When and why did the Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church? Learn the history and differences between Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic churches.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic | History & Differences
Table of Contents
- Why Did the Orthodox Church Split from the Catholic Church?
- Major Differences in the Orthodox vs. Catholic Churches
- Similarities Between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Catholic Church recognize the Orthodox Church?
Yes. The Catholic Church recognizes the sacraments of the Orthodox Church to be valid, even if it disagrees with various components of them.
Can you be both Catholic and Orthodox?
While religion is a highly personal subject, according to religious doctrine, someone cannot be Eastern Orthodox Catholic. The two Churches have key theological differences, such as the Filioque Clause, that do not overlap between the two beliefs.
Table of Contents
- Why Did the Orthodox Church Split from the Catholic Church?
- Major Differences in the Orthodox vs. Catholic Churches
- Similarities Between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches
- Lesson Summary
The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church are the results of medieval Christianity's split into two branches in 1054. This split is commonly known as the Great Schism or the East-West Schism. The Schism occurred due to a mix of religious and political disagreements, including geography, miscommunication, differing theologies, and politics. Traditionally, the leader of the whole Church is the Pope, but the two churches disagreed on who held ultimate authority over the churches, which language services should be conducted in, and more.
The Eastern Orthodox Christianity definition includes its geography, beliefs, and culture. The Church occupied Asia Minor, the Middle East, and North Africa. The Eastern Church knew little Latin and used even less Latin tradition in their services. Its theology was more theoretical than the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church history focused on the divinity of Jesus Christ rather than his humanity. Politically, the Eastern Orthodox Church's leader, Michael Cerularius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, did not trust the Roman Catholic Pope and accused some of the Western Catholic tradition of being un-Christian.
In the West, the Roman Catholic Church encompassed Western Europe and the northern and western areas of the Mediterranean. The Catholic Church, which means "for everyone", relied heavily on Latin and Roman tradition, and unlike the Eastern Church, spoke little to no Greek during the services. Its theology emphasized the humanity of Jesus Christ and used realistic iconography and artwork rather than emphasizing his divinity as the Eastern Church did. Politically, the Church was led by Pope St. Leo IX, who believed that the Eastern Church leaders were political puppets of the Byzantine empire.
Political Factors: The Western Roman Empire vs. Eastern Roman Empire
During the fourth century, compounding economic, social, and political issues were crippling the Roman Empire. After lasting approximately 1000 years, the Roman Empire was facing wealth issues, outside invasions, and a weakening government. The Empire eventually split into the Western Roman Empire vs. Eastern Roman Empire.
Economically, the wealthiest 1% of citizens of Rome controlled over 16% of the Empire's wealth. As Rome became increasingly destabilized, the wealthy elites increasingly separated themselves from positions of power as the initial signs of collapse became known. The retreat of the wealthy elites only served to further destabilize Rome, as these citizens not only took their wealth with them, but also their education, skill sets, and knowledge that they had previously used to support Rome in political and skilled positions. Additionally, economic security for the middle and lower classes in Rome had depended on expansion, militarism, and the spoils of war. As the wealthy elite increasingly stockpiled wealth and more heavily relied on slave labor, there was little wealth or labor left to be shared amongst the middle and lower classes.
The economy was not the only thing that led to the fall of Rome. Formerly a military might, the Roman Empire's military faced crippling issues. Poor funding, few recruits, and an increasing number of outside invasions all weakened the Empire's military forces. Threats from northern European tribes coupled with declining national morale and a poorly funded military resulted in Rome being unable to protect its citizens from outside invasions.
Lastly, a greatly weakening government contributed to the fall of Rome in the fourth century. Roman Emperor Constantine was inept at fixing the economic and military issues Rome was facing, and his leadership also weakened citizens' belief in Roman traditions. In 313 CE, Constantine declared toleration for Christianity; Christianity later became the official state religion of the Empire. These drastic policy changes not only spread Christianity across the Roman Empire but undermined the religious traditions that maintained the integrity of the Roman Empire. Traditionally, the Roman Emperor was considered a god, and Romans worshiped a plurality of gods and goddesses. The establishment of Christianity as the official state religion weakened the authority and credibility of the Emperor and undermined Romans' traditional religious practices.
