The Great Schism of 1054
The Great Schism of 1054, also known as the East-West Schism, was the event that split the Christian Church into eastern and western sects. The term schism means split. This event is significant because it represents the first definitive break in Christian unity. Out of this break came the western Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Final Straw
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East-West Differences
Eastern and Western churches had been growing apart for years as they developed different practices, and sometimes, they adopted different countries (religious beliefs or rules). For starters, church services in the east were conducted in Greek – which was the language of the majority of people. In the west, church services were conducted in Latin, a practice which continued in the Roman Catholic Church until the 1960’s. Secondly, churches in the east were allowing their priests to marry. The western churches would not embrace this, and the Roman Catholic Church continues to disallow this practice. Third, the eastern churches allowed divorce in certain circumstances. The western churches forbid divorce, and the Catholic Church continues to frown upon it today. Finally, the issues of icons. Icons are religious pictures that were used to aid in worship. The eastern churches had outlawed their use, suggesting it was idol worship. The west disagreed with this policy.
Result?
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