Joshua Bennett
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church are the two branches that medieval Christianity split into in 1054, in what is known as the Great Schism. The Eastern Catholic Churches were formerly part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox churches, or the Church of the East. The two churches have several differences, including their views on the nature and structure of the Church, the recitation of the Nicene Creed, opinions on divorce, and the Pope's status as the traditional leader of the whole church. Despite these differences, the two churches share a mutual cultural and liturgical tradition and have had open communication since their separation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of separation | 1054 |
| Commonly known as | The Great Schism or the East-West Schism |
| Reason for separation | Religious and political disagreements, including geography, miscommunication, differing theologies, and politics |
| Theological differences | Emphasis on the divinity of Jesus Christ (Eastern Orthodox) vs. his humanity (Roman Catholic) |
| Language | Eastern Orthodox: Greek; Roman Catholic: Latin |
| Iconography | Eastern Orthodox: Emphasis on divinity; Roman Catholic: Realistic iconography and artwork |
| Leadership | Eastern Orthodox: Patriarch of Constantinople; Roman Catholic: Pope |
| Recitation of Nicene Creed | Eastern Orthodox: Do not recite Filioque Clause; Roman Catholic: Recite Filioque Clause |
| Liturgy | Eastern Orthodox: Divine Liturgy; Roman Catholic: Baptism |
| Marriage | Eastern Orthodox: Union of one man and one woman; Roman Catholic: Union of a man and a woman, but open to same-sex marriage |
| Saint | Eastern Orthodox: Toth |
| Current relationship | Open communication and friendly towards each other |
| Geographical presence | Eastern Orthodox: Asia Minor, the Middle East, and North Africa; Roman Catholic: Western Europe and the northern and western Mediterranean |
| Diaspora | Eastern Orthodox: N/A; Roman Catholic: Western Europe, the Americas, and Oceania |
| Number of adherents | Eastern Orthodox: 220 million; Roman Catholic: Unknown, but the largest Christian communion in the world |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Schism
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church were originally one Christian church. The separation, which occurred in 1054, was the result of centuries of conflict. The Schism reflected numerous long-standing tensions between the eastern and western Roman empires. The two churches disagreed on who held ultimate authority over the churches, which language services should be conducted in, and more. Traditionally, the leader of the whole Church is the Pope, but the Eastern Orthodox Church's leader, Michael Cerularius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, did not trust the Roman Catholic Pope. He accused some of the Western Catholic traditions of being un-Christian. The Catholic Church, which means "for everyone", relied heavily on Latin and Roman tradition, and unlike the Eastern Church, spoke little to no Greek during the services. The Eastern Church knew little Latin and used even less Latin tradition in their services.
The first action that led to a formal schism occurred in 1053 when Patriarch Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople ordered the closure of all Latin churches in Constantinople. In 1054, the papal legate sent by Pope Leo IX travelled to Constantinople to deny Cerularius the title of "ecumenical patriarch". The main point of contention was the use of leavened bread during the celebration of Mass. Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, the leader of the legation, excommunicated Cerularius, and in response, Cerularius excommunicated Humbert and the other legates.
In addition to the issues of Papal authority and language, there were also theological differences between the two churches. The Eastern Church's theology was more theoretical than the Roman Catholic Church, and it focused on the divinity of Jesus Christ rather than his humanity. The Western Church's theology was based more on Roman law, and its theology emphasized the humanity of Christ. The two churches also disagreed on the exact recitation of the Nicene Creed, a formal statement of Christian belief. The disagreement centred on the Filioque Clause; the Catholic Church recited this clause, while the Orthodox Church did not.
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Theological differences
Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians share a lot in common, including a mutual cultural and liturgical tradition. However, there are some key theological differences between the two groups.
Nature and Structure of the Church
Eastern Orthodox Christians view the Church as a federation of local churches, while Catholics, including Eastern Catholics, see it as an organic communion, with the successor of Peter—the pope—as an essential component. Eastern Orthodox Christians no longer recognize the primacy of the pope of Rome. The patriarch of Constantinople is now referred to as "first among equals".
Theology
The Eastern Orthodox Church's theology is more theoretical than that of the Catholic Church. It focuses on the divinity of Jesus Christ, rather than his humanity, and uses more abstract iconography and artwork. In contrast, the Catholic Church emphasizes the humanity of Christ and uses more realistic depictions.
Geography, Language, and Culture
The Eastern Orthodox Church occupied Asia Minor, the Middle East, and North Africa. It knew little Latin and used little to no Latin tradition in its services. Instead, it used Greek, which was rarely spoken in the Catholic Church.
Recitation of the Nicene Creed
Both churches consider the Nicene Creed, a formal statement of Christian belief, to be foundational. However, they disagree on the exact recitation of the Creed, specifically regarding the Filioque Clause. The Catholic Church recites the Filioque Clause, which states that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not include the Filioque Clause, believing that the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father alone.
Marriage
Both Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians view marriage as a holy sacrament uniting a man and a woman. However, they may differ in their stance on same-sex marriage. While not explicitly stated, Eastern Orthodox leaders have spoken out strongly against civil same-sex marriage, indicating a potential difference in theological beliefs compared to Eastern Catholics.
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Leadership and authority
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Church have different views on leadership and authority. The Eastern Orthodox Church is entirely decentralised, with no central authority, earthly head, or single bishop in a leadership role. Instead, it has a synodical system, with several autocephalous churches led by patriarchs. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, currently Bartholomew I, is the archbishop of Constantinople and is considered the "first among equals" among the patriarchs. He is regarded as the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide and has a unique role in convening synods and representing the Eastern Orthodox Church in ecumenical contacts with other Christian denominations.
