Sarah Mitchell
Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity are two of the three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity, with the third being Sunni Islam. Both Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity believe they are the one true church, with the Catholic Church teaching that Christ founded only one true Church, and that this is the Catholic Church with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as its supreme, infallible head. The Eastern Orthodox Church, on the other hand, believes it is closest to the original Church because it has changed the least since the break-up of the Roman Empire in 1054, which split the church in the east from the church in the west. While there are many similarities between the two denominations, there are also key differences in their beliefs and practices.
| Characteristics | Catholic | Orthodox |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Crucifixion, original sin, and salvation through Jesus' death on the cross | Emulation of Jesus' life and gradual movement towards God |
| Approachability of God | Less approachable | More approachable |
| God's Nature | Himself, undivided | Unknowable essence and knowable energies |
| Pope | Recognised as the head of the Church | Not recognised as the head of the Church |
| Changes in the Church | Faster | Slower |
| History | The church of Rome is historically Catholic | Every other church is historically Orthodox |
| Scripture | Serious departures from Scripture | Some similarities with Catholic doctrinal |
| Salvation | Requires penance and good works | Requires penance and good works |
| Mary | Venerated as the "Most Holy Mother of God" | Venerated as the "Most Holy Mother of God" |
| One True Church | The Catholic Church is the "sole Church of Christ" | The Eastern Orthodox Church is the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" |
| Communion | Not in favour of communion with the Orthodox Church | Not in favour of communion with the Catholic Church |
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What You'll Learn
The nature of God
Catholicism is a redemptive religion that focuses on the crucifixion, original sin, and how Jesus's death on the cross saves humanity. Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit—three persons, but one God. God the Son, the Divine Logos, is believed to have become incarnate as Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary.
Catholics also believe in predestination and reprobation. Predestination is the belief that God has foreknowledge of those who will be saved and provides the means for their salvation. Reprobation, on the other hand, is the belief that God has foreknowledge of those who will be damned, and He permits this outcome. However, Catholics believe that one cannot have absolute certainty about their salvation unless through a Divine revelation.
In contrast, the Orthodox Church is more focused on emulating the life of Jesus and striving to become closer to God by improving oneself. While the Orthodox Church also believes in the Holy Trinity, it emphasizes the importance of both God's unknowable essence and knowable energies. This means that while God's true nature may be unknowable, humans can still experience and interact with God's energies, similar to how we experience the sun's light and heat without truly understanding its essence.
Orthodox Christians view sin not as a guilty stain on the soul but as a sickness or failure to achieve the goal of a truly human life, which is to conform to God's nature of love. They believe that God created humanity with the ability to freely love Him, but Adam and Eve's disobedience led to a "fallen" state of existence. This "Ancestral Sin" is different from the Catholic concept of original sin, where Adam is seen as the legal representative of humanity.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is also described as healing or therapeutic, focusing on overcoming individual passions and reorienting the self through faith. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual work to reconcile the heart and mind, seeking to attain a vision of God and transcend the self.
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The role of Mary
The Catholic Church has always celebrated Mary, the mother of Jesus. Catholics believe that Mary plays a unique role in redemption. She is believed to have been conceived without original sin and assumed body and soul into heaven. Catholics pray to Mary, but not in the same way as they pray to God. They believe that Mary and the saints are dead in this world but live on with God in the next.
Mary is central to the Christian faith, and she is often referred to as the Theotokos or the "Mother of God". This is because Catholics believe that Mary fulfilled Old Testament prophecies by conceiving and giving birth to Jesus as a virgin. She is also believed to have maintained her virginity throughout her life on earth.
Catholics also believe in Mary's Immaculate Conception, which means that she was conceived without original sin. This is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, which the Eastern Orthodox Church does not adhere to. The Orthodox Church believes that Mary was a virgin before and during the birth of Jesus but not after. They do not believe she was born without sin or that she is a co-redemptor with Christ.
The Orthodox Church holds Mary in high esteem and venerates her as a role model for all Christians and the bearer of God. They believe that Mary plays a crucial role in mankind's salvation and that there is scriptural evidence to support their practices. They also believe that Mary is an image of the Christian goal of becoming Christ-like, or theosis.
In summary, both Catholics and Orthodox Christians view Mary as the Mother of God and a vital figure in Christianity. They both pray to or venerate her, but they differ in their beliefs about her immaculate conception and her role in redemption.
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The path to salvation
For Catholics, salvation is a lifelong process that begins with baptism and continues throughout one's life. It is a path that requires faith, good works, and the sacraments to achieve eternal life with God in heaven. Catholics believe that salvation is a grace from God, given through Jesus Christ, and that the Church, as the Body of Christ, is the primary means of dispensing this grace through its sacraments and teachings. The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is open to all who believe and are baptised, and that while works alone cannot bring salvation, faith without works is dead.
