The difference between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Catholics about the differences between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The difference between the Catholic and Orthodox churches lies primarily in the recognition of the infallibility and primacy of the Pope. The disciples and followers of Jesus Christ after His Resurrection and Ascension began to call themselves Christians. This is how Christianity arose, which gradually spread to the west and east.

History of the schism of the Christian church

As a result of reformist views over the course of 2000 years, different currents Christianity:

Orthodoxy;
Catholicism;
Protestantism, which arose as an offshoot of the Catholic faith.

Each religion subsequently splits into new denominations.

In Orthodoxy, Greek, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Ukrainian and other patriarchates arise, which have their own branches. Catholics are divided into Roman and Greek Catholics. It is difficult to list all the denominations in Protestantism.

All these religions are united by one root - Christ and faith in the Holy Trinity.

Read about other religions:

The Holy Trinity

The Roman Church was founded by the Apostle Peter, who spent time in Rome last days. Even then, the church was headed by the Pope, translated as “Our Father.” At that time, few priests were ready to take on the leadership of Christianity due to fear of persecution.

The Eastern Rite of Christianity was led by the four oldest Churches:

Constantinople, whose patriarch headed the eastern branch;
Alexandria;
Jerusalem, whose first patriarch was Jesus’ earthly brother James;
Antioch.

Thanks to the educational mission of the Eastern priesthood, Christians from Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania joined them in the 4th-5th centuries. Subsequently, these countries declared themselves autocephalous, independent of the Orthodox movement.

On a purely human level, the newly formed churches began to develop their own visions of development, rivalries arose, which intensified after Constantine the Great named Constantinople the capital of the empire in the fourth century.

After the fall of the power of Rome, all supremacy passed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which caused discontent with the Western rite, headed by the Pope.

Western Christians justified their right to supremacy by the fact that it was in Rome that the Apostle Peter lived and was executed, to whom the Savior handed the keys to heaven.

St. Peter

Filioque

The differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church also concern the filioque, the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit, which became the root cause of the schism of the united Christian Church.

Christian theologians more than a thousand years ago did not come to general conclusion about the procession of the Holy Spirit. The question is who sends the Spirit - God the Father or God the Son.

The Apostle John conveys (John 15:26) that Jesus will send the Comforter in the form of the Spirit of truth, proceeding from God the Father. In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul directly confirms the procession of the Spirit from Jesus, who blows the Holy Spirit into the hearts of Christians.

According to the Nicene formula, belief in the Holy Spirit sounds like an appeal to one of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity.

The Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council expanded this appeal: “I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Lord of Life, who proceeds from the Father,” while emphasizing the role of the Son, which was not accepted by the priests of Constantinople.

The naming of Photius as Ecumenical Patriarch was perceived by the Roman rite as a belittlement of their importance. Eastern admirers pointed out the ugliness of Western priests who shaved their beards and observed fasts on Saturday; at this time they themselves began to surround themselves with special luxury.

All these differences gathered drop by drop to be expressed in a huge explosion of schema.

The patriarchy, led by Nicetas Stiphatus, openly calls the Latins heretics. The final straw that led to the break was the humiliation of the legate delegation at the 1054 negotiations in Constantinople.

Interesting! Not found general concept In matters of government, the priests were divided into the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Initially, Christian churches were called orthodox. After the partition, the Eastern Christian movement retained the name orthodoxy or orthodoxy, and western direction came to be called Catholicism or the universal Church.

Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

In recognition of the infallibility and primacy of the Pope and in relation to the filioque.
Orthodox canons deny purgatory, where a soul that has sinned a not very serious sin is cleansed and goes to heaven. In Orthodoxy there are no major or minor sins, sin is sin, and it can only be cleansed by the Sacrament of Confession during the life of the sinner.
Catholics came up with indulgences that give a “pass” to Heaven for good deeds, but the Bible writes that salvation is grace from God, and without true faith alone good deeds you can't earn a place in heaven. (Eph. 8:2-9)

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: similarities and differences

Differences in rituals

The two religions differ in the calendar for calculating services. Catholics live according to the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox Christians live according to the Julian calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, Jewish and Orthodox Easter can coincide, which is prohibited. The Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Jerusalem Orthodox Churches conduct their services according to the Julian calendar.

