Question

What caused a split in the Christian church? • The Great Schism of 1054 was the split between the Eastern and Western Christian churches. • The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. However, each local Bishop and Patriarch (in charge of a group of Bishops) is responsible for the care of Christians in their Orthodox region. • The Roman Catholic Church accepts the doctrine of original sin (all people are born with Adam’s sin of disobeying God). Orthodox Christians do not accept the doctrine of original sin. • The Roman Catholic Church accepts the concept of Purgatory or a place where people who have committed small sins go before admission to Heaven. The Orthodox Church does not accept the concept of Purgatory. • Orthodox Christians use icons or small pictures of saints and Jesus. Icons help practitioners in prayer and meditation.

Answer 1

The Great Schism came about due to a complex mix of religious disagreements and political conflicts. One of the many religious disagreements between the western and eastern branches of the church had to do with whether or not it was acceptable to use unleavened bread for the sacrament of communion.