What did the Eastern Orthodox Church believe in?

Essentially the Orthodox Church shares much with the other Christian Churches in the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection.

Was Constantinople the center of the Eastern Orthodox Church?

From the 4th to the 11th century, Constantinople (now Istanbul), the centre of Eastern Christianity, was also the capital of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire, while Rome, after the barbarian invasions, fell under the influence of the Holy Roman Empire of the West, a political rival.

What was the main dispute between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church?

The Great Schism came about due to a complex mix of religious disagreements and political conflicts. One of the many religious disagreements between the western (Roman) and eastern (Byzantine) branches of the church had to do with whether or not it was acceptable to use unleavened bread for the sacrament of communion.

What were some of the differences between Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Western Catholicism?

The Catholic Church believes the pope to be infallible in matters of doctrine. Orthodox believers reject the infallibility of the pope and consider their own patriarchs, too, as human and thus subject to error. Most Orthodox Churches have both ordained married priests and celibate monastics, so celibacy is an option.

Why is Constantinople important to the Orthodox church?

Because of its historical location as the capital of the former Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its role as the mother church of most modern Orthodox churches, Constantinople holds a special place of honor within Orthodoxy and serves as the seat for the Ecumenical Patriarch, who enjoys the status of primus inter …

What major difference between the Eastern and Western churches led to the schism?

The major difference between the Eastern and Western churches led to their schism was the inclusion of Pope as the religious head of Christianity. Western churches believed in the authority of a religious leader called Pope who will issue orders. Eastern churches functioned without Pope and a group took decisions.

What are the main similarities and differences between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church?

The Roman Catholic Church is more focused on law, logic and the central authority of the Pope, while the Eastern Orthodox Church is more concerned with maintaining the mystery of faith and governing through consensus.

How did the Orthodox Church participate in the Crusades?

The Orthodox Church participated in the Crusades when the Byzantine Empire requested Catholic aid to help expel the Muslim armies which had invaded its lands. The Orthodox and the Catholics fought to expel the Muslims during the first three crusades. The Fourth Crusade was against the Orthodox.

What is the relationship between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church?

Also, during the Crusades- many Orthodox Christian Churches were pillaged and destroyed in the area and many holy relics and ancient items stolen or destroyed (among them the Holy Napkin) by the Catholics, who had mostly forgotten the Orthodox. This is perhaps the most unfortunate circumstance in Catholic Orthodox relations.

Why was the First Crusade not undertaken by the Pope?

In response to this idea, Pope Gregory offered to launch a crusade to liberate the Christians of the East, in return for acknowledgment of Papal supremacy. This crusade was not actually undertaken, probably largely because of Gregory’s desperate struggle over lay investiture.

How long did the Crusades take to begin?

But the idea for the Crusades had been set in motion, and the typical pattern for East-West relations which lasted for nearly 400 years was begun. The First Crusade was launched by Pope Urban II (r. 1088–1099) at the request of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Comnenos (r. 1081–1118) for knights to fight against the Seljuk Turks.