The Great Schism between the Catholic Church in Rome and Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople occurred in 1054 due to various theological and political disputes. Key issues included whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or the Father and Son, the authority of the Pope versus patriarchs, and the use of icons. Excommunications were exchanged between Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius, formally dividing the churches. While reunification efforts continue, theological and structural differences remain unresolved.

1. The Great Schism
Rome vs. Constantinople
Adult Christian Education Committee
2023

2. Encouraged Pre-Work
Watch “Why Did the Great
Schism Happen?”,
YouTube video dated ca.
2021, by Knowledgia. 12
minutes.
https://youtu.be/vT-jL_Uus
pU
Interesting take posted on the YouTube page:
“This is what happens when bureaucrats take charge, and decide it is
important to determine how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.”

3. Roman Empire in 330 AD

4. ● Quest for Power
○ Military rule
○ Ecclesiastical rule
● Theological Debate
○ Trinitarian theory
○ Linguistics
○ Respect for procedure
REASONS FOR THE GREAT SCHISM

5. Church and State: Four Seats of Power
In the West:
Bishop of Rome
(the Pope)
Emporer of
Western Roman Empire
of the Holy Roman Empire
In the East:
Patriarch of
Constantinople
Emporer of
Eastern Roman Empire
of the Byzantine Empire
CONFLICT
CONFLICT
CONFLICT
CONFLICT
CONFLICT
CONFLICT

6. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/Variabl
eDelectableBarasingha-mobile.m
p4

8. Emporer Leo III
● Syrian-born
● Byzantine emperor from 717 to 741 AD.
● Defended Constantinople against Arab attacks
and siege. He was an energetic soldier-
emperor, and personally led his troops in battle
● Enforced the required baptism of all Jews and
other faiths in the Eastern Empire.
● In 726-729, issued a series of edicts against the
veneration of images.
● 732 Pope Gregory III excommunicates the
iconoclasts.
● 740 Leo retaliates by transferring Southern Italy
and other Adriatic Sea regions from the papal
diocese to that of the patriarch of
Constantinople.
Born 685 AD, died 741 AD

9. Iconoclastic Controversy
● Icons were not accepted and were
seen as blasphemous idolatry
● 726 AD Emporer Leo III rules idols
illegal and to be destroyed
● Conservative “Iconoclasts” believe
icons are heretical and users
should be excommunicated
● Empress Irene calls Second
Council of Nicaea in 787 to resolve
● Council decreed that icons can be
revered and venerated but not
adored, which is reserved for God.
● Icons were readily accepted
● Illiterate people needed visual
images to understand the religion
● Praying to God through icons not
the same as praying to idols
● “What’s the big deal?” attitude.
● Happy to see that their Eastern
counterparts were dealt the loss
Western Roman Empire
Latin Catholic Church
Byzantine Empire
Greek Orthodox Church

10. Charlemagne
● Charlemagne, or Charles the Great
(747-814 AD), was king of the Franks and
Lombards.
● Crowned Roman Emporer in 800 by Pope
Leo III.
● The first emperor to rule from western
Europe after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire three centuries earlier..
● Engaged in almost constant warfare
throughout his reign.
● Expanding his rule from a portion of what
is now France to much of Europe.
● Created an empire that lasted to 1806.
● Considered the Father of the Holy Roman
Empire.
● Is laid to rest in Achen Cathedral.
On December 25, 800, Pope Leo III crowns
Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emporer

11. Papal Primacy vs. Supremacy

12. The Filioque Controversy
● The Latin term filioque means "and [from]
the son," referring to whether the Holy Spirit
"proceeds" from the Father alone or both
from the Father and the Son.
● To Roman Catholics, the original creed,
without the Filioque, fails to fully support the
eternal nature of Jesus.
● To Eastern Orthodox, the Latin term
“procedit” translates into a Greek word that
means emanates (or comes from).
● Pope Leo I declared in 446 that the Holy
Spirit proceeds from both Father and Son,
without benefit of an ecumenical council.
● Orthodox theology permits the Holy Spirit to
flow THROUGH the Son but not FROM the
Son.
The Holy Trinity depicted on the ceiling of an
Orthodox monastery in Greece. Ironically, it
seems to show the Holy Spirit emanating from
both the Father and the Son.