Additionally, in 330 CE, Constantine divided the Roman Empire into the Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire. The East was centered around the new capital, Constantinople, and the West was centered around Rome. When the Roman Empire fell, the East became the Byzantine Empire, and the West became politically dependent on the church. During this time, Christianity remained united across the East and West. There were many cultural differences between the Byzantine vs Roman empires. In the Eastern half of the Empire, the Byzantine Emperor appointed priests. The Eastern half was also wealthier than the West.
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Ecclesiastical and Regional Factors: Eastern Churches vs. Western Churches
In 1054, the Christian Church split into the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. The Great Schism occurred when the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, was excommunicated. The excommunication was a breaking point for the Church and occurred after tensions had built for centuries. The Great Schism occurred due to a number of religious and political reasons between the Orthodox vs Catholic churches; namely, language disputes, church organization, and differing religious practices across the church.
Language disputes and differing religious practices divided the church. One example of this is how the two branches of the church disagreed over whether it was acceptable to use unleavened bread for the sacrament of communion. The Eastern church believed it was unchristian, and the Western church supported the practice. Disputes over whether religious sermons had to be held in Latin, or if other languages such as Greek were appropriate, as well as arguments over the exact phrasing of religious creeds, also served to separate the two churches.
The two churches also disagreed over how the Church should be organized. The Western church believed that the Pope should have authority over the Eastern Patriarch, the religious authority of the Eastern church. Each church insisted on recognizing their own leaders, resulting in the Western church excommunicating Cerularius and the Eastern church excommunicating the Roman Pope. These excommunications effectively resulted in the Great Schism in 1054.
Major Events Following the Schism of 1054
After the Great Schism, the two churches remained on friendly terms until 1204; however, the two churches have never reunited. Over the next few centuries, there were five major historical events that defined the relationship between the Eastern and Western churches.
- The friendly communication between the churches ended in 1204 with the Fourth Crusade, when Western Crusaders sacked Constantinople. The Crusaders occupied the city for around one year, ransacking the wealth and destroying large parts of Constantinople. The Fourth Crusade ultimately led to the end of the Byzantine Empire and strengthened the divide between the Eastern and Western churches.
- In 1274, the Second Council of Lyon was held. The two Councils of Lyons were assemblies of the Roman Catholic Church in the 13th century. The second Council in 1274 was convened to reunite the East and the West. The Council initially appeared to be a success; however, only one representative from the East Orthodox Church was in attendance. In the aftermath, the Orthodox clergy did not accept the Council's reunification.
- The Council of Ferrara-Florence, held between 1438-1445, was the next significant attempt at reunification. The two churches attempted to reach an agreement on their differences and did temporarily agreed to a new decree. The decree focused on doctrinal differences on purgatory, phrases in the Nicene Creed, and the origin of the Holy Spirit. However, the reunion ended shortly after it occurred.
- In 1453, after a period of disarray and civil war across the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople collapsed. Preceding this, the Byzantine government agreed to reconcile with the West Catholic Church in hopes that they would receive European aid. However, this decision was exceptionally unpopular with the Byzantine people, and with the fall of Constantinople, the reunification fell with the city.
- The last major influence on the relationship between the two churches was the First Vatican Council in 1870. The First Vatican Council was called by the Roman Catholic Church to discuss modern concerns such as rationalism, liberalism, and materialism. The Council approved that the Pope has full and supreme power over the church. Members of the Eastern Orthodox Church were invited but did not attend the Council, which solidified the power of the Pope in the West.
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Modernly, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches remain separated with key doctrinal differences between them. The primary theological difference is that the Catholic Church believes the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father to Jesus Christ the Son, and the Orthodox Church believes the Holy Spirit proceeds only from God the Father. The second major theological difference is that the Catholic Church believes the Pope has supreme authority over the Christian faith, while the modern Orthodox Church has no doctrinal authority. Aside from these key theological differences, modern religious practices and beliefs vary between the two churches. For example, the Orthodox Church allows for divorce, while the Catholic Church does not.
Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic: Papal Primacy
The primary organizational difference between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches is the question of Papal Primacy. The Catholic Church believes that the Pope is the bishop of Rome and heads the Catholic Church. Papal Primacy is a doctrinal belief concerning the respect and authority that all Catholics and members of the Catholic Church must afford the Pope due to the belief that he has primacy jurisdiction over the governance of the church.
The Orthodox Church does not believe that the Pope has full jurisdictional authority to govern the church. While the Orthodox Church does recognize the bishop of Rome to have a primacy in honor, they do not believe he has primacy in jurisdiction.
In 2007, the two churches convened to issue the Declaration of Ravenna. In the Declaration, the churches assert that the Pope is the first among the Christian patriarchs, but does not clarify what this belief means in concrete terms for the governance of the two churches. Thus, while the two churches recognize the spiritual significance of the Pope, they remain divided on his jurisdictional authority.
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Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic: The Filioque Clause
Both churches believe that the Nicene Creed, a formal statement of Christian belief, is foundational and one of the most comprehensive expressions of the Christian faith. It is often recited in worship services by believers of the faith. However, the two churches disagree on the exact recitation of the Creed. The disagreement centers on the Filioque Clause; filioque is a Latin term that means "and the son," and in the Nicene Creed, refers to if the Holy Spirit proceeds from both God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son, or from God the Father alone. The Filioque Clause was added to the Creed during the First and Second Ecumenical Council in the 1960s. The Orthodox Church does not recite the Filioque Clause, while the Catholic Church does.
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Despite the many differences, there are similarities between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. The two churches hold meetings called Ecumenical Councils that develop ideology and doctrine. The early Ecumenical Councils occurred while the two churches were still united and have continued to be held since. There have been 21 councils; both churches accept the results from the first seven councils. Key decisions that were made in these first seven councils are:
- The First Council of Nicaea (325 CE) - The First Council clarified the time of celebrating Easter and the Nicene Creed.
- The First Council of Constantinople (381 CE) - Additions were made to the Nicene Creed declaring that the Holy Spirit proceeded from both God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.
- The Council of Ephesus (431 CE) - This council defined Catholic dogma and recognized the Virgin Mary as the Blessed Mother of God.
- The Council of Chalcedon (451 CE) - This council affirmed that Jesus Christ was equal parts human and divine.
- The Second Council of Constantinople (553 CE) - This council reaffirmed the dogmas stated by the third and fourth councils.
- The Third Council of Constantinople (680 CE) - A definition was given on the two wills of Jesus Christ.
- The Second Council of Nicaea (757 CE) - In this council, veneration was defined to holy images as honor being given to those they represent, and not to the image itself.
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The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches were originally one Christian church (as Catholic means, "for everyone"). The separation in 1054, or Great Schism, occurred due to complex doctrinal, political, and organizational disputes, some of which continue to divide the churches today. Differences in theological beliefs such as the recitation of the Nicene Creed and opinions on divorce. Organizational beliefs over the Pope's status as the traditional leader of the whole church, and differences the Papal Primacy are key differences between the two churches.
Historical differences rooted in the fall of the Roman Empire , the evolution of the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Emperor's ability to appoint priests, and the greater wealth of the East, has also impacted the traditional differences between the two Churches. Despite their differences, the two churches have had a relatively open communication since they separated and remain friendly toward one another today.
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Video Transcript
The Late Empire and Early Church
By 313 CE, the Roman Empire was definitely on the decline. While the new Emperor, Constantine, showed some hope, Rome had not had a truly effective emperor since Marcus Aurelius more than 120 years earlier. Invaders, both Persian and barbarian, crept closer to the empire from all angles. To top it all off, a new religion calling itself Christianity had begun to infiltrate the empire, even among the army. Riots and revolts plagued the major cities of the empire—clearly a change was needed.
