Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054, also known as the Great Schism. The split was caused by historical and linguistic differences, which led to theological disagreements between the Eastern and Western churches. While the two churches share many similarities, there are some key differences in their beliefs and practices. For instance, the Orthodox Church does not recognize the Pope's authority, whereas the Catholic Church attributes to the Pope full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church. Another point of divergence is the Filioque controversy, which pertains to the nature of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, while the Eastern Orthodox Church asserts that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History | The Catholic and Orthodox churches were divided by the Great Schism in 1054, also known as the East-West Schism, which was caused by historical, linguistic, and theological differences. |
| Theological Differences | Catholics and Orthodox Christians have differing views on the role of the Pope, the nature of God and purgatory, the use of icons, the Eucharist, and the role of tradition. |
| Similarities | Both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, the solemn celebration of the Eucharist, the affirmation of its sacrificial nature, the rejection of certain Protestant doctrines, and hold to truths like the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the resurrection of Jesus. |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Schism of 1054
The Eastern theology had its roots in Greek philosophy, whereas Western theology was largely based on Roman law. This led to differences in the procession of the Holy Spirit, with the Roman churches adding "and the Son" (Latin: Filioque) to the Nicene Creed without consulting the East. Other points of contention included the use of unleavened bread in the Eucharist, iconoclasm, the Pope's claim to universal jurisdiction, and the place of the See of Constantinople in relation to the pentarchy.
The first step towards the formal schism occurred in 1053 when Patriarch Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople ordered the closure of all Latin churches in the city. In 1054, the papal legate sent by Pope Leo IX travelled to Constantinople to deny Cerularius the title of "ecumenical patriarch" and insist that he submit to Rome. When the leader of the legation, Cardinal Humbert, learned that Cerularius had refused to accept the demand, he excommunicated him, and in response, Cerularius excommunicated Humbert and the other legates.
The mutual excommunications became a watershed moment in church history and ordinary Christians in the East and West remained largely unaware of the schism for some time. While there were temporary reconciliations and attempts to heal the rift in subsequent centuries, the breach was never fully healed, and each side occasionally accuses the other of heresy and initiating the schism.
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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 is the differing views on 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 views the Bishop of Rome as 'first among equals', without effective power over other churches. This difference in understanding has been a major cause of the schism between the two churches.
Another significant theological difference is the use of the term 'Filioque' in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed by the Catholic Church. 'Filioque' (meaning 'and the Son') refers to the Catholic belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This is in contrast to the Eastern Orthodox Church, which teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone, in line with the original Greek version of the Creed.
The two churches also differ in their views on the concept of purgatory. The Catholic Church holds to a satisfaction model, which states that God requires payment even after forgiving sins. On the other hand, the Eastern Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory per se; instead, they believe in a "waiting time" before the Final Judgment, during which souls experience either forgiveness or punishment, with no distinction between heaven and hell.
In terms of spiritual practice, the Eastern Orthodox Church places a strong emphasis on the use of icons, seeing them as windows to the spiritual realm and imbued with divine grace and power. In contrast, the Catholic Church has historically been more cautious about the use of images, particularly following the Iconoclastic Controversy in the 8th and 9th centuries. While the Catholic Church does allow the use of images in worship, it emphasises the importance of avoiding idolatry or superstitious practices.
Despite these differences, there are also many similarities and areas of agreement between the two churches. Both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, affirm the virgin birth of Jesus, and reject certain Protestant doctrines such as salvation through Faith Alone.
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The role of the Pope
The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the bishop of Rome, a position that can be traced back to the 9th century CE. As the successor of St. Peter, who was head of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, the Pope has full and supreme power over the universal church in matters of faith, morals, church discipline, and government. The Pope is the Prime Witness to Faith and is responsible for preaching and teaching Christ's message in a contemporary context. He makes decisions on issues of faith and morality for Catholics worldwide, a population of about 1.3 billion.
The Pope is at the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Catholic Church. While each bishop has legitimate authority over their flock, the Pope's authority as the head of the Holy See is supreme and universal. The Pope decides everything in principle, akin to an absolute monarchy.
The Pope is also regarded as the vicar of Christ on earth and the pastor of the entire Christian Church. However, it is important to note that the Pope does not have the power to change established teachings of the Church, as his role is to preserve truth rather than create or change it.
The Catholic doctrine of papal primacy has been a significant point of difference with the Orthodox Church, which does not recognize the Pope's ecclesiastical authority. While the Orthodox Church acknowledges that St. Peter occupied a special place among the Apostles, they do not accept any claims of supremacy for the Pope as these claims are not based on Scripture or the writings of the Fathers.
