Catholic Church Conflict
For more than twelve centuries, there has been hostile conflict between the Orthodox and Catholic churches ("The Filioque: A Church Dividing Issue?: An Agreed Statement”). Their conflict led to the violent crusades and an extensive division among the two (Elisabeth Gaynor Ellis & Anthony Esler, p. 673). Leadership, culture, language, and differences in the practice of Christianity are large contributors to the continuing discord (Davies). Although Orthodox beliefs are derived from Catholic beliefs, there are too many discrepancies in practices between the two that won’t be able to be resolved (Davies). Early leaders of the Byzantine Empire and Roman Catholic Church noticed the first deviation between the two types of Christianity were practices
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All attempts failed, representatives from the Orthodox and Catholic churches refusing to sign numerous decrees (“Eastern Orthodoxy”). The crusades and the evident power of the papacy over the decline in power of the Byzantine Empire (“Roman Catholicism”) were other contributing factors to the failed attempts of union. Current negotiations by the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation have been made to attempt union in today’s Catholic and Orthodox churches and strives to foresee the outcome of worldwide “ecclesial communion, sacramental, and spiritual” between the churches will be (“Steps towards a Reunited Church: A Sketch of an Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future”). The root obstacle to move closer to unity has always been the role that the bishop of Rome possesses (“Filteau”). This document of negotiation is titled “Steps Toward a Reunited Church: A Sketch of an Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future,” and outlines differences that must be negotiated between the Greek and Latin churches before any future reunion of the churches takes place, a main difference being the way the traditions of each church understands the proper primacy in the leadership of the church (“Filteau”), and offers a vision of the possible outcome of a reunited church from the restoration of full communion (“A vision of unity”). Ronald Roberson, a Paulist priest and associate director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, says, “Obviously for that to happen, Catholics would have to adjust and Orthodox would have to adjust” (“A vision of
All attempts failed, representatives from the Orthodox and Catholic churches refusing to sign numerous decrees (“Eastern Orthodoxy”). The crusades and the evident power of the papacy over the decline in power of the Byzantine Empire (“Roman Catholicism”) were other contributing factors to the failed attempts of union. Current negotiations by the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation have been made to attempt union in today’s Catholic and Orthodox churches and strives to foresee the outcome of worldwide “ecclesial communion, sacramental, and spiritual” between the churches will be (“Steps towards a Reunited Church: A Sketch of an Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future”). The root obstacle to move closer to unity has always been the role that the bishop of Rome possesses (“Filteau”). This document of negotiation is titled “Steps Toward a Reunited Church: A Sketch of an Orthodox-Catholic Vision for the Future,” and outlines differences that must be negotiated between the Greek and Latin churches before any future reunion of the churches takes place, a main difference being the way the traditions of each church understands the proper primacy in the leadership of the church (“Filteau”), and offers a vision of the possible outcome of a reunited church from the restoration of full communion (“A vision of unity”). Ronald Roberson, a Paulist priest and associate director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, says, “Obviously for that to happen, Catholics would have to adjust and Orthodox would have to adjust” (“A vision of