The document discusses the differences between the Latin Roman Catholic Church and Greek Eastern Orthodox Church regarding the use of icons for religious purposes. The Roman Catholic Church accepted icons as aids for the illiterate majority, while the Eastern Orthodox Church banned icons from 726AD, viewing them as idols. This disagreement over icons was a contributing factor to the Great Schism that divided the churches in 1054AD.

1. Iconoclastic Controversy Notes
Latin Roman Catholic Church Greek Eastern Orthodox Church
Western Roman Empire Byzantine Empire
• Icons Accepted • Icons NOT accepted
• People were illiterate • Believe icons = idols
and needed pictures and • 726AD – Emperor Leo III
statues to understand rules icons illegal and must
the religion be destroyed
• Believed praying to God • Iconoclasts believe icons
through Icons was not are a heresy and people
the same as praying to caught should be
idols excommunicated
• Pope says icons are OK • Iconoclasts destroyed icons
= Byzantine Art
after council meets
*CHURCH SPLITS in 1054 AD = Great Schism *
• Later the Byzantine Empire
accepts icons because people
were having them anyway.