The Orthodox Church, on the other hand, emphasises the transformative power of God's grace in the life of the believer. The path to salvation in Orthodoxy is often described as "theosis" or "divinisation", reflecting the belief that humans are called to share in the divine nature of God through Jesus Christ. This transformation is a process of becoming more like Christ, of being united with God in thought, word, and deed. The Orthodox understanding of salvation is deeply rooted in the concept of community and the belief that humans are fundamentally relational beings. As such, the Church, as the Body of Christ, plays a vital role in the salvation of its members.
While both Catholics and Orthodox Christians share a belief in the importance of the Church and the sacraments, there are some key differences in practice and understanding. For instance, the Catholic Church teaches that salvation can be obtained outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church, while still affirming the necessity of the Catholic Church for salvation. The Orthodox Church, on the other hand, emphasises the idea of "being in the Church" as an essential aspect of salvation, with a stronger emphasis on the role of the Church as the dispenser of grace and the means of communion with Christ.
Another difference lies in the understanding of free will and predestination. Catholicism generally emphasises the role of free will in the process of salvation, with God's grace working in tandem with human choice. In contrast, Orthodoxy tends to emphasise God's grace as the primary agent of salvation, with human cooperation being a response to that grace. This reflects a more synergistic understanding of salvation in Orthodoxy, where God and humans work together for redemption.
Ultimately, both the Catholic and Orthodox paths to salvation share a common foundation in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Church, but centuries of separate development have led to distinct theological nuances and spiritual practices.
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The role of the Pope
The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the bishop of Rome. He is regarded as the successor of St. Peter, who was head of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. As such, the Pope has supreme power over the universal church in matters of faith, morals, church discipline, and government. He is the Prime Witness to Faith and is responsible for preaching and teaching. The Pope can make decisions on issues of faith and morality for Catholics worldwide, a population of about 1.3 billion.
The Catholic Church traces the line of succession of popes back to St. Peter, and the title of Pope dates back to about the 9th century CE. The Pope is the vicar of Christ on earth and the earthly representative of Jesus in his absence. He is the pastor of the entire Christian Church and has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole church.
The Pope lives in Vatican City, an ecclesiastical state surrounded by Rome. Traditionally, the Pope resides inside the Vatican Palace, but Pope Francis broke from this tradition by opting for a two-room apartment in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
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The nature of suffering
For Catholics, original sin and the fall of humanity are at the root of human suffering. This doctrine holds that Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden brought about a state of sinfulness and separation from God for all humanity. As a result, suffering is seen as a consequence of this original sin, and also of personal sins committed throughout life. Catholic theology emphasizes that suffering can be redemptive when united with the suffering of Christ on the cross. This belief is reflected in practices such as the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick, which offers spiritual healing and strength in times of illness or suffering.
In contrast, the Orthodox Church places less emphasis on original sin and sees the fall as having damaged, but not totally corrupted, human nature. Instead, the Orthodox understanding of suffering is closely tied to the concept of theosis, or divinization. This doctrine holds that humans are called to become like God in character, participating in the divine nature through grace. Suffering is seen as a result of humanity's turning away from God, and it is understood as a means of purification and transformation. Through suffering, individuals can be healed and restored to a right relationship with God, achieving a state of holiness and union with Him.
The Orthodox view of suffering is closely linked to the concept of asceticism, which involves disciplined spiritual practices aimed at purifying the soul and bringing it closer to God. Monasticism, fasting, and prayer are all forms of asceticism practiced in Orthodoxy, and they are seen as a means of sharing in Christ's suffering and overcoming the passions that separate us from God. By embracing voluntary suffering and denying the flesh, believers can progress in their spiritual life and find healing and transformation.
While both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions recognize the redemptive power of suffering, they differ in their understanding of its cause and purpose. For Catholics, suffering is often seen in the context of penance and making amends for sins, while for Orthodox Christians, it is more closely tied to the idea of spiritual growth and becoming more Christ-like. Ultimately, both denominations recognize that suffering is a part of the human condition and that it can be transformed into an opportunity for grace, healing, and salvation.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholicism is a redemptive religion that focuses on the crucifixion and original sin, and how Jesus's death on the cross saves us. Orthodoxy is a path where one emulates the life of Jesus and moves closer to God as they improve themselves. Orthodox believers do not recognise the authority of the Pope and reject various Catholic practices, such as celibacy for priests.
Catholicism teaches that Christ founded only "one true Church", and that this true Church is the Catholic Church with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as its leader. The Catholic Church also teaches that it is the sole Church of Christ, defined as "'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic' in the Four Marks of the Church in the Nicene Creed.
The Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, also called the Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox Church believes it is closest to the original Church because it has changed the least since the break-up. The Orthodox Church also holds that salvation is not by faith alone in Christ, but that other requirements, such as penance and good works, are needed for salvation.
There is no external, rational standard by which we can assess religions. However, we can judge religions or determine their truth by using a "'first principle', an agreed-upon foundation to evaluate the truth of religions. For example, we can judge religions by how well they promote human flourishing. Catholicism, for instance, is the true religion because it most truly protects, nourishes, and develops the human being in his fullness.
