Catholic And Orthodox: What's The Difference?

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054, caused by historical, linguistic, and theological differences. While the two churches share many similarities, there are some key differences in their beliefs and practices. For instance, the Catholic Church recognizes the Pope's primacy and supreme authority, while the Orthodox Church considers the Bishop of Rome as first among equals without effective power over other churches. Other differences include the use of icons, the nature of God, and the understanding of sin, grace, and the Immaculate Conception. Despite these differences, both churches share fundamental Christian beliefs and have made efforts towards reconciliation.

The Great Schism of 1054

The Eastern theology was rooted in Greek philosophy, while Western theology was largely based on Roman law. This divergence led to differing interpretations and practices regarding core doctrines, such as the procession of the Holy Spirit. The Roman churches, without consulting the East, added "and the Son" (Filioque) to the Nicene Creed, causing resentment in the East. Additionally, the Eastern churches disagreed with the Roman enforcement of clerical celibacy, the limitation of confirmation to bishops, and the use of unleavened bread in the Eucharist.

The schism was also influenced by political jealousies and interests. In 1053, Patriarch Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople ordered the closure of all Latin churches in the city. In response, the papal legate sent by Pope Leo IX travelled to Constantinople to deny Cerularius the title of "ecumenical patriarch". When Cerularius refused to accept this demand, Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, the leader of the legation, excommunicated him. In turn, Cerularius excommunicated Humbert and the other legates.

The mutual excommunications of 1054 became a watershed moment in church history, and the breach between the two churches has never been fully healed. While there have been attempts at reconciliation, and the mutual excommunications were lifted in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church remain separate entities, with ongoing theological and doctrinal differences, particularly regarding the role and authority of the Pope.

Theological differences

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054. This schism was caused by historical and linguistic differences, which led to theological differences between the Western and Eastern churches.

One of the main theological differences between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is the role of the Pope. The Catholic Church attributes to the primacy of the Pope "full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered". In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox Church understands the Bishop of Rome's primacy to be "first among equals", without effective power over other churches. The Ravenna Document, issued in 2007, stated that both churches accept the Bishop of Rome's primacy at the universal level, but that differences exist over how this primacy is exercised.

Another major difference is the reliance on the mystical and the legalistic. The Catholic Church tends to be more legalistic, with everything spelled out, whereas the Eastern Orthodox Church is more reliant on the mystical. For example, the Catholic Church uses the term transubstantiation to refer to the transformation of the Eucharist into the body and blood of Christ, while the Eastern Orthodox Church calls it "the great mystery" because it is not clear when and how it happens.

The two churches also differ in their views on icons. The Orthodox Church sees the veneration of icons as a continuation of the biblical and apostolic tradition of honouring holy figures and sacred objects. Icons are believed to be imbued with divine grace and power, and their veneration is seen as an act of worship. In contrast, the Catholic Church has historically been more cautious about the use of images in worship, emphasising the importance of avoiding idolatry or superstitious practices.

There are also differences in the way the two churches understand salvation and baptism, with the Catholic Church holding to a satisfaction model that includes purgatory, while the Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory, instead holding to a forgiveness or punishment model.

Finally, there are differences in the way the two churches approach sin, grace, and the Immaculate Conception, with the Orthodox Church seeing Catholic beliefs as heretical.

Papal primacy

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been in a state of official schism since the East-West Schism of 1054. While the two churches share many similarities, one of the main theological differences is the issue of papal primacy, also known as the primacy of the bishop of Rome. This doctrine concerns the respect, authority, and power attributed to the pope by other bishops and their episcopal sees.

The Catholic Church attributes full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church to the pope, a power that is also attributed to the entire body of bishops united with the pope. This power is understood to have limitations that are official, legal, dogmatic, and practical. The basis of this doctrine is the place of St. Peter in the New Testament, who is understood to be the pope's predecessor, and the place of the Roman Church in history.

In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox Church understands the primacy of the Bishop of Rome to be one of greater honour, regarding him as "primus inter pares" ("first among equals"), without effective power over other churches. They believe that the power of the pope is not higher than that of a bishop in each church but is instead the same power expressed and manifested in one person. Orthodox churches, often ethnically linked groups of bishops, are in schism with Rome and do not recognize the pope's ecclesiastical authority, although they acknowledge the legitimacy of his authority.

The disagreement over the doctrine of papal primacy and how it should be exercised has been a primary cause of the schism between the Eastern Orthodox and Western churches and continues to be an obstacle to reunification. While both churches agree on the fact of the Bishop of Rome's primacy, they disagree on the extent of his authority and how it should be exercised. This difference in interpretation has been a significant source of conflict between Eastern and Western Christianity.

Use of icons

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054. While the Catholic Church attributes to the primacy of the Pope "full, supreme, and universal power", the Orthodox Church views the Bishop of Rome as "first among equals", without effective power over other churches.

The use of icons is a notable feature of Orthodox churches. Icons are images, usually paintings, that depict Jesus, Mary, saints, and angels. They are often painted on wood panels with egg tempera but can also be cast in metal, carved in stone, embroidered on cloth, or done in mosaic or fresco work. Orthodox Christians say that icons remind them of Jesus, the apostles, the fathers, and the saints in Church history.

The Catholic Church also uses icons, and there is no rule against Catholics honouring or keeping them. The use of images, including statues, has long been permitted by the Church as a reminder of Jesus and the saints. The Catholic Church accepted the decrees of the Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, which condemned iconoclasm, and the ancient work of St. John Damascene, “On Holy Images”, supports the use of icons. Following Gregory the Great, Catholics emphasise the role of images as the Biblia Pauperum, or the "Bible of the Poor", from which those who could not read could nonetheless learn.

While the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church share many similarities in their use of icons, there are some differences. The Orthodox Church insists on distinguishing the veneration of icons from the worship of idols by pagans. The Orthodox Church also has a more rigid adherence to models and formulas for its icons, whereas Western European religious art, including Catholic art, tends to be more personal, improvisatory, and creative.

Views on purgatory

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been divided since the East-West Schism of 1054. This schism was caused by historical, linguistic, and theological differences. While the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church share many similarities, they differ in several key aspects, including the role of the Pope, the nature of sin and grace, and the Immaculate Conception.

The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have differing views on purgatory, which has been a significant obstacle to their reunification. The Catholic Church teaches that purgatory is a state or condition of final purification after death for those who die in God's grace but still need to be purified to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven. This purification is believed to be achieved through temporal punishment in purgatory. However, the Catholic Church does not require a belief in literal fire, and Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI clarified that purgatory is not a literal place but a condition of preparatory cleansing for heaven.

On the other hand, the Eastern Orthodox Church has traditionally rejected the notion of purgatory as a "third place" in the afterlife, distinct from heaven and hell, containing literal fire. They consider the notion of purgatory to be a late innovation lacking scriptural support and the teachings of the Fathers. Instead, the Orthodox community views the intermediate state as a foretaste of either eternal reward or eternal punishment, which will be fixed on the Day of Judgment. They believe that souls can be transitioned from hell to heaven before the Final Judgment through the prayers of the saints and the faithful, which is similar to the Catholic view of purgatory.

While there are some differences in their understanding of the afterlife, the Orthodox view of purgatory may be more aligned with the Catholic view than is commonly believed. Some Orthodox scholars have unintentionally affirmed the Catholic view of purgatory, and the rejection of a literal interpretation of purgatory by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI has made the Catholic teaching less objectionable to the Orthodox perspective.

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