

And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost,

After the excerpt

who spoke by the prophets.

Percival translation in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 14; wording is a clause of the 381 Creed as presented in the linked edition.

Sources and further reading

OCA: The Three Divine Persons (Orthodox doctrinal overview)
Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 39 (Patristic primary text)
John of Damascus, Exposition, Book I (Patristic primary text)

Related records

The Father (Doctrine Concept)
The Holy Spirit (Doctrine Concept)
First Council of Constantinople (Council)
The Holy Spirit's Procession (Tradition Comparison)
Spirit · from the Father (Doctrine Branch)
Unbegotten (Doctrine Concept)

All records