14. From the ECUSA Website

15. Michael Cerularius
● Greek Orthodox Patriarch of
Constantinople 1043-1058 by Byzantine
emperor Constantine IX.
● Strong proponent of the autonomy of the
Eastern Church
● Like all eastern patriarchs, was offended
by the Filioque both theologically and
ecumenically.
● Closed all churches under his authority
who insisted on using the Latin rite in
worship.
● Obstructed military alliances between
Rome and Constantinople
● Was excommunicated by Rome in 1054
● Retaliated by excommunicating a
number of Western bishops.
Born 1000, died 1059

16. Pope Leo IX
● Alsace-born nobleman
● Consecrated a bishop in 1027
● Pope from 1049-55
● Re-imposed clerical celibacy
● Sought a military alliance with Byzantium
to check Norman advances in the south
of Italy
● Received complaints from Michael
Cerularius on a number of liturgical
matters claiming Rome was careless with
the elements in the Eucharist
● Used the Donation of Constantine as his
proof of supremacy.
● Sent a delegation headed by French
Cardinal Humbert to reign in Cerularius
shortly before his death.
Born 1002, died 1054

17. Eastern Orthodox vs Roman Catholic
Principal Differences
Issue Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic
Trinitarian belief Trinitarian, Holy Spirit
proceeds only from the Father
Trinitarian, Holy Spirit
proceeds from Father and Son
Governance Episcopal, by consensus of
Bishops working collegially
Hierarchical, with Papal
supremacy and infallibility
Christian truth Apodictic: demonstrably or
self-evidently true (mysticism)
Dialectic: truth revealed by
study and debate (logic)
Prayer For cleansing purposes.
Theosis is (deification)
possible through
contemplative prayer.
To invoke God’s grace.
Theosis is heretical, perhaps
even polytheistic.
Other faiths No salvation without theosis,
including other Christian faiths
No salvation from other faiths
except other Christian faiths
(with works)

18. Other Teachings Introduced by
Rome After the Schism
Issue Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox
Purgatory At the 2nd Council of Lyon in 1274, the
church adopted Purgatory as a required
place of purification necessary before
entering heaven.
Orthodox Christians reject this, as well as
indulgences to avoid such punishment.
Orthodox Christians believe indulgences a
gross corruption of the church.
Original Sin Introduced by Augustine of Hippo but not
formalized as dogmatic until the 1545-63
Councils of Trent.
Questioned Rome's ideas on original sin
from the outset and does not promote the
idea of inherited guilt, only inherited
mortality.
Tran-
substantiation
Councils of Trent (1545-63) decree that the
elements are literally changed to the body
and blood of Christ.
Takes a mystical approach to the matter
(i.e. “it happens but we don’t know how”).
Immaculate
Conception of
Mary
In 1854, Pope Pius XII declared Mary’s
conception to be free from the stain of
Original Sin.
As Orthodox do not believe in Original Sin,
there is no need to cast the conception of
Mary as unusual. They believe Mary’s
womb was sanctified at the Annunciation.
Papal
Infallibility
The First Vatican Council (1870) declared
that the pope was infallible when he spoke
on matters of faith and morals.
Finds no biblical authority for this claim
and rejects it.

19. THE DOMINANT RELIGIONS IN EUROPE TODAY

20. The Dream of Ecumenism
● Both the Orthodox and Roman
churches have expressed the
desire for the healing of the
Schism for centuries.
● In 1965, Pope Paul VI and
Patriarch Athenagoras I
removed the mutual
excommunications.
● Discussions on how different
meanings attributed to Greek
and Latin words could be
ironed out
● But theological and power
issues will remain
Pope Francis greets Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew of Constantinople outside the
Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari, Italy, July 7, 2018.

21. Discussion Questions
● How important is the
Filioque debate to
modern-day
Episcopalians?
● In what way can we believe
that the Anglicans, the
Roman Catholics and the
Orthodox Christians are
really part of one holy
catholic and apostolic
church?

22. Recommended Further Study
Read “Anglicans Encouraged
to Drop Filioque from Nicene
Creed”, Anglican Communion
News Service, October 13,
2015.
https://www.anglicannews.org/
news/2015/10/anglicans-encou
raged-to-drop-filioque-from-nic
ene-creed.aspx
Metropolitan Bishop Tawadros II from the Coptic
Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Egypt with
Anglican Bishops Rowell and Cameron.