What lessons from the Great Schism can believers learn about schisms in churches and how to prevent them?
The totality of the issues that came to a head in the eleventh century, resulting in the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches are numerous. However, for the modern Church to learn from history’s mistakes and seek to work through their issues to avoid future schisms it is necessary to look at the prevailing themes that lead to this great divide. Author Mark Noll observed that “(t)he Great Schism of 1054 was a major turning point in Christian history because it brought to a head centuries of East-West cultural disengagement, theological differences, and ecclesiastical suspicion.”[1] It is upon the basis of these themes that an assessment and application may be made to the church of today.
Prior to the church era the stage was already set for conflicting world views. Much of the known world was Hellenized from military successes of Alexander the Great. When Roman rule took over there was a working mixture of political Latin and cultural Greek that ordered much of Roman society. However, after Constantine moved his capitol to Constantinople the divide between the Latin West and the Greek East began to grow. Along with language and culture, differences in philosophical approaches to the faith are observed as early as the 1st & 2nd Centuries in the writings of both Tertullian (Latin) and Clement of Alexandria (Greek).[2] These differences, among others, caused isolation between each other. Rome was not impacted by the issues of the East (Muslim invasions, Iconoclastic Controversy, etc.)[3] and showed little attempts to intervene unless it would somehow bolster Rome’s claims of superiority. Likewise, Constantinople had little impact from the barbarian invasions[4] of the West and the disintegration of the Western Empire. Both sides were drifting apart and caught up in their own struggles to stay engaged with the other. I see a lesson here for believers today to not become so focused on their own problems to ignore issues or concerns with others. Clear lines of communication should be kept open, and a willingness for all parties to see differences from each other’s perspective to head off any potential growing resentment that may lead to schism.
The theological differences that contributed to the Great Schism revolve primarily upon both the Filioque Controversy and the different levels of theological development that took place following the Council of Chalcedon[5]. The reasons and background behind the “filioque” are beyond the scope of this discussion. However, Rome’s addition of the phrase “and the Son” in reference to the Holy Spirit’s procession instilled outrage from the East. The fact that the Bishop of Rome unilaterally changed the Creed of Nicea-Constantinople without consultation and agreement from the other four patriarchs was a gross abuse and assertion of authority that he did not have. This is also an indication of the progressive growth in theology of the West versus the stagnation of the East. The lesson for believers today is to be sensitive to the different paces of growth in the church. There should be established standards and statements of belief which all believers within a given church unite around, and any deviation from those standards must conform to sound doctrine and implemented with the consent of the body to avoid unnecessary splits and schisms.
The ecclesiastical suspicions that developed between East and West trace their beginnings to the 2nd and 3rdcenturies as well. Rome’s prominence as both the political seat of the empire and the location of martyrdom of both Peter and Paul availed it universal recognition as the First See among the other primary centers for Christianity: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Constantinople. Over time the bishops of Rome took advantage of opportunities to assert their primacy over the others and differences of opinion about that roll and the “Keys of Peter” took shape between the East and the West. Differences in liturgies and clerical celibacy[6]rules contributed to the disconnect and mutual distrust that grew unresolved. A lesson for believers today is to avoid pride. Much of the events that occurred in 1054 that culminated in the Great Schism can be attributed to prideful actions between patriarch Cerularius and Cardinal Humbert. Had a spirit of humility and Christian love been employed at this meeting the Great Schism might never have occurred.
[1] Mark A. Noll, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 125.
[2] Ibid, 126.
[3] Robert C. Walton, Chronology and Background Charts of Church History (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 37.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
The Ancient Walk 