What is the most basic doctrinal difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church?

Answer 1

Good question!

In my opinion, the biggest difference is how the two approach the faith. The Roman Catholic tradition is very legalistic, with rules set down as to precisely what is what and who is who, etc. The Orthodox Churches focus more on the actual practice of worship, the experience of perceiving God's Love which is beyond any human interpretation or thought.

Doctrinally, the two Churches fundamentally disagree about the position of the Bishop of Rome as well as the nature of Original Sin (the Orthodox Church views it as a condition akin to gravity, that has nothing to do with any individual's "guilt" or "innocence") and the precise nature of the Trinity.

Answer 2

Roman Catholics have only one creed and at one time slaughtered "heretics" who didn't believe or practice the Nicene Creed. Whereas the Eastern Orthodox Church allowed many different creeds similar to what we find in the Protestant denominations of today.

It was the Eastern Church that requested help from the west in fending off the advancing Islamic culture. The Crusaders marched off to foreign eastern lands to protect the Christians from the advancing Muslims.

Eastern Orthodox theology is strongly Trinitarian. God exists in the three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Humanity is believed to be created in God's image, but is corrupted through sin. Death is conquered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and new life is given through the Holy Spirit. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, which regards the Holy Spirit as proceeding from the Father and the Son, the Eastern Orthodox Church claims that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son. Only the first seven ecumenical councils are recognised as authoritative. As in Roman Catholicism seven sacraments are recognised: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, holy orders, and matrimony.

More specifics can be found here:
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/orthodox.htm
.

Answer 3

Iconography, I believe. Also, there was a split between Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox over, among other things, the number of fingers you use to cross yourself.