Grace Thompson
Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity are two of the world's most well-known religions, but they are not the only ones. There are several other religions and denominations that are practised and believed in all over the world. For example, there is Protestantism, which is another denomination of Christianity. While Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity have several similarities, they also have some differences, such as their beliefs about the role of the Pope and the concept of purgatory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Similarities | Catholics and Orthodox Christians share more in common with each other than they do with the Protestant world. |
| Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians revere C.S. Lewis. | |
| Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians affirm the virgin birth and believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary. | |
| Differences | Catholics believe in a stronger papacy, while Orthodox Christians believe in a title of honour for the bishop of Rome. |
| Catholics and Orthodox Christians disagree on transubstantiation. | |
| Catholics believe in purgatory and indulgences, while Orthodox Christians do not. | |
| Catholics have a moderately rigorous fasting tradition, while Orthodox Christians fast for almost half the year. | |
| Catholics believe that Augustine qualifies as a theologian, while Orthodox Christians do not. | |
| Catholics use pagan (Neoplatonist and Aristotelian) metaphysical philosophy to validate their theology, while Orthodox Christians use the mystical, actual experience of God called theoria. |
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What You'll Learn
- Orthodox and Catholic churches have different beliefs about the Holy Spirit and transubstantiation
- Orthodox Christians fast for almost half the year, whereas Catholics only abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent
- Orthodox Christians do not believe in purgatory or indulgences
- Catholic church buildings are similar to Protestant church buildings, but Orthodox churches are noticeably different
- Orthodox Christians believe they worship in the same way as the early Church
Orthodox and Catholic churches have different beliefs about the Holy Spirit and transubstantiation
There are indeed more denominations within Christianity than just Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Other denominations include Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Methodism, Reformed Christianity, and many more.
Beliefs about the Holy Spirit
The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church have different beliefs about the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church believes that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son ("Filioque"). This means that the Holy Spirit came after the Son and/or Father, which is not the interpretation of the Orthodox Church. Some Orthodox believers accept that this is a translation issue, while others do not.
Beliefs about Transubstantiation
The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church also have different beliefs about transubstantiation. The Catholic Church teaches that transubstantiation is the "change" that occurs in the "whole substance" of the bread and wine during the Eucharistic mystery. This change takes place at the words of institution or consecration, such as "This is My Body." In the Orthodox Church, the change is believed to take place anywhere between the Proskomedia (the Liturgy of Preparation) and the Epiklesis, or invocation of the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Church does not have a complicated or specific doctrine around transubstantiation, referring to it simply as a Mystery.
While there are some differences in belief between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, there are also many similarities. Both churches believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and their sacraments are considered valid by both denominations.
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Orthodox Christians fast for almost half the year, whereas Catholics only abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent
Fasting and abstinence are common practices in many Christian denominations, including Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. However, there are significant differences in the duration and intensity of fasting between these two traditions.
Orthodox Christians observe fasting periods that can last up to 200 days per year, incorporating voluntary abstention from specific foods. They avoid olive oil, meat, fish, milk, and dairy products every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. In addition, there are four principal fasting periods: 40 days before Christmas, 48 days before Easter (Lent), a variable period from 8 to 42 days known as the Apostles' Fast, and 15 days in August for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. These fasting periods are characterised by stricter restrictions, including abstinence from meat, dairy products, and eggs.
On the other hand, Catholics have different norms for fasting and abstinence. While fasting is obligatory for members of the Latin Catholic Church between the ages of 18 and 59, abstinence from meat is required from the age of 14. Catholics observe Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during Lent as days of abstinence from meat. Historically, the requirement to abstain from meat on Fridays applied to those aged seven or older, but this has evolved over time.
The Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, for instance, decreed in 1985 that Fridays throughout the year, excluding Good Friday, are not obligatory days of abstinence from meat if an alternative form of penance is practised. However, some countries and regions have their own norms. For example, Catholics in England and Wales are expected to abstain from eating meat on Fridays if they are able to do so.
While both traditions share similarities in their fasting practices, such as abstaining from meat on Fridays, the Orthodox Christian tradition incorporates more extensive and frequent fasting periods throughout the year, resulting in a significant difference in the overall duration of fasting between the two denominations.
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Orthodox Christians do not believe in purgatory or indulgences
There are several denominations within Christianity, including Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. While there are many similarities between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, there are also some differences. One such difference is the belief in purgatory and indulgences.
The Catholic Church teaches that after death, souls are sent to one of three places: paradise, Hades, or purgatory. Purgatory is a special state between paradise and Hades where the souls of those who died with repentance for their sins but did not offer satisfaction to God for them are kept. The period of torment in purgatory can be shortened through indulgences, which are granted by the Pope for pious deeds, social undertakings, or donations.
