which side is right, orthodox or catholic?

Question

the Catholic Church claims to have apostolic succession, with the bishops tracing their line of succession to the Twelve Apostles, as so the Orthodox Church makes the same claim. though the Patriarch of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated each other in the year 1054. the Eastern Orthodox Church claims that the Roman Catholic Church broke away from the true church and the Roman Catholic Church claims that the Eastern Orthodox Church broke away from the true church. which side is right?

Answer 1

I also struggled with this question when we were looking for the true church. The conclusion we came to eventually is we have to see who most closely preserved the original "faith once for all delivered to the saints". We saw that many changes to the faith were made in the West following the Schism, such as an addition to the Nicene creed, purgatory, immaculate conception of Mary, infallability of the Pope. The Roman church sees its unity in the organization with the Pope as its voice, whereas Orthodoxy sees the Church as an organism keeping the deposit of faith. St. John Chrysostom said in the 4th century: “Times may change, but not our faith.”

Perhaps it's helpful to examine the fruit of both faiths - the saints and see who makes your soul long for Christ more...
best of luck,
maria

Answer 2

Both Churches CAN indeed trace their lines back to the Apostles.

The Orthodox and Catholic Churches mutually canceled their respective excommunications back in 1963...the pope was Pius VI and the Patriarch was, (I think) Athenagoras.

Incidentally, there was no Patriarch who ex-communicated the Pope in 1054...the seat was empty. It was Micheal Celuarius.

As a Catholic, I believe that Catholics are more in the right. We have as part of our family those members of the various Orthodox groups that have since reconciled with Rome and are now called Eastern Catholics -- such as the Maronites, Melkites, Greek Catholics ( who came from the Greek Orthodox Church) and many others. ALL Orthodox groups have a Catholic counterpart.

Would that the Church and all Orthodox groups would be fully reconciled and one by the 1,000 year anniversary of the schism. It is only 47 short years away, but many of the Orthodox churches are not in communion with each other. The Assyrian Church of the East is not in communion with any other Orthodox Church..However, its Catholic counterpart is called the Chaldean (Iraqi) Catholic Church. The six Oriental Orthodox Churches are in communion with each other but not with the Orthodox Churches. Sound confusing? Yes it is....its a great research project. I put one together and gave mini 3-hour courses on the Genealogy of the Catholic Church.

Answer 3

You gotta love the Great Schism...

Rome: "I excommunicate you!"

Constantinople: "No, I excommunicate YOU!"

One of humanity's most tragic moments, really. I think both sides have a legitimate claim to apostolic succession. The question I have is... are we really concerned in this day and age about "successions"? Should the Body of Christ really be run as an aristocracy? I think apostolic TRADITION is a far more valuable concept: What did the apostles teach us? Not WHERE did they teach at....

And where is the true church? In the hearts of God's people, whatever they may label themselves...

Answer 4

Both have apostolic succession. As for which side is right, let's look at it logically. Who was given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven? Who was given the power to bind and loose? Who was entrusted with the care of Christ's sheep? PETER!

Some 700 years before the split, St. Ambrose of Milan wrote, "Ubi Petrus, ibi ergo Ecclesia" ("Where Peter is, there is the Church.")

So where's Peter?

The Patriarch of Constantinople makes no claim to be the successor of Peter. He is the successor of Andrew. It is the Bishop of Rome who is the successor of Peter. If the Church is where Peter is, how can Peter break away from the Church?

Answer 5

From what I have learned (so far), it sounds like they both have real apostolic succession. Succession has just split into two concurrent lines.

As you mentioned, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches separated from one another in 1054. But there are very few theological differences.

The main difference is that the Eastern Orthodox Churches (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11329a.htm) use the Byzantine Rite (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04312d.htm) and the Roman Catholic Church use the Latin (or Roman) Rite.

Pope John Paul II said of the Eastern Orthodox Churches in Orientale Lumen, "A particularly close link already binds us. We have almost everything in common." (see http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html)

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

Neither...although it must be noted that usually when there is a group the one that breaks off is the incorrect one. Which one has changed the most since 1054? I would say the Catholic church has. How could you change so much if you were to be taking after the aposles.

Still, neither is right. Once the council of nicea decided that the trinity was the way to go they both took the final steps to the wrong path.

Answer 7

They both broke away from each other after 1000years of an up and down relationship together as one( Nicene/ Chalcedonian)Holy( well,not everybody in it) Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church needs to "breathe with both lungs" of East and West.
I love the Orthodox Churches( 9ncluding the Assyrian and Oriental Orthodox Churches),however, I think the Catholic Church is actually one organized church while the E Orthodox is a federation of churches which seem to go in and out of communion with each other. I find the Catholic to be more universal or "catholic'.

Answer 8

Some Orthodox Traditions are recognized as perfectly valid by the Pope and all of the Catholic Church so can you be more specific?

Answer 9

All Christian historians agree the first Christian patriarchates were established in Jerusalem, Constantinople,Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria. The only patriarchate not in communion is Rome. The other 4 are still in communion.

You tell me who broke away from whom?

Answer 10

And then the Catholics set out to save Israel from Islamic occupation, but stopped at Constantinople and overthrew the Greek church--then they were fighting until Muslims took it over.

Now, Constantinople is Istanbul, Turkey. Obviously God punished the Greeks for their great sins, and the Catholics are next. For a start, read http://abiblecode.tripod.com Select the Islam link.

Blessings, One-Way