what is meant by the division of Christianity between East and West in 1054 CE?

Question

does anyone know what that means? what`s meant by east and west? are they countries? how did this divide? i`m sOoo lost.. =[

Answer 1

The Western (Roman Catholic) Church and the Eastern (various Orthodox) Churches had been moving apart since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The big difference was that in the East (which became the Byzantine Empire), there were (and still are) four Patriarchs, in the cities of Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Constantinople, which in the West, there was just one, the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), with the approximate border being in the western Balkans. The four Eastern Patriarchs were in turf wars with each other until Muslims conquered all but Constantinople.

The basic difference was that in the East, Greek was the dominant language of the Church, which is more suited to Christological debating than Latin, the language of the Western Church, which did not go through the same hair-splitting over the nature of Christ. Because of this and the simple matter of geography, the two branches of Christianity began breaking apart.

The significance of 1054 CE is this was when the Pope in Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople officially excommunicated each other, declaring the other branch a heresy. It wouldn't be until the 20th century before this excommunication was lifted.

Answer 2

CE means common era.... it is the political correct a term that replaces to "religious term" AD which is a Latin term I can't remember that represents time after the birth of Christ. Our Calendar is based on this time line. So like we live in 2006 CE. In the year 1054 CE, or 1054AD, (almost a thousand years ago), the Christian church of Rome split into East and West becoming the Catholic church and the Byzentine church. I am not exactly sure where it divided geographically. The West became Roman Catholicism and the East become Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and the like. That is why these groups are very similar, yet a bit different today.

Answer 3

The Roman Empire started in Roman before the time of Christ. But by the time of Constantine in the 300sAD, they emperors had also established a capital in Constantinople (Istanbul). There was a Bishop in Rome and another in Constantinople that served over the church. Over time, the western (Roman) and the eastern (Bryzantine) halves of the empire began to split, with rivals Caesars sitting in Rome and Constantinople at the same time. The two bishops also began to struggle over which was the official head of the church. Each claimed to be the Pope. Finally in 1054AD, the two bishops each officially excommunicated the other, and the Christian church split forming the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church. The dividing line between to the two halves was were modern day Turkey is located.

Answer 4

The Great Schism separated the Orthodox Church (East) from the Roman Catholic Church (West). The Orthodox Church did not believe that the pope was infalible and a dogma of Faith so they separated. There were some other Theological issues as well. The head of the Orthodox church at the time was in Constantinople (Istanbul) Today the East is still primarily Orthodox. Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, etc.

Answer 5

This is the division of the Christian Church into the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe and the Greek Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe and Russia.

It's called the Great Schism, and Wikipedia has a killer article on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Schism

Cheers!

Answer 6

i think they spilt into the eastern orthodox and the roman catholic churches because the easterns did not agree that the church should be put under one leadership - The Pope.

Answer 7

are you referring to the split that occurred when the church leaderships in rome and constantinople seperated?
the roman catholic church resulted.
the eastern orthadox church resulted.
the eastern orthadox churches are mostly eastern european, geographically speaking.
the roman church is the catholic church.
most protestants are decended from the people who split from the catholic church during the protestant reformation.