Byzantine Religion?

Question

How was the Byzantine Religion different from Christianity? And what was the Great Schism?

Answer 1

It was Greek Orthodox. And the Great Schism was when the Bishop of Rome (a.k.a.: the pope) excommunicated the Bishop of Constantinople.

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...Two theological controversies drove the final wedge between Catholic and Orthodox Christians: papal supremacy and the so-called filioque controversy. The collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that was increasingly filled by the growing power of the Roman papacy. Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. They conceded a special honor to the Western papacy but insisted that the bishop of Rome was only the first among equals. The so-called Photian Schism brought this matter to a head.

In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Ignatius's followers, however, refused to acknowledge the transition, and eventually both Ignatius and Photius appealed to Pope Nicholas (858-67) in Rome. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. Indeed, in a letter of 865, Pope Nicholas made it clear that he intended to extend the power of the papacy "over all the earth, that is, over every church." Eastern Christians would hear nothing of it.

Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. Originally the creed read that the Holy Spirit proceeded "from the Father"; a later Western interpolation (why, where, and by whom are not known), ratified at the Council of Toledo (589), added filioque to indicate that the Spirit proceeded from the Father "and the Son." Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. Worse, they considered the interpolation to be theologically untrue and a threat to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Much like a divorce where numerous and complex problems fester for years and then coalesce around a single event, the defining moment for a distinctly Orthodox identity came with the Great Schism of 1054. Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence.

On June 16, 1054, Pope Leo IX's legate, Cardinal Humbert, delivered a Bull of Excommunication to the Orthodox Patriarch Michael Cerularius on the altar of the Church of the Holy Wisdom at Constantinople while the patriarch prepared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, condemning him and his court. Without waiting for a response, Humbert exited the church and declared, "Let God look and judge." He promptly left Constantinople.

Rome accused the "Greek heretics" of trying to "humiliate and crush the holy catholic and apostolic church." Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." As if this were not quite enough, during the Fourth Crusade, Western forces stormed Constantinople in 1204 and ransacked the Church of the Holy Wisdom, an unimaginable act of desecration from the viewpoint of Orthodoxy. Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged....

Answer 2

The Byzantines were Greek Orthodox Christians. The Patriarch of Constantinople was actually the spiritual leader of most Orthodox Christians in the world (with the exception of most Orthodox Christians in Africa).

The Great Schism occured in 1054 when both the Greek (Byzantine) Church and the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated each other; each declaring the other one a heretic and an infidel.

The roots of their fundamentals return to the first centuries of Christianity, but the first official separation was in 867. Here are some basic and fundamental differences between the Orthodox and Catholic doctrines:

1-Regarding the Trinity: The Orthodox believe in a single God who went into three phases: First, He was the Father, then He changed to be the Holy Spirit, then He was incarnated as the Son and then returned to his eternal status as being the Father once again. The Catholics actually worship three Gods with three different thrones: The Father being the greatest and is in the middle. The Son is on the Father's right and the Holy Spirit being on the Father's left. Each of the three is actually a God independently. Both Orthodox and Catholics believe of the dual status of Jesus Christ; being both divine and human.

2-The Catholics claim that Jesus installed Peter as his legitimate successor (that is: after Jesus' resurrection) and that he gave him the keys to Heaven and therefore, only through Peter and his successors (the Pope) could one recieve salvation and enter Heaven. The Orthodox don't believe that Jesus named a successor; theough they usually venerate St. Mark more than the other disciples.

3-The saints of both churches are different; with the exception of some early saints of the first centuries of Christianity whom they agree upon. Other than that hundreds of Catholic saints are denied by the Orthodox and vice versa.

4- The status of the Holy Spirit is also another great difference between the Catholics and the Orthodox, and whether it came through the Father or through the Son.

5- Catholics tend to give Mary (Jesus' mother) a divine status and they actually worship her. Orthodox sternly refuse that.

However, in 1965 both Churches have been reconciled and now they no longer excommunicate each other. Previous attempts have started in the 15th century, but were not successful. Yet still, each one of them still holds firmly to his teachings.

Answer 3

That's the Roman Catholics and they are, essentially, Christains. And the Schism came from a variety of areas including PREACHING in local language, married Priests, Divorce and Paying to do sin. Also the right to eat Baloney sandwiches on Friday prior to 1975.