There are also differences when writing icons. In the Orthodox service it is a two-dimensional image; Catholicism practices naturalistic dimensions.

Eastern Christians have the opportunity to get a divorce and get married a second time; in the Western rite, divorce is prohibited.

The Byzantine rite of Lent begins on Monday, and the Latin rite begins on Wednesday.

Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross on themselves from right to left, folding their fingers in a certain way, while Catholics do it the other way around, without focusing on the hands.

The interpretation of this action is interesting. Both religions agree that a demon sits on the left shoulder and an angel on the right.

Important! Catholics explain the direction of baptism by the fact that when the cross is applied, cleansing from sin to salvation occurs. According to Orthodoxy, at baptism a Christian proclaims the victory of God over the devil.

How do Christians who were once in unity relate to each other? Orthodoxy does not have liturgical communion or joint prayers with Catholics.

Orthodox churches do not rule over secular authorities; Catholicism affirms the supremacy of God and the subordination of authorities to the Pope.

According to the Latin rite, any sin offends God; Orthodoxy claims that God cannot be offended. He is not mortal; by sin a person harms only himself.

Daily life: rituals and services

Sayings of Saints on Separation and Unity

There are many differences between Christians of both rites, but the main thing that unites them is the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, faith in One God and the Holy Trinity.

Saint Luke of Crimea rather sharply condemned negative attitude to Catholics, while separating the Vatican, the Pope and the cardinals from ordinary people who have true, saving faith.

Saint Philaret of Moscow compared the division between Christians with partitions, emphasizing that they cannot reach heaven. According to Filaret, Christians cannot be called heretics if they believe in Jesus as the Savior. The saint constantly prayed for the unification of everyone. He recognized Orthodoxy as a true teaching, but pointed out that God also accepts other Christian movements with patience.

Saint Mark of Ephesus calls Catholics heretics, since they have deviated from the true faith, and called on such people not to be converted.

Venerable Ambrose of Optina also condemns the Latin rite for violating the decrees of the apostles.

Righteous John of Kronstadt claims that Catholics, along with reformers, Protestants and Lutherans, fell away from Christ, based on the words of the Gospel. (Matthew 12:30)

How to measure the amount of faith in a particular ritual, the truth of accepting God the Father and walking under the power of the Holy Spirit in love for God the Son, Jesus Christ? God will show all this in the future.

Video about what is the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? Andrey Kuraev

The difference between Catholics and Orthodox Christians in different perceptions of the Saints and appeals to them

Christianity is the most widespread religion in the world, with a huge number of followers. Meanwhile, not all adherents of Christianity find mutual mutual language. Over the centuries, certain traditions of Christianity were formed, which varied depending on geography. Today there are three main directions of Christianity, which, in turn, have separate branches. Orthodoxy has taken hold in the Slavic states, however, the largest branch of Christianity is Catholicism. Protestantism can be called an anti-Catholic branch.

The struggle between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

In fact, Catholicism is the original and most ancient form of Christianity. Politicization church authority and the emergence of heretical movements led to a split in the Church at the beginning of the 11th century. Disagreements between Catholics and Orthodox Christians appeared long before the official schism and have not yet been resolved, despite the official recognition of each other.

The contradictions between Western and Eastern traditions left their mark on dogmatic and ritual religious forms, which aggravated the conflict between currents.

One of the harbingers of the schism is the emergence of Islam in the 7th century, which led to a decrease in the influence of Catholic priests and an erosion of trust in church authorities. This led to the strengthening of Orthodoxy in Turkey, from where it later spread to Eastern Europe. The indignation of the Catholic world caused the emergence of new Christians among the Slavic peoples. When Christianity was adopted in Rus', the Slavs forever abandoned the opportunity to develop in the “truly true” direction of spiritual development, according to Catholics.

If both of these religious movements preach Christianity, then what is the fundamental difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? In the context of history, the Orthodox made the following claims against Catholics:

participation in hostilities, desecration with the blood of the defeated;
non-observance of Lent, including the consumption of meat, lard and the flesh of killed animals outside of fasting;
trampling of shrines, namely: walking on slabs with images of saints;
the reluctance of Catholic bishops to give up luxury: rich decorations, expensive jewelry, including rings, which are a symbol of power.

