Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054, caused by historical, linguistic, cultural, and political differences, as well as ensuing theological disagreements. Despite these differences, both churches share similarities, including the recognition of the Pope by the Orthodox Church, acceptance of the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, and the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. While the Orthodox reject the Pope's supremacy and the concept of Purgatory, they share customs with Catholics, such as the use of bread and wine in the Eucharist, differing only in the type of bread used.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beliefs and practices | Similar on the surface |
| First seven Ecumenical Councils | Accepted by both churches |
| Solemn celebration of the Eucharist | Accepted by both churches |
| Affirmation of its sacrificial nature | Identical with the sacrifice of Christ |
| Eucharistic bread and wine | Accepted by both churches as the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ |
| Virgin birth | Affirmed by both churches |
| Salvation | Similar ideas |
| Nature of baptism | Similar |
| Role of tradition | Valued by both churches |
| Scripture and tradition | Important for both churches |
| Views on the Eucharist | Similar |
| Belief in the real presence | Accepted by both churches |
| Transubstantiation | Disagreement on the process |
| Communion bread | Leavened in the Orthodox Church, unleavened in the Catholic Church |
| Holy orders | Married men can be ordained in the Orthodox Church; priests are expected to be celibate in the Catholic Church |
| Bishops | Chosen from monks in the Orthodox Church; exceptions exist in the Catholic Church |
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What You'll Learn
- Both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils
- They share a belief in the virgin birth of Mary
- They affirm the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist
- Communion bread varies: the Orthodox use leavened bread, Catholics use unleavened bread
- Both churches accept the authority of the Bishop of Rome, but disagree on how it is exercised
Both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been in a state of official schism since the East-West Schism of 1054. Despite this, both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils.
The Ecumenical Councils were convened to fight against heresies that arose over time, which taught incorrect beliefs about the nature of God and Christ. The First Ecumenical Council, for example, was convened to battle Arianism, a heresy that rejected the Divine nature and pre-eternal birth of Jesus Christ. The seven councils were also an attempt by Church leaders to reach an orthodox consensus, restore peace, and develop a unified Christendom.
The first seven Ecumenical Councils are as follows: the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the Council of Ephesus in 431, the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, the Third Council of Constantinople from 680 to 681, and finally, the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. All of these councils were convened in what is now Turkey.
While the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church accept the legitimacy of these seven councils, there are some differences in how they interpret and apply the decisions. For instance, the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the council's text with verbs expressing belief in the singular ("I believe"), while the Catholic Church's Latin Church uses the singular and, except in Greek, adds the phrases "Deum de Deo" ("God from God") and "Filioque" ("and the Son").
In addition to accepting the first seven Ecumenical Councils, the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches share other similarities. For example, both churches believe in the real presence of the Eucharist but differ on transubstantiation. They also share the solemn celebration of the Eucharist and affirm its sacrificial nature as identical to the sacrifice of Christ.
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They share a belief in the virgin birth of Mary
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054. This split was caused by historical, linguistic, cultural, and political differences, as well as theological misunderstandings. Despite these differences, the two churches share some similarities, including certain beliefs and practices.
One such shared belief is that of the virgin birth of Mary. Both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church adhere to the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, which asserts that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin "before, during, and after" the birth of Christ. This belief is based on the understanding that Mary was chosen by God to bear his Incarnate Son, and as such, she was to remain pure and obedient to God's will. The idea of Mary's perpetual virginity was first introduced by Ambrose in 391 and has been a consistent part of theological thinking since.
The Catholic Church has elevated the perpetual virginity of Mary to the status of a Marian dogma, declaring it a truth revealed by God and considering its denial as heresy. They believe that just as Jesus was the only-begotten son of God, so too should Mary be considered a lifelong virgin, as a second human conception would disrespect the sacred state of her womb. This belief is supported by Thomas Aquinas, who argued that it must be accepted as "fitting" despite a lack of rational proof.
The Eastern Orthodox Church also recognizes Mary as "Aeiparthenos" or "ever-virgin," and they venerate her as a model of virtues such as humility and obedience to God. They emphasize that Mary's virginal state was sanctified by the birth of Christ rather than diminished. However, they differ from the Catholic Church in their interpretation of certain biblical references. While the Catholic Church, following Jerome, believes that Joseph was also a lifelong virgin, the Eastern Orthodox Church, following the Gospel of James, interprets the mentions of Jesus' brothers and sisters in the Bible as Joseph's children from an earlier marriage.
The shared belief in the virgin birth of Mary is an important aspect of both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, and it highlights the common ground between the two churches despite their historical divisions and theological differences.
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They affirm the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church share many similarities, despite their differences. Both churches affirm the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist, believing that the Eucharist is a sacrifice identical with the sacrifice of Christ. They also share seven sacraments, including the Eucharist, and agree on the nature of Christ and the Holy Trinity.
