Michael Brooks
The Pope's authority is a divisive issue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. While the Pope is the supreme leader of the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church does not recognize his authority. The Orthodox Church is led by a College of Bishops, who make decisions together and are presided over by a patriarch or primate, but this person is not considered an absolute ruler. The Pope's claim to supremacy is a matter of dispute between the two churches, and the Eastern Orthodox Church's refusal to accept it has led to a state of schism or separation from the Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Worship the Pope | No |
| Reason | The Orthodox Church doesn't have a Pope figure |
| The Orthodox Church doesn't agree with the Pope's supreme authority | |
| The Orthodox Church doesn't agree with the Pope's infallibility | |
| The Orthodox Church doesn't believe in the concept of purgatory |
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What You'll Learn
- The Eastern Orthodox Church does not accept the Pope as its leader
- The Pope's supremacy is not recognised by the Orthodox Church
- The Pope is the absolute leader of the Roman Catholic Church
- The Orthodox Church has a College of Bishops that make decisions
- The Pope is viewed as first among equals by the Orthodox Church
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not accept the Pope as its leader
The Eastern Orthodox Church has never accepted the Pope as the de jure leader of the entire church. This means that the Eastern Orthodox Church does not believe that the Pope has the authority to make statements with infallibility or unquestioned authority. Instead, the Eastern Orthodox Church establishes its rules through councils headed by various patriarchs of the churches.
The dispute over the Pope's authority dates back to the early Church councils, which acknowledged the Pope as "first among equals" but did not envision the Bishop of Rome's "primacy of honour" as a "supremacy of jurisdiction". The papal claims to supremacy are of a later origin, and some argue that they have damaged the unity of Christendom.
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church have different beliefs and practices, such as the role of the Pope, the inclusion of "and the Son" in the Nicene Creed, the concept of purgatory, the involvement of children in church rituals, and the practice of asceticism and fasting. Despite these differences, Roman Catholic churches acknowledge Eastern Orthodox followers as full members of the faith and allow them to participate in all church functions, including Holy Communion.
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The Pope's supremacy is not recognised by the Orthodox Church
The Pope's supremacy is not recognized by the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church has never accepted the Pope as the de jure leader of the entire church. All bishops are considered equal, and each church under every bishop is deemed to be complete. The Orthodox Church has not been subject to the administrative authority of the Pope of Rome during its 2000-year existence.
The Pope's supremacy is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, with the Pope considered the head of the whole Church and the vicar of Christ. Catholics assert that Christ made the Apostle Peter His vicar on earth, granting him plenipotentiary authority over the apostles and the Church. The Pope, as Peter's successor, is believed to have received all rights and privileges from him. The Pope's voice in matters of faith, speaking ex cathedra, is considered infallible and obligatory for each member of the Catholic Church.
The Orthodox Church, on the other hand, does not view the Pope as possessing such teaching and governing authority. They do not recognize the Pope as having the authority to change the Creed, for example. The teaching on the Pope's infallibility and supremacy is considered by the Orthodox to be a later development, unknown to the ancient, undivided Church. The Orthodox maintain that the Roman bishop was historically one of the members of the council, submitting to its decisions, rather than possessing supreme authority.
While the Pope is acknowledged as ""first among equals," the Orthodox Church does not interpret this as bestowing a "supremacy of jurisdiction." The papal claims to supremacy are seen as having a much later origin, and some argue that they have been detrimental to the unity of Christendom. The Orthodox Church, instead, emphasizes the importance of each bishop's right to manage affairs within their local diocese and the completeness of each church under every bishop.
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The Pope is the absolute leader of the Roman Catholic Church
The Pope is also the Prime Witness to Faith, responsible for preaching and teaching Jesus' message. He plays a crucial role in ecumenical efforts, building bridges with leaders of other Christian denominations. As the head of the Holy See, the Pope leads the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, making decisions on faith and morality for the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. The Pope's role has evolved over time, with the Second Vatican Council counterbalancing the emphasis on papal prerogatives while maintaining the view that the authority of the bishops and the Pope are interconnected.