The schism of the Church led to a final break in traditions, doctrine and rituals. We can say that the difference between Catholics and Orthodox lies in the peculiarities of worship and the internal attitude towards spiritual life.

Dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The symbol of Faith in both movements is God the Father, but the Catholic Church does not think of God the Father without God the Son and believes that the Holy Spirit cannot exist without the other two divine manifestations.

Video about the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies in the church organization. In Catholicism, the main and only institution of ecclesiastical authority is the Universal Church. In the Orthodox environment, there are autonomous church entities that often exclude or do not recognize each other.

The image of the Mother of God is also perceived differently. For Catholics, this is the sacred Virgin Mary, conceived without original sin; for Orthodox Christians, this is the Mother of God, who lived a righteous, but mortal life.

The Catholic Church recognizes the existence of Purgatory, which the Orthodox reject. It is believed that this is where the souls of the dead live, awaiting the Last Judgment.

There are also differences in the sign of the cross, sacraments, rituals, and icon painting.

One of the most important differences in doctrine is the understanding of the Holy Spirit. In Catholicism, He personifies Love and is the link between the Father and the Son. The Orthodox Church identifies Love with all three Godforms.

Canonical differences between Catholics and Orthodox

The Orthodox baptismal rite includes three times immersion in water. The Catholic Church offers a one-time immersion; in some cases, sprinkling with holy water is sufficient. In addition, there are differences in the baptismal formula. The Eastern rite provides for the communion of children from childhood; the Latin Church invites children over 7 years old to receive first communion. The same applies to confirmation, which among the Orthodox is carried out after the sacrament of baptism, and among the Latins - with the child’s entry into conscious age.

Other differences include:

Christian worship: Catholics have a mass, during which it is customary to sit, while Orthodox Christians have a liturgy, where it is important to stand before the face of God.
Attitude to marriage - Orthodox Christians allow the dissolution of a marriage if one of the parties leads an ungodly lifestyle. The Catholic Church does not accept divorce as such. As for marriage in the priestly environment, all Catholics take a vow of celibacy; Orthodox Christians have two options: monks do not have the right to marry, priests must marry and have offspring.
Appearance - the clothing of priests differs significantly, in addition, Latins do not wear beards, while Orthodox priests cannot be beardless.
Commemoration of the dead - in the Eastern Church these are the third, ninth and fortieth days, in the Latin - the third, seventh and thirtieth.
Sin of insult - Catholics believe that insulting God is one of the grave sins, Orthodox believe that it is impossible to offend God, and insulting him harms the sinner himself.
Use of sculpture - in Orthodoxy, saints are depicted on icons; in Catholicism, the use of sculptural compositions is permissible.

Mutual influence of religions on each other

For almost a whole millennium, the Orthodox and Catholic Churches were in opposition. Mutual claims resulted in mutual anathema, which was lifted only in 1965. However, mutual forgiveness did not give any practical result. The church authorities were never able to come to a common decision. The main claim of the Orthodox Church remains “the infallibility of the judgments of the Pope” and other issues of dogmatic content.

Video about the fundamental difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Meanwhile, it is impossible to deny the mutual influence of religious movements on each other. The Latins themselves recognize that the Eastern Church has great theological traditions and spiritual traditions, from which much useful can be gleaned.

In particular, the Orthodox were able to raise interest in the liturgy among Catholics. The reformation of the Roman Mass in 1965 led to a liturgical revival.

The works of Orthodox theologians do not go unnoticed in the Latin community, and they often receive favorable reviews. In particular, the works of Archbishop Nicholas Kavasila of Thessalonica and Archpriest Alexander Men are of particular interest. True, the latter’s liberal-modernist views were the reason for his condemnation among the Orthodox community.

There is growing interest in Orthodox icons, the painting technique of which is significantly different from the Western one. Catholics especially reverence the icons of Kazan Mother of God, “Eastern Mother of God”, Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God. The latter has a special role in the unification of the Churches - Orthodox and Catholic. This icon is located in Poland and is considered the main shrine of the country.

