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The Great Schism refers to the split between the Roman and Orthodox Christian churches in 1054, caused by doctrinal controversies, linguistic differences, and papal authority. Attempts at reconciliation have been made, but the fundamental gap remains.
Several events in history have been referred to as the “Great Schism,” but most people use the term in reference to the east-west divide, an important event in the history of Christianity. It is also common to hear the 14th century Western or papal schism referred to as the Great Schism. In both cases, these schisms represented a fundamental change in the nature of Christianity and a marked departure from the traditions and doctrinal beliefs that existed before the schism.
The roots of the East-West divide are as old as Christianity itself. Many historians believe that this Great Schism can be traced back to the 2nd century, although things didn’t develop until 1054. However, for observant Christians, especially in the higher ranks of the Church, the writing was on the wall, sometimes literally.
The fundamental split between the Roman and Orthodox Christian churches was triggered by several things. Of course, doctrinal controversies played a large part, especially the filioque controversy, a bitter controversy that erupted over the addition of “and Son” to the Nicene Creed. The two churches also faced a linguistic divide, with Greek spoken in much of the Orthodox world, while Latin was spoken in much of Europe. East and West also clashed over papal authority, the use of icons, and a number of religious issues.
In 1054, a delegation from Rome arrived in Constantinople to put pressure on Michael Cerularius, the patriarch or religious leader of Constantinople. The goal was to force Cerularius to recognize papal authority, in hopes of reconciling the growing divide between East and West. Cerularius, however, refused to accept Rome’s authority, so the legates handed him an excommunication order written by Pope Leo IX in anticipation of this same situation. Cerularius responded by excommunicating the legates and the Pope, triggering the Great Schism.
Technically, only a handful of people were affected by the excommunications, but they summed up a larger dispute between the churches, leading Christians to take sides. In the East, Christians sided with Constantinople, viewing it as a center of their faith and rejecting Roman authority, while in the West, Christians clung to the Pope, their traditional authority figure. Despite attempts at reconciliation, the Great Schism created a breach that could not be repaired.
Over the centuries, relations between East and West have varied considerably. Particularly in the 20th century, genuine reconciliation has begun to be widely reported, with papal visits to Orthodox nations and other attempts to reach out. However, the fundamental gap between the faiths created by the Great Schism is unlikely to be mended, although today both sides can express mutual respect.
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