On the other hand, the Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory or indulgences. They consider these concepts to be absent in the Bible and the Ancient Church and contradict the spirit of Orthodoxy. Instead, the Orthodox Church teaches that the souls of the departed are assisted by the prayers of the living and can be cleansed of their sins through spiritual progress beyond Baptism: Purification, Illumination, and Theosis.
The Eastern Orthodox Church acknowledges an intermediate state after death and before final judgment, and they offer prayers for the dead. They believe that the souls of the departed are purified through the prayers and benefactions of members of Christ's Church, rather than through purgatorial torments.
The disagreement over purgatory and indulgences is one of the key theological differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, along with other differences in their interpretations of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Pope. Despite these differences, there have been efforts towards reconciliation and unity between the two denominations.
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Catholic church buildings are similar to Protestant church buildings, but Orthodox churches are noticeably different
There are indeed more than just the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, with the third branch being the Protestant Church. The history of Christianity is marked by several divisions, with the two most notable being the Great Schism in 1054 that divided the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, and the Reformation in 1517 that led to the creation of the Protestant Churches.
While there are many differences between the three branches, there are also several similarities. All three branches hold the four great Church councils in common: Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon. They also share beliefs about the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the resurrection of Jesus, and that salvation is found in Christ. All three branches also affirm the virgin birth, although Catholics and Orthodox Christians maintain the perpetual virginity of Mary.
When it comes to church buildings, Catholic and Protestant churches often look very similar. However, Orthodox churches stand out as noticeably different. Orthodox churches are highly liturgical and are filled with images known as 'icons', which depict Jesus, the apostles, saints, and other figures from Church history. The Orthodox Church claims to worship in the same way as the early Church, although modern conveniences like electric lighting and air conditioning have been incorporated.
The differences between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are more numerous than they might seem from a Catholic perspective. Catholics tend to view Peter as the rock upon which Jesus built his church and consider the Pope as the Vicar of St Peter, with each subsequent Pope continuing in the line of St Peter. In contrast, the Orthodox Church views the Bishop of Rome as "first among equals", possessing a primacy of honour rather than effective power over other churches. Catholics believe in both uncreated grace (God) and created grace, which confers merit upon the believer, while the Orthodox believe that grace is only uncreated. The two churches also differ in their understanding of transubstantiation during the Eucharist, with Catholics believing that the elements become the actual body and blood of Christ, and the Orthodox holding that it is the epiclesis that brings about this transformation.
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Orthodox Christians believe they worship in the same way as the early Church
There are three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity: Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. The Orthodox Church, officially known as the Orthodox Catholic Church, is also referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church or the Greek Orthodox Church. It is one of the oldest surviving religious institutions in the world and has played a prominent role in the history and culture of the East.
Orthodox Christians believe that they worship in the same way as the early Church. They maintain that they have preserved the traditional method of worshipping God, passed down from the very beginnings of Christianity. This method of worship is considered "sacramental", meaning that it strives to "make holy". It is Eucharistic, meaning that all worship flows from the essential act of worship and thanksgiving, the "common union" with the Trinity and with God's People, which is entered into through the reception of Holy "Communion".
Orthodox worship is considered "God-centered" rather than "man-centered". It is not dictated by "personal taste" but by Scripture, and it must be offered in Spirit and Truth and be "well-pleasing unto God". In the early Church, those who had not yet fully embraced the faith were dismissed after the Liturgy of the Word, as they could not yet participate in the Liturgy of the Eucharist until after they had converted.
While there are many similarities between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, there are also several differences. For example, the Orthodox Church does not recognize the primacy of the Pope in the same way as the Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church views the Bishop of Rome as "primus inter pares" ("first among equals"), without effective power over other churches. In contrast, the Catholic Church attributes "full, supreme, and universal power" to the Pope. Additionally, the Orthodox Church believes that grace is uncreated, while Catholics believe that grace is both uncreated and created.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several differences between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Catholics believe in a stronger papacy, while Eastern Orthodox Christians believe in a title of honour for the bishop of Rome. Catholics believe in purgatory and the system of indulgences, while the Orthodox do not. The Catholic Church attributes to the primacy of the Pope "full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church", while the Orthodox believe in a primacy that "sums up rather than rules over".
Yes, another major branch of Christianity is Protestantism. Protestants have their own distinct beliefs and practices, such as a different canon of scripture and a greater emphasis on scholarship and Bible commentaries.
Catholic and Protestant church buildings are often quite similar in appearance. However, Orthodox churches look noticeably different, as they are designed to preserve the worship style of the early Church.
