1. Catholic Churches of the East
Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic

2. Early Church Early Church the first 300 years:
Two Distinguishing Groups
Churches in Full Communion with Rome (Eastern Catholic Church)
Churches in Outside full Communion (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Early Church the first 300 years:
The early Church was unified around the Apostles and their immediate successors.
Grappled with controlling heresies; the Magisterium was accepted as the means to settle disputes over doctrine, theology and governance
Unity was evidenced by: evangelization, the sacraments, and persecution

3. 3rd – 4th Century East and West Roman Empire Constantine
Diocletian divided the Roman Empire
Rome / Constantinople
Constantine
Sees a vision of a cross in the clouds with a sign prior to going to battle
“In this sign you will conquer.”
Edict of Milan (313 CE follows)
Arianism - Jesus (and Holy Spirit) was created by the Father prior to the Incarnation; at issue WAS Jesus’ being “eternally begotten by the Father”?
Council of Nicaea – response consubstantial or of the same being
Nicene Creed (325 AD) promulgated

4. The Nicene Creed
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.  With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.  He has spoken through the Prophets.  We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.  We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

5. 3rd – 4th Century Constantine Governance Decision Theodosius (379 AD)
Rome is capital of West Roman Empire
Byzantium named capital of East
Constantine changes name to Constantinople the “New Rome”
Theodosius (379 AD)
Declares (Rome) Christianity the official religion of the state
Attempts to denounce and squash Arianism coming from the East
Calls for an Ecumenical Council to unify Church (Constantinople 381 AD)
Holy Trinity and four marks of Church proclaimed
(one, holy, catholic, apostolic)

6. 5th Century
Barbarians battled the Western Empire, finally overthrew Rome in 476 AD
East spoke Greek / West spoke Latin
Making communication more difficult
The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire remained strong
Weak political leadership in the West caused people to look to the Church for discipline and order in society
Language as well as cultural and differences expanded the gulf between East and West

7. Schisms (Heresies) Bishop Nestorian 428–431 (Nestorianism )
Protested title given Mary of Theotokos (God-bearer or Mother of God)
He believed Mary was only the mother of the man Jesus, not Jesus in his divinity; thus separating his human and divine natures
Rationale: a mother gives birth to a person, not his nature
Claimed Jesus has two loosely divided natures, human and divine
Loyal followers fled the R.E. and moved to Persia (Iraq and Iran)
Monophysite (Monophysiteism)
Claimed Jesus had only one nature – divine; his human nature was absorbed into his divine (like salt in water)
Council of Chalcedon refuted this teaching, clarifying with the concept of a hypostatic union (two natures in one)
Loyal Monophysites were primarily in Alexandria (Egypt)

8. 6th – 7th Centuries The East and West Theologians Church Structure
West – St. Augustine
the West focused on the unity of the Trinity
East – St. John St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa
East focused on the diversity of the persons of the Trinity
Devotional and liturgical practiced diverged over time
Church Structure
Primacy of Peter’s successor generally accepted
Metropolitans (Archbishops) developed as a means to collaborate
Patriarchs were major cities looked to as the leaders of the Church (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and then Jerusalem and Constantinople)
Only Rome was in the West; the others all in the East
The East operated with Rome having “primacy among equals”

9. 8th Century to Present Filioque controversy (“…and the Son”)
Was commonly added to the Nicene Creed to strengthen (anti-Arian) belief in the divinity of Jesus
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.”
In the East, the Filioque line was not added
Filioque eventually was endorsed by the Pope (Rome), which caused the East to react because such a change should happen via an Ecumenical Council
This remains a significant division between East and West
The Catechism states a difference of semantics (CCC 248)

10. The “Holy” Roman Empire
Pope Leo III “crowns” Charlemagne as emperor
The Pope is seen as THE leader of the West
As a Catholic, Charlemagne used military force to defend the empire and the Church, as well as to “convert” pagans
Thus the name the Holy Roman Empire, because it is led by the Pope
The East was largely autonomous from the rule of the Pope
1054 marks the date for the split of East and West
West had always used unleavened bread for the Eucharist; the East used leavened bread
A delegate of the Pope (Cardinal Humbert) was sent to resolve the issue
When the Patriarch of Constantinople refused to assimilate, a mutual excommunication happened
Henceforth, each Church viewed the other as a separate entity

11. Healing and Unity Crusades blunder
The East appealed to the West for help in battling the Muslim armies (who had taken control of Jerusalem)
East and West had found a common rival, thus the Crusades
4th Crusade ( )
Against an order of the Pope, Western armies invaded Constantinople and ransacked the city, killing people and desecrating the Churches
Councils called to seek reconciliation
Lyon (1274) East bishops agree, but negated upon return home
Florence (1431) again union was agreed to, but negated when no military assistance arrived to fight Muslim invaders
Constantinople falls to the Muslims
JPII (2001) formally apologized and asked forgiveness for the ransacking of Constantinople in

12. Eastern Rites and Roman Rites
Apostolic Succession – both Churches have bishops who are direct successors to the apostles
Sacraments – priests are valid, therefore sacraments are valid; there are differences in language and practice:
Mass is referred to as the Divine Liturgy
Baptism by immersion, along with Eucharist and Confirmation (leavened bread used for the Eucharist)
Papal Primacy – East rejects Papal infallibility and Popes’ universal jurisdiction
East accepts infallibility of the Church, not the Pope
East accepts Bishop of Rome as an honorary leader, with no authority outside being a spokesperson for the College of Bishops

13. Eastern Rites and Roman Rite
Mary – East does not acknowledge the Immaculate Conception, though they do honor Mary devotionally. The East accept the dogma of the Assumption (called the Dormition or “falling asleep), that Mary died, then three days later her body was taken to heaven.
Priestly Celibacy – celibacy became a West requirement in 1139, 2nd Lateran Council; the East has continued to ordain married priests; bishops are celibate
Marriage and Divorce – East accepts divorce as a means of compassion for human weakness (up to two remarriages); accept some forms of artificial birth control
Spirituality – we share much the same spirituality and saints, though the East has a different liturgical calendar
Liturgy is formal with an emphasis on the divine mystery of God. Formal vestments, incense, formal gestures, processions, adoration of Eucharist and icons