My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY: "BEST-KEPT SECRET" (Part IV)
DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN WEST AND EAST
Tensions began to mount as the first millennium was drawing to a close. While numerous DOCTRINAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL FACTORS were working to SEPERATE THE CHURCH IN AN EAST-WEST DIVISION, two major issues ultimately emerged above others: (1) THAT ONE MAN, THE POPE OF ROME, CONSIDERED HIMSELF "THE UNIVERSAL BISHOP OF THE CHURCH and (2) THE ADDITION OF A NOVEL CLAUSE (FILIOQUE) TO THE CHURCH’S CREED.
1. THE PAPACY: Among the Twelve, the Holy Apostle Peter was early acknowledged as the leader. He was spokesman for the Twelve before and after Pentecost. He WAS THE FIRST BISHOP OF ANTIOCH and later bishop of Rome. No one challenged his role.
After the death of the Holy Apostles, as leadership in the Church developed the bishop of Rome came to be recognized AS FIRST IN HONOR, even though all bishops WERE EQUALS. But after nearly three hundred years, the bishop of Rome slowly began TO ASSUME A ROLE OF SUPERIORITY OVER THE OTHERS, ULTIMATELY CLAIMING TO BE THE ONLY TRUE SUCCESSOR TO THE APOSTLE PETER. This vast majority of the other bishops of the Church never questioned Rome’s PRIMACY OF HONOR, but they patently REJECTED THE ROMAN BISHOP’S CLAIM AS "UNIVERSAL HEAD OF THE CHURCH ON EARTH." This assumption of papal power became ONE MAJOR FACTOR IN RENDING ROMAN CHURCH, AND ALL THOSE IT COULD GATHER WITH IT, FROM THE HISTORIC ORTHODOX CHURCH.
2. THE ADDITION TO THE CREED: A disagreement concerning the Holy Spirit also began to develop in the Church. Does the Holy Spirit PROCEED FROM THE FATHER? Or does HE PROCEED FROM THE FATHER AND THE SON?
Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches, "BUT WHEN THE HELPER COMES, WHOM I SHALL SEND TO YOU FROM THE FATHER, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHO PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER, HE WILL TESTIFY OF ME" [John 15:26). This is the basic statement in the New Testament about the Holy Spirit "PROCEEDING," and it is clear. He "PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER." Thus, when he ancient Council at Constantinople (A.D/ 381) REAFFIRMED THE CREED OF NICEA (A.D. 325), it expanded that the Creed to proclaim these familiar words: "And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Life-Giver, Who PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER, Who is worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son…"
TWO HUNDRED YEARS LATER, however, at a local council in Toledo, Spain (A.D. 589), King Reccared declared, "The Holy Spirit also should be confessed by us and taught to proceed from the Father and the Son." The king may have meant well, but HE WAS CONTRADICTING JESUS' TEACHING, CONFESSED BY THE ENTIRE CHURCH, CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT. Unfortunately, the local Spanish council agreed with HIS ERROR (HERESY), and, centuries later, in what was at least partially A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MOVE, the Pope of Rome UNILATERALLY CHANGED THE UNIVERSAL CREED OF THE CHURCH WITHOUT AN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Though this change was initially REJECTED in both East and West even by some of Rome's closest neighboring bishops, the Pope managed to eventually get the West TO CAPITULATE. The consequence, of course, in the Western Church has been the tendency to relegate the Holy Spirit TO A LESSER PLACE THAN GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON. The change may appear small, but THE CONSEQUENCES HAVE PROVEN DISASTROUSLY IMMENSE. This issue, with the Pope DEPARTING FROM THE ORTHODOX DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH, BECAME ANOTHER INSTRUMENTAL CAUSE SEPARATING THE ROMAN (LATIN) CHURCH FROM THE HISTORIC ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.
THE GREAT SCHISM
Conflict between the Roman Pope and the East mounted–especially in the Pope's dealings with the bishop, or Patriarch of Constantinople. The Pope even went so far AS TO CLAIM THE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE WHO SHOULD BE THE BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE IN MARKED VIOLATION OF HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. NO LONGER OPERATING WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH, THE POPE APPEARED TO BE SEEKING BY POLITICAL MEANS TO BRING THE WHOLE CHURCH UNDER HIS DOMINATION.
Bizarre intrigues followed, one upon the other, as a series of Roman Popes PURSUED THIS UNSWERVING GOAL OF ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL ALL CHRISTENDOM. Perhaps the most incredible incident of these political, religious, and even military schemes occured in the year A.D. 1054. A cardinal, sent by the Pope, SLAPPED A DOCUMENT ON THE ALTAR OF THE CHURCH OF HAGIA SOPHIA IN CONSTANTINOPLE DURING THE SUNDAY WORSHIP, EXCOMMUNICATING THE PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE FROM THE CHURCH.
The Pope, of course, HAD NO LEGITIMATE RIGHT OR AUTHORITY TO DO THIS, BUT THE REPERCUSSIONS WERE STAGGERING. Some dismal chapters of Church history were written during the next decades. THE ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCE OF THE POPE'S ACTION WAS THAT THE WHOLE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ENDED UP DIVIDED FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT FAITH OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY.
FURTHER DIVISIONS IN THE WEST
During the centuries after A.D. 1054, the growing distinction between East and West was becoming indelibly marked in history. The Eastern Church maintained THE FULL STREAM OF NEW TESTAMENT FAITH, WORSHIP, AND PRACTICE–all the while enduring great persecution. The Western or Roman Churh bogged down in mny complex problems. Then, less than five centuries after Rome committed itself TO THE UNILATERAL ALTERATION OF DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE, ANOTHER UPHEAVAL OCCURRED–THIS TIME INSIDE THE WESTERN GATES.
Although many in the West had spoken out against Roman domination and practice in earlier years, now a little-known German monk named Martin Luther inadvertently launched an attack against certain Roman Catholic practices which ended up affecting world history. His list of Ninety-Five Theses was nailed to the Church door at Wittenberg in A.D. 1517, signaling THE START OF WHAT CAME TO BE CALLED THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION. Luther had intended no break with Rome, but he could not be reconciled toits Papal system of government as well as other doctrinal issues. He was excommunicated in A.D.1521, and the door to future unity in the West slammed shut with a resounding crash. [Resources: The Orthodox Study Bible]
THE LIFTING OF THE ANATHEMA IN 1964
The mutual lifting of anathema between Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I in Jerusalem in 1964, coupled with the Second Vatican Council, significantly advanced the ecumenical movement. This SYMBOLIC GESTURE fostered dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The event spurred a formal theological dialogue between Orthodox and Roman Catholic theologians, which continues to this day.
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in Christ’s Holy and Glorious Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 