The Division of the Christian Church

Section 2

Standard 7.1.3

Describe the establishment by Constantine of the new capital in Constantinople and the development of the Byzantine Empire, with an emphasis on the consequences of the development of two distinct European civilizations, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, and their two distinct views on church-state relations.

Background Knowledge

By 380 Christianity had become the official religion of the Roman Empire. However, different groups held different religious beliefs. These disagreement would eventually split the Christian Church

The Early Christian Church

Christian Organization

Bishops headed each local church– Aided by deacons and

elders

Bishop eventually gain authority over all churches in one regionApostolic succession

Patriarchs - the bishops of Rome, Jerusalem , Alexandria , Antioch and Constantinople – Largest and most

important communities

Church Organization

Pope- father, or head, of the churchPatriarch of Rome claims authority over Christians – Based his claim on

apostolic succession from the apostle Peter

Patriarchs and the Pope

The nature of Jesus caused great debatesEmperor Constantine assembles a council to unify the church– 325, The Council of Nicaea

established the beliefs of Christianity

• The Creed is a summary of the entire Christian faith

The Nicene Creed

The Controversy Over Icons

Icon – holy image, usually a portrait of Jesus or saintArgument– Honor to God or Worship of an object

The Controversy Over Icons

Iconoclastic (image-breakers)– Destroyed icons

The Iconoclastic Controversy, a movement that denied the holiness of religious images, left a feeling of mistrust between the eastern and western churches

The Great Schism

In 1054, The development of two religious traditions eventually cased a split between the eastern and Western churches– Schism is Greek for split

Two Christian Traditions / The Final Split

RomanCatholic Church

Roman CatholicChurch

Eastern OrthodoxChurch

Christianity

PopeHeads theChurch

EmperorHeads theChurch

Pope is the HighestOfficial

Patriarch Of ConstantinopleIs the highest

Official

Rituals and teaching were

in Latin

Rituals and teaching were

in Greek

Priest could not marry

Priest could marry

Catholic universal, concerned withall people

Orthodox following traditional orEstablished beliefs