Sunday 21 September 2008

What were some differences between Byzantine Christianity and Roman Catholic Christianity?

Eastern
Orthodoxy differed from Roman Catholicism on several points:

1: Papal
Authority. The Eastern Church, like most Protestants, does not accept that the Bishop of Rome as
a €˜Pope with authority over all Christians.

2. Only the 7 Ecumenical
Councils and the Bible have authority for the Eastern Church. The Roman Church adds a
Magesterium consisting of subsequent councils (attended by only its own denomination) and
various Papal Bulls.

3. Filioque (double procession of the Holy Ghost): The
local Council of Toledo added this to the Nicene Creed, and that modified version is used by the
Roman but not the Eastern Church.

4. The Eastern Church uses leavened and
the Roman unleavened bread for the Eucharist,

There are several other major
liturgical and theological differences. Runciman has several excellent books about Byzantium
which also cover religious topics.

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