What do they differ on that is causing a schism?
Tags: catholic churches, Orthodox Catholic Church, Church, orthodox church, Churches, remainingorthodox catholic leavened bread, what are church issues of orthodoxy, why do greek orthodox not believe in purgatory or stations of cross, will orthodox and catholics unite?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
The Pope. Catholics follow him, the Orthodox don’t.
The same problem that caused the schism to begin with…
He proceeds OF the Father vs He proceeds FROM the Father.
basic philosophy in god
Both Eastern and Roman Catholic churches recognize the Peter as the Head of Christ’s Church. However, Eastern Orthodox Churches do not feel it is right that the Pope can over rule local Bishops and Priests. They feel that since both Bishop and Pope came from Apostlic sucession, then they are equal in authority, though they may differ in day-to-day function. This is the largest functional difference.
However since the 19th century, there has been renewed talk of possibly rejoining the 2 churches if their minor interpretational differences can be worked out. One possible solution might see a situation where the Eastern Orthodox church is given quasi-autonomy within the RCC.
Easter Orthodox Churches often have icons while Catholic churches have statues.
Catholic Priests may not be married whereas Eastern Orthodox priests may marry prior to ordination.
There are no separate religious orders of Eastern Orthodox monks or nuns whereas the Roman Catholics belong to these associations which are devoted to a specific form of service.
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory and does not observe the Stations of the Cross.
The Roman Catholic Eucharist is an unleavened wafer while the Eastern Orthodox Church uses leavened bread.
Easter is calculated differently by the Orthodox and the Catholic but the two celebrate Christmas on the same day.
Before Vatican II, the RCC said masses in Latin, while Orthodox church always used the local language of the region. Since Vatican II, however, most RCC masses are said in the local language of that region.
It’s not the “Orthodox church” as in one church. The Assyrian Church of the East is not in communion with rome — nor is it in communion with the other Orthodox Churches. They broke away in the early years. They are making headway in re-unification but not quite there. Members of this group who have reconciled with Rome are Iraq’s Catholics and are called Chaldean Catholics. They are also in Lebanon and along the Malabar coast of India and are also known as Thomas Christians (it was the apostle Thomas who evangelized there). Their Patriarch resides in Iraq but the Patriarch of those still outside of the church resides in Morton Grove, IL here in the U.S.
Why did they break communion with Rome? “In the 5th century, the Church of the East gravitated towards the radical Antiochene form of christology that had been articulated by Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius, and fell out of communion with the church in the Roman Empire. This was due in part to the significant influx of Nestorian Christians into Persia that took place following the condemnation of Nestorian christology by the Council of Ephesus in 431, and the expulsion of Nestorians from the Roman Empire by Emperor Zeno…”
Then there are the 6 Oriental Orthodox Churches — all 6 in communion with each other but this group is not in communion with Rome nor with the Assyrian Church of the East. Some from each of these 6 churches have reconciled with Rome and so each of the 6 has a Catholic counterpart as follows:
Ethiopian Orthodox Church — Ethiopian Catholic Church
Armenian Orthodox – Armenian Catholic
Coptic Orthodox (Egyptian) — Coptic Catholic
Eritrean Orthodox – Eritrean Catholic
Malankara Orthodox Church (in India) – Malankara Catholic
Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch – Melkite Catholic
“The common element among these six churches is their rejection of the christological definition of the Council of Chalcedon (451), which asserted that Christ is one person in two natures, undivided and unconfused. For them, to say that Christ has two natures was to overemphasize the duality in Christ and to compromise the unity of his person. Yet they reject the classical monophysite position of Eutyches, who held that Christ’s humanity was absorbed into his single divine nature. They prefer the formula of St. Cyril of Alexandria, who spoke of “the one incarnate nature of the Word of God”.
Finally, there are 14 other Orthodox Churches (Russian, Greek, Byzantine, Ukranian, Belarussian, Serbia, Albania, Alexandria (Egypt), Cyprus, Poland, The Orthodox Church in America, etc. that broke with the church over the Filioque clause in 1054. However, there had been a gradual distancing anyway — politically and linguistically. The western part of the Roman Empire had switched to Latin as an everyday language while Greek was maintained in the eastern part. Eventually, most couldn’t understand each other. Eventually, the two halves of the empire had a long period which each was politically ruled by two different emporers. Then in one of the Crusades (in 1204, I think), the city of Constantinople itself was sacked by Catholics on their way to the holy land but NOT done at the orders of the Pope. Further, the entire Roan empire fell to the Turks when Constantinople became what it is today — Istanbul There was even a shift of the Greek language from classical to modern after the fall of the empire in 1453.
The Nicene Creed was written to say that the Holy Spirit proceedes from the Father. True. However, one of the early Church heresies questioned to divinity of Jesus and so by “emergency” (many were leaving the Church over this lamguage) rome added (without calling a full-blown council that would have taken months to organize) “and the Son” to the Creed so that it reads “He (the Holy Spirit) proceeds from the Father and the Son…” . Who does send the Holy Bpirit? Both the Father and the Son: JN 14:26 reads: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…” while Jesus also states in JN 15:26: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father…”. Yes, the Holy Spirit does proceed from the Father, is perfectly received by the Son and is returned fully to the Father: “The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father… (JN 15:26). but…Jesus makes it clear that “The Father and I are one”. Read JN 14 & 15 to get a sense of the deep unity and equality between the Father, son and Holy Spirit.
While many from all three groupings of Orthodox have reconciled with Rome (the term “Uniates” is now considered as derogatory, by the way), the remaining members must seek unity amongst themselves. They have much to offer. Eastern Church Fathers gave us such richness of faith: St. John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Cyril of Alexandria, and many others: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Church_Fathers
So……….we have much praying and fasting to do until all are as one. Meanwhile, if you ever have opportunity to experience the Divine Liturgy (as it called — not the Mass) in the Eastern Catholic Church, do so. You’ll not know whether you are in heaven or still on earth. Yes, you may receive of the Eucharist in the Eastern Catholics churches (if you yourself are Catholic); you may not partake of the Eucharist in the Orthodox churches except for by grave reason — such as nearness of death with no Roman/eastern Catholic priest nearby.
The Orthodox and Catholic Churches were one and the same until they separated from one another in 1054 mainly over the role of the Pope.
There are very few theological differences. The main difference is that the Orthodox Churches (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11329a.htm) use the Byzantine Rite (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04312d.htm) and the Catholic Church use the Roman or Latin Rite.
Pope John Paul II said of the Orthodox Churches in Orientale Lumen, “A particularly close link already binds us. We have almost everything in common.”
For the entire document, see: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html
With love in Christ.
Try asking around this site for more answers…
http://christianforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=145
You must log in to post a comment.