On the other hand, the Eastern Catholic Churches are in full communion with the bishop of Rome, recognising the pope's supremacy and accepting the dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. They maintain full and equal mutual sacramental exchange with the Latin Church while preserving their distinct practices and internal canons. The Latin Church's Code of Canon Law recognises the autonomy of the Eastern Catholic Churches, referring to them as "autonomous Churches" or "ritual Churches sui iuris".
The difference in leadership and authority between the two churches is a significant distinction. While the Eastern Orthodox Church values decentralisation and the independence of its autocephalous churches, the Eastern Catholic Churches acknowledge the pope's authority and accept the doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, finding a balance between their unique traditions and communion with Rome.
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople plays a crucial role in the Eastern Orthodox Church's leadership and spiritual guidance. Beyond representing and leading Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, the Ecumenical Patriarch is involved in ecumenism, interfaith dialogue, charitable work, and the defence of Orthodox Christian traditions. Bartholomew I, in particular, has focused on intra-Orthodox cooperation, inter-religious dialogue, and promoting religious freedom, human rights, and environmental causes.
In summary, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Church differ in their understanding of leadership and authority. The Eastern Orthodox Church emphasises decentralisation and the independence of its autocephalous churches, with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople serving as a spiritual leader and representative. In contrast, the Eastern Catholic Churches recognise the pope's supremacy, accept the Roman Catholic doctrines, and maintain sacramental exchange with the Latin Church while preserving their distinct practices and autonomy.
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Liturgy and language
The Eastern Catholic Church, on the other hand, used Latin as its liturgical language, with Greek being used occasionally in solemn liturgies. The Byzantine Rite, practiced by most Eastern Catholics, developed around the use of Greek, the vernacular of those who worshiped according to that rite. Over time, the use of the vernacular extended to other languages as well.
The Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, and the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch use a version of the Divine Liturgy of Saint James, which is notably shorter than its Byzantine Rite counterpart. The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church share a single liturgical structure called the Armenian Rite, with a single anaphora called the Athanasius-Anaphora. The Armenian Catholic Church is the only Eastern Catholic Church that worships according to the Armenian Rite and celebrates in Classical Armenian, a development of the originally Greek Liturgy of Saint Basil.
The Coptic Catholic Church, the Ethiopian Catholic Church, and the Eritrean Catholic Church follow the Alexandrian Rite, which has been influenced by multiple other rites, particularly Byzantine ritual. While Coptic was once used in Coptic liturgies, Arabic replaced it in common practice by the early 20th century. Ethiopian liturgies utilized Ge'ez as their liturgical language.
Despite these differences in liturgy and language, Eastern-rite Catholics and Orthodox Christians share a mutual cultural and liturgical tradition, and there is a great deal of common ground between them.
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Cultural and liturgical traditions
Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches share a mutual cultural and liturgical tradition. However, they have several differences in their cultural and liturgical practices.
Language
The Eastern Orthodox Church occupied Asia Minor, the Middle East, and North Africa, and its liturgy was conducted in Greek. The Eastern Church knew little Latin and used even less Latin tradition in their services. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Church, which encompassed Western Europe and the northern and western areas of the Mediterranean, relied heavily on Latin and Roman tradition and used little to no Greek during its services.
Theology
The Eastern Orthodox Church's theology was more theoretical than the Roman Catholic Church, and it focused on the divinity of Jesus Christ rather than his humanity. The Eastern Church's theology emphasized the divinity of Christ and used realistic iconography and artwork, while the Roman Catholic Church emphasized Christ's humanity.
Liturgy
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church have different liturgical practices. The Eastern Orthodox Church's liturgy is centered on the Divine Liturgy, while the Roman Catholic Church's liturgy includes the recitation of the Nicene Creed, a formal statement of Christian belief. Both churches believe that the Nicene Creed is foundational and one of the most comprehensive expressions of the Christian faith. However, they disagree on the exact recitation of the Creed, specifically on the inclusion of the Filioque Clause, which refers to whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from both God the Father and Jesus Christ or from God the Father alone. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not include the Filioque Clause in its recitation of the Creed, while the Roman Catholic Church does.
Sacraments
Both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches recognize seven sacraments, including baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage. However, they may differ in their understanding and practices of these sacraments. For example, the Eastern Orthodox Church considers marriage to be one of the holy mysteries or sacraments, uniting a man and a woman in eternal union before God, while certain Orthodox leaders have spoken out against same-sex marriage.
Liturgical Traditions
The Eastern Catholic Churches represent five historic liturgical traditions of Eastern Christianity: the Alexandrian Rite, the Armenian Rite, the Byzantine Rite, the East Syriac Rite, and the West Syriac Rite. The Byzantine Rite is also used by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, which was formerly in communion with Constantinople until an exclusively Orthodox body was formed in the 18th century. The Maronite Church, which has no counterpart in Eastern Orthodoxy, also has a unique Christological doctrine.
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Frequently asked questions
The main difference between the two is ecclesiological. The Eastern Orthodox view the Church as a federation of local churches, while Catholics see it as an organic communion, with the Pope as an essential component.
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church were originally one Christian church. The two branches split in 1054, in what is known as the Great Schism or the East-West Schism. The Schism occurred due to a mix of religious and political disagreements, including geography, miscommunication, differing theologies, and politics.
The Eastern Orthodox Church focuses on the divinity of Jesus Christ, while the Roman Catholic Church emphasizes his humanity. The Eastern Orthodox Church also does not recite the Filioque Clause in the Nicene Creed, while the Catholic Church does.
