Great Schism
East-West ecclesiastical rupture
Great Schism refers to one of two major ruptures in Christian history.
The East-West Schism of 1054 permanently divided Christianity into the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches over theological disputes and papal authority.
The Western Schism (1378–1417) saw rival popes simultaneously claiming legitimacy from Rome and Avignon.
Without context, Great Schism usually means the 1054 split: The Great Schism created a divide between Eastern and Western Christianity that persists today.
Early church belief formula
- trinitarianAffirming three-in-one God
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
anathema · canon law · sacraments · transubstantiation · ecclesiology · apostolic · primacy · Christology
Formal barring from sacraments
- papal authorityPope's ruling capacity
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- Hagia SophiaHistoric Istanbul religious structure
ecclesiology · papal supremacy · unleavened bread · pentarchy · legates
Separation into parts
- riftCrack or estrangement
- separationState of being apart
- estrangementEmotional separation between people
- ruptureViolent tearing apart
breach · disunity · excommunication · alienation · communion · intercommunion · reconciliation · ecumenism
Christian denomination led from Vatican
Ancient Christian communion
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- leavened breadLoaf expanded by fermentation
- myrrhFragrant gum from trees
Nicene Creed
Early church belief formula
- trinitarianAffirming three-in-one God
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
heresy · anathema · canon law · sacraments · transubstantiation · ecclesiology · apostolic · primacy · Christology
excommunication
Formal barring from sacraments
- papal authorityPope's ruling capacity
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
Hagia Sophia · ecclesiology · papal supremacy · unleavened bread · pentarchy · legates
split
Separation into parts
- riftCrack or estrangement
- separationState of being apart
- estrangementEmotional separation between people
rupture · breach · disunity · excommunication · alienation · communion · intercommunion · reconciliation · ecumenism · dialogue
Roman Catholic
Christian denomination led from Vatican
cardinal · scholasticism · papal infallibility · centralization
Eastern Orthodox
Ancient Christian communion
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- leavened breadLoaf expanded by fermentation
- myrrhFragrant gum from trees
Great Schismchurch unity
Solidarity among Christian denominations
ecumenism · intercommunion · communion · Pentecost · joint declaration
Great Schismunity
Wholeness through cohesion
reconciliation · agreement · concord · union · peace
Great Schismmerger
Corporate combination
union · consolidation · unification · reunification · integration
great, schism, schismatic, schisms, schismatics, schismatical