As for the influence of the Catholic Church on the Orthodox Church, the following points can be found here:

Sacraments - The 7 fundamental sacraments recognized by both Churches were originally formulated by Catholics. These include: baptism, confirmation, communion, confession, wedding, unction, ordination.
Symbolic books - they are officially denied by the Orthodox Church, however, in pre-revolutionary theology such works were “The Orthodox Confession of the Catholic and Apostolic Church of the East” and “The Message of the Patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Church on the Orthodox Faith.” Today they are not considered mandatory study precisely because of the Catholic influence.

Scholasticism – for a long time took place in Orthodox theology. It is essentially a European category, centered on the philosophy of Aristotle and Catholic theology. Today, the Orthodox Church has almost completely abandoned scholasticism.
Western rite - the emergence of Western rite Orthodox communities has become a serious challenge for the Eastern Church. Similar branches became widespread in Europe and North America, where the influence of Catholicism is strong. Within the Russian Orthodox Church there are several dozen parishes that use Western rites.

Do you know the difference between Orthodox and Catholics? Tell us about it in

On the religion of law and the religion of deification - Hierodeacon John (Kurmoyarov).

Today for quite large quantity For people interested in the history of the Christian Church, the schism of 1054 between Rome and Constantinople is most often presented as a kind of misunderstanding that arose due to certain foreign policy circumstances and therefore has nothing to do with serious disagreements of a religious and ideological nature.

Alas, we must clearly state the fact that such an opinion is erroneous and does not correspond to reality. The schism of 1054 was the result of a deep divergence between the Christian East and West in understanding the very essence of Christian faith. Moreover, today we can say with confidence that Orthodoxy and Catholicism are fundamentally different religious worldviews. It is precisely the essential difference between these two worldviews that we want to talk about in this article (1).

Catholicism: the religion of right

Western Christianity, unlike Eastern Christianity, throughout its history has thought more in legal and moral categories than in ontological ones.

Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) in the book “Orthodox Doctrine of Salvation” wrote about this: “Christianity from its very first historical steps collided with Rome and had to reckon with the Roman spirit and the Roman way or way of thinking, but ancient Rome, in fairness, is considered the bearer and exponent of law. Law (jus) was the main element in which all his concepts and ideas revolved: jus was the basis of his personal life, it also determined all his family, social and state relations. Religion was no exception - it was also one of the applications of law. Becoming a Christian, the Roman tried to understand Christianity precisely from this side - he sought in it, first of all, legal consistency... This is how the legal theory began, which consists in the fact that the aforementioned analogy of work and reward is recognized (consciously or unconsciously, openly or under the line) is a true expression of the very essence of salvation and therefore is placed as the main principle of the theological system and religious life, while the teaching of the Church on the identity of virtue and beatitude is left without attention.

Of course, this method of external understanding of salvation at first could not be dangerous for the Church: all its inaccuracies were abundantly covered by the faith and fiery zeal of Christians; even more. The opportunity to explain Christianity from a legal point of view was in some respects useful for him: it gave faith a kind of scientific form, as if it affirmed it. But this was during the heyday of church life. It became different later, when the worldly spirit penetrated the Church, when many Christians began to think not about how they could more perfectly fulfill the will of God, but, on the contrary, about how to fulfill this will more conveniently, with less loss for this world. Then the possibility of legal formulation of the doctrine of salvation revealed its disastrous consequences. It is not difficult to see what can happen if a person (who, we note, has already lost the fervor of his first zeal for Christ and now hesitates with difficulty between love for God and selfishness) views his relationship with God from a legal point of view.

The main danger of this point of view is that with it a person may consider himself as if he has the right not to belong to God with all his heart and mind: in a legal union such closeness is not assumed and is not required; there it is necessary to observe only the external conditions of the union. A person may not love goodness, he may remain the same self-lover, he must only fulfill the commandments in order to receive a reward. This is most conducive to that mercenary, slavish mood, which does good only for the sake of reward, without inner attraction and respect for it. True, this state of forced good deeds must be experienced by every ascetic of virtue more than once in his earthly life, but this state should never be elevated to a rule, it is only a preliminary stage, and the goal of moral development is perfect, voluntary good deeds. The legal point of view is sinful in that it sanctifies this preliminary, preparatory state as complete and perfect.

In a legal union, a person stands before the face of God not at all in the position of an unrequited sinner who owes everything to Him: he is inclined to imagine himself more or less independent, he expects to receive the promised reward not by the grace of God, but as due for his labors” (2).

