The Byzantine Church and the Eastern Schism: Back to the Beginning

The Byzantine Church and the Eastern Schism: Back to the Beginning

Why did Constantine move the capital in the 4th century?

* Barbarians living among Roman nobility

* Roman corruption had gone so far- time for a change of scene

* Desire on the part of great men to build their own cities

* Attempt to resurrect the Greek nation

* One language - One culture - One religion

○ Latin Roman Christianity

* It didn't work! Byzantium would not be "changed"

* Language remained Greek- Christianity had its own particularly Eastern characteristics

Byzantine Empire-Eastern Church

* Byzantium became more and more isolated

○ Barbarians migrating from the north

○ Slavs and Bulgars moving into the Balkan Peninsula

○ Muslims in the east

* Created a growing need for self-preservation

* In its glory it was magnificent especially compared to the west

Factors Leading to the Schism

Cultural Factors

* Language - words and consequently thoughts not translated exactly

* Different cultural temperament

○ Greeks - more philosophical, theoretical and theological

○ Rome - practical, technological and concerned with law

* Latin fathers accused the Greeks of being the founders of all of the heresies

Byzantium

* Once the most important center for political, religious and economic activity in the world of the former Roman Empire

* Lased more than 11 hundred years - 200 more than the Roman Republic and Empire combined (509 B.C. - 476 A.D.)

* Wholly Christian from its inception

Islam

* Rise of Islam proves a mortal enemy for the Eastern Empire

* By 7th century three great Patriarchates were Muslim

○ Alexandria

○ Antioch

○ Jerusalem

Byzantium (Cont.)

* Located on the