Final answer:
Religious art played a significant role in the ultimate schism between the Western and Eastern Churches. The Iconoclastic Controversy in the Byzantine Empire debated the use of religious images and was resolved in 843 with the Triumph of Orthodoxy. The schism highlighted the differing forces shaping Christianity in different parts of Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religious art played a significant role in the ultimate schism between the Western and Eastern Churches. In Byzantium, religious images were intertwined with religious belief and practice. Debates over the use of religious images, known as the Iconoclastic Controversy, arose in Constantinople in the 8th and 9th centuries. Church leaders and emperors debated whether these images were holy or idols. The controversy was finally resolved in 843 with the Triumph of Orthodoxy, affirming the use of religious images. This schism highlighted the way Christianity was being shaped differently in different parts of Europe, with the papacy seeking to impose its vision of a reformed church on the Orthodox Church.