While the Pope is the absolute leader of the Roman Catholic Church, it is important to note that the Eastern Orthodox Church does not recognize the Pope as the de jure leader of the entire church. They believe that all bishops are equal, and each church under every bishop is fully complete, or catholic. The Orthodox view is not a refusal to accept the authority of the Pope but rather a matter of historical reality, as the Orthodox Church has not been subject to the administrative authority of the Pope during its 2000-year existence.
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The Orthodox Church has a College of Bishops that make decisions
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not accept the pope as the universal leader of the entire church. Instead, it adheres to a synodical system, with each local church appointing its own bishops through a synod of bishops. The synod can accept or reject a nomination and substitute an appointment of their own choosing. The Orthodox Church is decentralised and has no central authority, earthly head, or single bishop in a leadership role.
The Orthodox Church recognises the Bishop of Rome as "first among equals", a position of honour rather than power or magisterial authority. Each bishop has the right to manage affairs within their local diocese. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, for example, is considered the "first among equals" and is sometimes referred to as the "spiritual leader" of the Eastern Orthodox Church, although this is disputed.
The Eastern Orthodox Church is made up of autocephalous churches that are in full communion with each other. This means that any priest from one of these churches may lawfully minister to any member of the others, and no member is excluded from any form of worship in any of the churches.
Historically, the Patriarch of Rome was considered the "first in place of honour" among five patriarchs: the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. However, disagreement about the limits of the Patriarch of Rome's authority led to the Great Schism in 1054, which split the church into the Roman Catholic Church in the West, headed by the Pope, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, led by the four eastern patriarchs.
The Eastern Orthodox Church, therefore, does not worship the pope as a central authority figure. Instead, it operates through a College of Bishops that make decisions at the local church level, with each bishop having authority over their local diocese.
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The Pope is viewed as first among equals by the Orthodox Church
The Pope is viewed as the "first among equals" by the Orthodox Church. This view acknowledges the Pope's "primacy of honour" but does not consider him to have "supremacy of jurisdiction". The Orthodox Church believes that the Pope is not the de jure leader of the entire church and that all bishops are equal "as Peter". Thus, every church under each bishop is considered fully complete, which is the original meaning of "catholic".
The concept of "primus inter pares", or "first among equals", is not unique to the Orthodox Church's view of the Pope. In many private parliamentary bodies, such as clubs, boards, and committees, the chair or chairman is often regarded as a "first among equals". While the position of chair may come with special powers, it is usually temporary and powerless in other contexts, making the occupant a temporary leader.
In the Catholic Church, the Pope is viewed as the Vicar of Christ and the successor of Saint Peter. He is considered the leader of the Christian world and holds supreme authority in canon law over all other bishops. However, the Catholic Church does not claim that its pastors will always use their teaching authority in the most prudent manner, only that they are protected from error when they use its full measure.
The separation between Catholics and Orthodox is largely due to the papacy. The Orthodox do not recognise the Pope as having the same teaching and governing authority that the Catholic Church claims. They believe that papal authority was not established by Christ but developed by the popes centuries later.
Despite the differences in views on the Pope's authority, there have been attempts at reconciliation between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. For example, under the emperor Anastasius I, the churches of Constantinople and Rome were in schism, but with the ascendancy of the orthodox emperor Justin I, negotiations for reunion began. Pope Hormisdas issued a formula of orthodox catholic faith, which the Patriarch John II could agree to for the reunion of the two churches.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Orthodox Catholics do not worship the Pope. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not acknowledge the Pope as the de jure leader or the supreme religious authority of the entire church.
The Pope is seen as a figurehead or "first among equals" in the Orthodox Catholic Church.
The main difference is that Roman Catholics recognize the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and accept his unquestioned authority in matters of faith and governance, while Orthodox Catholics do not.
The Eastern Orthodox Church believes that each bishop is equal, and each church under every bishop is fully complete, or catholic, in the original sense of the term. They also believe that the Pope does not have the authority to change sacred traditions and scriptures.
Yes, in 1054, Pope Leo IX excommunicated the Eastern Orthodox Church due to their refusal to submit to his authority. The Vatican lifted the orders of excommunication in 1965.