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The Eucharist
In the Catholic Church, the Eucharist is believed to be the body and blood of Christ, a doctrine known as transubstantiation. This means that the bread and wine used in the sacrament are not just symbolic, but are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is a means of achieving deification, or union with God. This is achieved through the consumption of the Eucharist, which is believed to be the true body and blood of Christ.
The Orthodox Church also holds the Eucharist as a central sacrament and believes that it is the body and blood of Christ. The Orthodox understanding of the Eucharist is similar to the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, in that they believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. However, the Orthodox Church does not use the term transubstantiation to describe this transformation. Instead, they emphasise the mysterious nature of the sacrament, acknowledging that it is beyond human understanding. The Orthodox Church views the Eucharist as a means of achieving deification, where Christ's body and blood unite with the believer, bringing them into communion with God.
While both traditions share a similar understanding of the Eucharist, there are some differences in practice. The Orthodox Church places a strong emphasis on the Divine Liturgy, which may last for several hours and includes singing, reciting, and the reading of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The Orthodox also have a discipline of preparation for receiving the Eucharist, which includes fasting and confession of sins. Additionally, the Orthodox Church does not permit its members to receive the Eucharist in a Catholic Church, and vice versa.
Despite these differences, both the Catholic and Orthodox churches recognise the validity of each other's Eucharist celebrations due to the shared belief in apostolic succession, or the unbroken chain of apostles and their successors in the early church. This shared history and theology unite Catholics and Orthodox Christians in their conviction of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, despite their other differences.
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The nature of God
In terms of shared beliefs, both Catholics and Orthodox Christians affirm the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the resurrection of Jesus, and that salvation is found in Christ. They also agree on the perpetual virginity of Mary, the solemn celebration of the Eucharist, and the rejection of certain Protestant doctrines such as salvation through faith alone.
However, when it comes to the specific nature of God, there are some key differences between the two traditions. For instance, in Eastern Orthodox theology, God is understood to have created humanity with the ability to freely love him and follow his direction. The concept of "Ancestral Sin," as articulated by John S. Romanides, is central to this understanding. According to this view, humanity's "fallen" nature is a result of Adam and Eve's disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This differs from the Catholic doctrine of original sin, where Adam is seen as the legal representative of humanity, bearing the guilt on their behalf.
Orthodox theology also emphasizes the distinction between God's eternal essence and uncreated energies, as described by Eastern Orthodox theologian Olivier Clement. God's divine energies are seen as the expressions of his being in action, while the persons of the Trinity are divine by nature. This understanding allows for a relationship with God through participation in his divine energies, even if his essence remains unknowable.
The Orthodox faith, following the teachings of Gregory Palamas and the ancient Church Fathers, teaches that God is both an unknowable essence and knowable energies. This is often illustrated using the example of the sun. While the sun's essence or core substance is unknowable and destructive to humans, we can still interact with its energies, such as its heat, light, and the energy used by plants to create oxygen.
In contrast, the Catholic version of God is portrayed as more distant and less approachable. This is partly due to the Catholic emphasis on structure and dogma, which can make God seem less tangible and relatable.
Additionally, there is a significant difference in the understanding of Christ's nature between the two traditions. Orthodox Christians believe in the unity of the Divine and human natures in Christ, referred to as "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" by St. Cyril. On the other hand, Catholics, along with Protestants, believe in the two natures of Christ, leading them to be known as "Diophysites."
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Frequently asked questions
The main theological differences between the two churches are the papal primacy and the filioque clause. The Catholic Church attributes to the primacy of the Pope "full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church", while the Orthodox Church views the Pope as "'first among equals', without effective power over other churches. The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son (Filioque), while the Orthodox Church teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.
Orthodox churches are highly liturgical and loaded with images referred to as 'icons', which are pictures to remind the faithful of Jesus, the apostles, and various saints. Catholic churches, on the other hand, are often not significantly different from Protestant churches in terms of aesthetics.
Both churches believe in the solemn celebration of the Eucharist and affirm its sacrificial nature as identical with the sacrifice of Christ. However, they disagree on the use of leavened or unleavened bread in the Eucharist.
The Catholic version of God is far less approachable or near to humans, as He is only Himself. The Orthodox faith, on the other hand, teaches that God is both unknowable essence and knowable energies, following the teachings of Gregory Palamas.
The Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory, while the Catholic Church does. The Orthodox believe in either forgiveness or punishment, while the Catholic satisfaction model states that God requires payment even after He forgives sins.