So the government acted quickly and, in 313, allowed the open worship of Christianity. Within a few more decades, it was made the official religion of the empire. The Roman government saw that Christianity was going places, and wanted its popularity to save the empire. Of course, Christianity did not exist to help the Roman Empire. After so many years in the shadows, Christianity had a parallel structure of authorities, with bishops ruling cities, patriarchs having authority over great territories, and the pope in Rome, in theory, ruling supreme.
Meanwhile, as the Church gained strength, the empire lost it. One of the biggest problems that the Roman Empire faced was the fact that it essentially united two cultures: the semi-barbaric West and the ultra-civilized East. These two halves could not function together and soon split. By 476, Rome had not only split, but the Western half of the empire ceased to exist.
The Byzantine View
The Eastern half of the empire had long been regarded as the more important half. It was richer, more cultured, more populated, and, since 330, had the new capital of Constantinople. While the attacks that destroyed the West had certainly weakened this new empire, called by historians the Byzantine Empire, it had by no means destroyed it.
In fact, the emperor of the East had grown stronger. As such, he soon sought to gain control over the only force that could really oppose him, the Church. Luckily, the Church in the East agreed to allow the emperor to appoint church leaders throughout the Byzantine Empire. This gave the emperor incredible control, which combined with his political and military power, made him especially powerful. One person who did not like this increased control was the pope, or the bishop of Rome.
The Roman View
Given the actions of the Byzantine emperor, the pope felt cheated. After all, it was the pope who was traditionally the leader of the whole Church, and now someone who was not even a priest was deciding who should run the Church in the richest part of the Christian world. Of course, the pope was relatively powerless to stop this.
Unlike the Byzantines, he had no great empire to send its army to back his rulings. In fact, he was lucky if people in the West stopped fighting each other long enough to even go to church! Also, while he was technically respected throughout the Christian world, he found that the bishops and patriarchs from the East thought of him as backwards. Imagine a bunch of college professors, all very self-assured in their knowledge, then introduce someone who is just as smart as them but comes from a redneck neighborhood, and you'll have a pretty good idea of the battle that the pope faced.
The Split
Soon, it was clear that there were really two churches: one ruled by the pope in Rome that administered what was once the Western Roman Empire, and one ruled by the patriarch of Constantinople, with the heavy advice of the emperor, that governed the old Eastern Roman Empire. Both claimed to be the real ruler of Christianity.
Obviously, this was not a situation that would end well, and truthfully, it's surprising that the two sides managed to hold on for as long as they did. However, by 1054 both sides had reached a breaking point. The pope, looking to finally send a message that he was sure that both the patriarch and the emperor would get, ordered two messengers to Constantinople to deliver a message. As the patriarch was speaking in front of a big group of people, the two messengers walked down the aisle of the church, right up to the pulpit, and loudly nailed a piece of paper to the podium.
On the piece of paper was an order of excommunication, meaning that the pope no longer recognized the patriarch, or anyone who listened to him, as Christian. Think about how mad and hurt a teacher would be if someone interrupted his or her class and put a giant poster on the board that said, 'You're fired because you don't know what you're talking about.' This split is called the Great Schism of 1054.
From this point, both sides kept trying to one-up the other. One of the most obvious ways they did this was through the names they chose for their respective halves. The church in the West became known as the Catholic Church, since Catholic meant that it was the church for everyone. Likewise, the church in the East became known as the Orthodox Church, meaning that they were the church that believed what was right, or orthodox.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we talked about how a split in the Roman Empire led to the establishment of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. We talked about causes of friction, the rivalry between the pope and the emperor, and bigger cultural issues that were at play. Finally, we learned about the Great Schism of 1054, as well as how both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches got their names.
Learning Outcomes
Absorbing the information above can prepare you to:
- Provide the reason that the Romans made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire
- Compare Christianity's response to the Emperors in the Eastern and Western Roman Empires
- Express knowledge of the Great Schism of 1054
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Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic | History & Differences
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