The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is a Christian rite that was instituted by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper, as described in the New Testament. It is a sacred ritual that commemorates Christ's sacrifice on the cross and his command to "do this in remembrance of me." The Eucharist is a central element of Christian worship and is celebrated in both Catholic and Orthodox liturgical traditions.
In Orthodox Eucharistic theology, the bread and wine used in the Eucharist are considered to be part of one whole, rather than separate existences of the body and blood of Jesus. The Eastern Orthodox Church has never clarified the exact nature of the transformation of the bread and wine, referring to it simply as a "Mystery." They emphasize the invocation of the Holy Spirit to transform these elements.
Catholics, on the other hand, believe in transubstantiation, which is the doctrine that the bread and wine miraculously become the Body and Blood of Christ, with only the appearance remaining unchanged. This transformation is believed to occur during the consecration of the Eucharist, through the power of God and the words of institution.
Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians agree that the Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise. They affirm that it is Christ who offers himself as the sacrifice, and that his sacrifice of atonement is made once and for all. Each celebration of the Eucharist is a sacramental enactment that distributes the benefits of Christ's sacrifice to the believers.
The affirmation of the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist is a significant aspect of both Catholic and Orthodox theology, contributing to the shared understanding of the Eucharist as a sacred and transformative rite.
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Communion bread varies: the Orthodox use leavened bread, Catholics use unleavened bread
The Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church have many similarities, but also some differences. One such difference is the type of bread used for Communion. The Orthodox Church uses leavened bread, while the Catholic Church uses unleavened bread.
Leavened bread is bread that has been allowed to rise using yeast. In the Orthodox Church, the use of leavened bread for Holy Communion is in accordance with ancient apostolic practice. The Orthodox Church believes that Christ used leavened bread at the Last Supper, as the Gospels refer to the bread as "artos", which usually means leavened bread. Additionally, the use of leavened bread symbolises the presence of Christ within the Church, as Christians are seen to have reached the promised land and spiritual maturity under the grace of Christ.
On the other hand, the Catholic Church uses unleavened bread, which is bread that has been baked without yeast. The use of unleavened bread in the Catholic Church dates back to the 8th century and is a requirement for the Eucharist's licit celebration. The Latin Rite, which includes Roman-rite Catholics, has used unleavened bread since the eighth century. However, Eastern-rite Catholics, such as the Byzantine Churches, use leavened bread.
The use of leavened or unleavened bread in Communion is one of the differences between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. While both churches believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, they differ in their understanding of transubstantiation. The Orthodox Church holds that it is not the words of institution that change the substance into the Body and Blood, but the epiclesis.
Despite this difference, both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches share fundamental beliefs and practices, such as the acceptance of the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church and the solemn celebration of the Eucharist.
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Both churches accept the authority of the Bishop of Rome, but disagree on how it is exercised
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been officially divided since the East-West Schism of 1054. The split was caused by historical, linguistic, and theological differences. One of the primary causes of this schism was the disagreement over the role and authority of the Bishop of Rome, or the Pope.
Both churches accept the Bishop of Rome's primacy, but they disagree on how this primacy should be exercised. The Catholic Church attributes "full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church" to the Pope, a power that is always exercisable and unhindered. This power is also attributed to the body of bishops united with the Pope. In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox Church understands the Bishop of Rome's primacy as "first among equals", without effective power over other churches. According to the Orthodox perspective, the Bishop of Rome's primacy sums up rather than rules over, and it is not a higher power but the same power as that of a bishop in each church.
The disagreement over the role of the Pope is not just theological but also political. In the Medieval period, the power structures within the Church impacted the wider international political environment, as European rulers derived a significant degree of authority and legitimacy from their relationship with the Church.
Despite the schism and differences in belief, there have been attempts to reunite the two churches. The Ravenna Document, issued in 2007, acknowledged the shared acceptance of the Bishop of Rome's primacy at the universal level by both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. However, it also highlighted that differences in understanding persist regarding how this primacy should be exercised and its scriptural and theological foundations.
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Frequently asked questions
Both churches accept the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church and the solemn celebration of the Eucharist and affirmation of its sacrificial nature as identical with the sacrifice of Christ.
Both churches believe in the Eucharistic bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. They also organise their spiritual officers into three main categories: deacons, priests, and bishops.
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church were once a single undivided Church. The two churches separated in 1054 during the East-West Schism, but their separation was the culmination of gradual historical and linguistic differences that had developed over time.
Both churches recognise the Pope and accept the fact of the Bishop of Rome's primacy at the universal level. However, they differ in their understanding of how this primacy should be exercised and its scriptural and theological foundations. The Orthodox Church rejects the Pope's supremacy and infallibility.
