DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Orthodox faith AND CATHOLIC FAITH?

Answer 1

One could write books on the differences between Roman and Eastern Christianity. Anyone who believes that the two are the same or even close has not studied the differences and how Christianity evolved.

The following are some major points of difference.

Pope:

Throughout the early Church the Bishops of any area were autonomous. No bishop had power except in his area. Eventually the Popes concluded that they were the Vicars of Christ, and were therefore the supreme bishops of the Christian faith. Many of them have even said that they are Christ or God on earth. The Eastern Churches and her bishops never accepted this Latin innovation.

Purgatory:

The concept of purgatory refined by the Latin church in the 13-15th centuries became the basis for the very popular concept of selling of indulgences. This system, where ones sins can be cleansed by the decision of the Pope cannot be condoned by the Orthodox. What started out as the writings of Bishop Augustine of Hippo turned into a system where the fires of purgatory could cleanse un-repented sin and the Supreme Pontiff as Christ on Earth could make the declaration of this cleansing for any given soul.

Immaculate Conception:

In 1854 Pope Pius IX decided that the Virgin Mary was born without sin. This contradicted 1800 years of Christian belief and was decided upon by one man. For all of Christian history The Virgin Mary (Theotokos) was known to be born as a sinful person just as every other human being. Only Jesus himself was born without sin. This decision by the Pope was necessary in order to make other heretical beliefs and innovation make sense within the Latin church. The primary of which is the false belief that people were born with the sin of Adam and that Christ's resurrection was to cleanse the sin of Adam from mankind. In addition, this doctrine allowed further justification of the concept that some people are born with more grace than others and that that grace could, through the Pope, be transferred to others.

Filioque:

The Filioque is a change to the Nicean Creed as originally approved by the Second Ecumenical Council in 325 AD. Essentially, due to political pressure in Europe between warring emperors and kings the Catholic Church through a series of Pope's decided to add the phrase "and the son" to the eighth article of the Creed. It changed the meaning of the undivided trinity forever in these churches. As a matter of faith Pope Leo III in 809 denounced the Filioque and had the original Creed inscribed on silver plaques in Greek and Latin. Also inscribed was the phrase "These words, I, Leo have set down for the love and as a safeguard of the Orthodox faith." However, as time went on and as new kings and emperors rose the Latin church and it's Popes succumbed to the political pressure and made the changes.

Baptism:

The word Baptism comes from a Greek word meaning to immerse or plunge. Baptism throughout the early church was always a triple immersion into water in the name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. The Latin innovation is to sprinkle water on the head of the person being baptized.

Unleavened Bread:

It has always been understood that at the last supper Christ and his Disciples ate risen bread not unleavened bread. Unleavened bread was for the Passover which did not start until the next day and was a rule strictly kept by the Jews of the time. Due to translational errors from the original Greek many bible passages have been presented as proof that they ate unleavened bread at the last supper. These errors occur in many translations including the King James version. However, it is clear in the original Greek that the last supper took place before the Passover feast which means clearly that risen bread was used. Pope Leo the IX in 1053 decided to make this change in the way the Eucharist was prepared. Up until that time, for a thousand years, everyone understood that risen bread was to be used.

Consecration of the Holy Gifts:

The Latin's deviated over time and began to believe that the priest performing the liturgy acted as Christ and had the power of his own to consecrate the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. The Orthodox have always offered up prayers to God to consecrate the gifts and have never believed that any priest or bishop can take the place of Christ. The Orthodox Priest in extreme humility prays that even though he is an unworthy sinner that God grant the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Lay Participation in Communion:

For many centuries the Latin Church forbade the lay people from partaking of the chalice the blood of Christ. This was reserved only for the clergy. It is impossible to understand this based on the clear wordings in the scriptures regarding the last supper and the tradition of the early Church up to this innovation. Starting in the early 1960's and concluding in the 1970's the Popes decided to once allow the chalice to those that wanted it.

In addition, the Latin's refuse to allow infants to partake of the life giving mystery of Holy Communion again ignoring hundreds of years of church tradition and the scriptures.

Other Innovations:

Statues

Celibate Clergy

Answer 2

The most signifcant difference is how they view the Holy Trinity - in Catholicism, it's perfectly triangular and equal, so that the Son is both the Father and the Holy Spirit. In Orthodoxy, you can't get from 'the Son' to 'the Father' because, by definition, the 'Father' has to come before the 'Son'.

It was this difference in ideology that led to the Schism in the 11th century, and to the refusal to accept that the Bishop of Rome (ie the Pope) had a final say on doctrinal matters. That said, there were many cultural differences between the Eastern Church (Orthodoxy) and Western Church (Catholicism) that probably made a split inevitable. Eg, the use of Icons, which is frowned upon by Catholics as bordering onto the idolatry.

Answer 3

You've got it right about the schism 'Bob' but the icons are looked on by both sides as representations of the saints and are not adored or worshipped.
Schism mainly caused by the Orthodox belief that the Son was sub-ordinate to the Father instead of Western belief that the Trinity was co-equal.

Answer 4

Very few differences really. Orthodox does not believe in God's Representative on earth ie the Pope, or that the wine turns into the blood literally. Both religions are on good terms though.

Answer 5

Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics separated from one another in 1054. 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 Roman or Latin 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

No difference.

They both prey on the poorly educated and gullible. Especially Caholicism which likes to add a nice big portion of control into the mix while taking your money.

Religion, yuk!

Answer 7

Same faith. Same Mass. Same sacraments. Same God. Different supreme earthly leader.

Answer 8

Main thing is that both Religions Pray and Believe in the same GOD.