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Question: What caused the schism between the Orthodox and Catholic church!?
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Orthodox are Catholics, dear!. Just Eastern rite and not Roman rite!. There is some difference theologically, although in the RITE there is!. That is the ceremony; and some smaller details such as celibacy, and leadership!.

The Eastern Christians spoke Greek where the Western Christians spoke Latin!. Where the Eastern Church's administration was governed by a group of bishops (i!.e!., Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem) which shared a common language and cultural background, the Western Church's administration was governed by a single bishop: the bishop of Rome!. All these factors led to some basic theological differences between the Orthodox Church of the East and West!.

Unfortunately, by the eleventh century A!.D!. the differences between East and West became great enough to cause a separation of the One Holy Orthodox Catholic Church!. The Eastern Church became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western Church became know as the Roman Catholic Church, for it was governed and administered by the bishop or Pope of Rome!. Again it must be emphasized that there were many factors besides theological ones which led to the schism of the one Christian Church!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) branches, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, respectively!. Relations between East and West had long been embittered by political and ecclesiastical differences and theological disputes!. Pope Leo IX and Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, heightened the conflict by suppressing Greek and Latin in their respective domains!. In 1054, Roman legates traveled to Cerularius to deny him the title Ecumenical Patriarch and to insist that he recognize the Catholic claim to be the head and mother of the churches!. Cerularius refused!. The leader of the Latin contingent excommunicated Cerularius, while he excommunicated the legates!.

The Western legate's acts are of doubtful validity because Leo had died, while Cerularius's excommunication applied only to the legates personally!. Still, the Church split along doctrinal, theological, linguistic, political, and geographical lines, and the fundamental breach has never been healed!. Western cruelty during the Crusades, the capture of Constantinople in 1204, and the imposition of Latin Patriarchs made reconciliation more difficult!. On paper, the two churches actually reunited in 1274 (by the Second Council of Lyon) and in 1439 (by the Council of Florence), but in each case the councils were repudiated by the Orthodox as a whole, on the grounds that the hierarchs had overstepped their authority in consenting to reunification!. In 1484, 31 years after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks, a Synod of Constantinople repudiated the Union of Florence, marking the final breach!. In 1965, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch nullified the anathemas of 1054!. Further attempts to reconcile the two bodies are ongoing!.

A schism is a break in the Church's authority structure and communion, different from a heresy, which means false doctrine!. Church authorities have long recognized that the sacraments function even if their minister is in schism!. There have been many other schisms, from the 2nd century until today, but none as significant as the one between East and West!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Orthodox and Catholic Churches were one and the same until they separated from one another in 1054 mainly over the role of the Pope!.

There are very few theological differences!. The main difference is that the Orthodox Churches (http://www!.newadvent!.org/cathen/11329a!.h!.!.!. use the Byzantine Rite (http://www!.newadvent!.org/cathen/04312d!.h!.!.!. and the Catholic Church use the Roman or Latin Rite!.

Pope John Paul II said of the Orthodox Churches in Orientale Lumen, "A particularly close link already binds us!. We have almost everything in common!."

For the entire document, see: http://www!.vatican!.va/holy_father/john_p!.!.!.

With love in Christ!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Although there are a number of issues that would need to be definitively addressed by the two Churches before a complete reconciliation would be possible, most commentators agree that the central issue dividing the Catholic and Orthodox Churches revolves around the appropriate conception of the ministry of the Pope of Rome, and in particular, the nature and scope of his ministry vis-à-vis the Eastern Churches!. In this respect, although the issues are complicated, a reasonably accurate summary of the present positions of the two Churches on this issue would be that (1) strictly speaking, the Catholics hold that the Pope of Rome, as the Successor to St!. Peter, enjoys full, immediate, direct jurisdiction over every diocese in the Church and, under certain conditions, the charism of infallibility when speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals, whereas (2) the Orthodox hold that the Pope of Rome is the first bishop of the Church, a source of tremendous authority and respect, and perhaps a "court of final appeal" or mediator between bishops, but that he does not have direct legal jurisdiction over each local diocese, or individual infallibility per se when speaking alone!. Both the Catholic Orthodox Churches believe that their respective view of the role of the Bishop of Rome is rooted in the traditions of the ecumenical Church of the first millennium!. We must all pray that the Holy Spirit will guide both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches to the blessed unity of one mind on this matter, so that full communion in unity of faith can be finally and decisively reestablished!.

Things like the filioque, the concept of God & Son & Mother of God dissagreements, celibacy for priests & bishops!. The list goes on and on and there is no certain date that the schism started but most historians point to the 7th century split between The East and Western portions of The Holy Roman Empire as the beginning, and most recently to the last attempts at ammendments to the to the canons, which are laws The Church in Rome adheres to, and The Orthodox which do not follow which have further divided both faiths!.

Thanks that was a really good question and I had fun researching it!

However: Time and time again,!.!.!.Yahoo timed me out!.

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The cause of the Schism between the Orthodox Church, and the Roman Catholic Church (eastern rite Catholics are not part of the Orthodox Church btw) were in part, political, as they disagreed over the growing office and authority of the Pope and it's heirachy vs the more egalitarian and autonomous structure of the Orthodox diocese!. (Mutual excommunications occured) and in part the result of many small doctrinal disagreements, from unleavened bread, to married clergy etc!.

However a HUGE cause unfortunately blew up over three words: "and the son"!. It is called the Filioque!.

It stems from the Nicene creed, where it stated the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father!. The Nicene creed was the definitive creed agreed upon by representatives from Christian Churches during Constantine's reign!. As such it was (and is) a definitive statement of agreement!.

However, near the Western Roman Empire, Germanic tribes had converted to a nontrinitarian form of heretic Christianity called "Arianism" and proceeded to invade and pillage parts of the Empire!. As a means of creating a stronger emphasis on Jesus unity with God, the Western Church inserted "and the son" after "We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father"

The Eastern Church were horrified that the West would insert words into the agreed creed, and also took theological issue, for Jesus himself said that the Father would send the Holy Spirit!.

The West accused the East of downplaying God's union with Jesus, and so the schism went on!.

Unfortunately many early disagreements in the church were over EMPHASIS, not actual disagreement!.

The Orthodox church had an earlier schism with the so-called Nestorians, or Assyrian Orthodox, over their refusal to renounce the Bishop Nestorius for teaching a separation of Jesus' divine and human natures, despite him declaring he did not think Jesus was two people, and despite the Assyrian Church not actually agreeing with Nestorius theology anyway!.

The furor over the Filioque was thus a tragically irrelevant moot point!. For if Jesus is one being with God, then by implication, yes the Holy Spirit proceeds from him!. However as stated, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would proceed from the Father, so leaving the Creed as is, was also valid!. Both versions of the creed can be said to be true!.

The actual way the Trinity works is a mystery!. Rather than fight, a better thing would have been to share the divergent opinions, and remain in communion with each other!. As it is now, many churches say the creed with the filioque in parenthesis:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen!.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made!.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human!.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried!.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father!.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end!.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets!.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church!.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins!.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come!. Amen!.


I truly hope and believe that our faith in Jesus actually covers theological or doctrinal errors!. I do not believe Christianity to be an exam paper where you have to tick off the correct answers in a multiple choice, but a relationship of love enabled by Jesus atoning death and resurrection that covers all sins!.

So just as Jesus prayed for those killing him to be forgiven "for they know not what they do" so I pray that those who have broken off communion with each other over differences of doctrine would also be forgiven!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The Heads of the Churches refused to compromise!.Www@QuestionHome@Com