Thus, the external affairs of a person acquired in Western Christianity “their own special” self-sufficient value - a price, the payment of which was quite enough for personal salvation and justification before God.

As a result, the doctrine of God the Creator appeared as a passionate, anthropomorphic being, a Fair Judge, rewarding man with good for good and punishment for evil deeds! In the tenets of this teaching (strongly reminiscent of the pagan theory about the nature of the divine), God appears before us as a kind of “autocrat, khan, king,” constantly keeping his subjects in fear and demanding from them the strict fulfillment of his commandments and instructions.

It was Western jurisprudence, automatically transferred to the theological sphere, that caused the emergence in the Catholic Church of such phenomena as: papal primacy, the doctrine of the supererogatory merits of saints, the legal concept of atonement, the doctrine of the “two swords,” etc.

For the same reason, the very understanding of the meaning of spiritual life has been distorted in Western Christianity. The true understanding of the doctrine of salvation was lost - they began to see salvation in the satisfaction of the desires of the Almighty God (and desires of an exclusively judicial-legal nature), they began to believe that strict compliance established rules, regular participation in rituals, buying indulgences and performing various kinds of good deeds give a person a certain “guarantee” of achieving eternal bliss!

Orthodoxy: religion of deification

In fact, at its core, Christianity is not a set of rules or rituals, it is not a philosophical or moral teaching (although philosophical and ethical components, of course, are present).

Christianity is, first of all, life in Christ! Precisely because: “In the Byzantine tradition, no serious attempt was ever made to develop a system of Christian ethics, and the Church itself was never considered the source of normative, private rules of Christian behavior. Of course, church authority was often accepted as decisive in resolving certain specific issues of dispute, and then these decisions subsequently became the guiding criteria for later similar cases. But, nevertheless, the main trend shaping Byzantine spirituality was the call for perfection and holiness, and not a system of ethical rules” (3).

What is “life in Christ”? How to understand this phrase? And how can we combine life in Christ with our everyday sinful life? Most of the philosophical and religious systems existing in the world base their teaching on the assumption that man is capable of endless spiritual and moral improvement.

In contrast to such “optimistic” (and at the same time naive) ideas about the meaning and purpose of human existence, Christianity claims that man (in his current state) is an abnormal, damaged, deeply sick being. And this position is not just a theoretical premise, but a banal reality that reveals itself to any person who finds the courage to impartially look at the state of the surrounding society and, first of all, at himself.

Human Purpose

Of course, initially God created man differently: “St. John of Damascus sees the deepest mystery in the fact that man was created “deified,” gravitating towards union with God. The perfection of primordial nature was expressed primarily in this ability to commune with God, to cleave more and more to the fullness of the Divine, which was supposed to permeate and transform all created nature. Saint Gregory the Theologian meant precisely this highest ability of the human spirit when he spoke of God blowing into man along with His breath “a particle of His Divinity” - grace that was present in the soul from the very beginning, giving it the ability to perceive and assimilate this energy that adores it. For human personality was called, according to the teachings of Saint Maximus the Confessor, “to unite through love the created nature with the uncreated nature, being in unity and identity the acquisition of grace” (4).

However, seeing himself in glory, seeing himself as a cognizer, seeing himself filled with all perfections, man accepted the idea that he possesses Divine knowledge and that he no longer needs the Lord. This thought excluded man from the realm of Divine presence! As a result, man’s being was perverted: his life was filled with suffering, physically he became mortal, and mentally he subordinated his will to base passions and vices, eventually falling to an unnatural, bestial state.

It should be noted: in contrast to Western theology, whose tradition is dominated by the idea of the Fall as a legal act (a crime against the commandment not to eat the fruit), in the Eastern tradition, man’s original sin has always been considered, first of all, as a corruption of nature, and not as “ sin”, of which “all people are guilty” (the Sixth Ecumenical Council, 102nd rule, defines “sin” as “a disease of the soul”).

Sacrifice of Christ

God could not remain completely indifferent to the tragedy of man. Being by His nature Absolute Good and Absolute Love, He comes to the aid of His dying creation and sacrifices Himself for the salvation of the human race, for true love is always sacrificial love! Not daring to violate a person’s free will, to forcibly lead him to happiness and goodness, and taking into account the fact that there may be people who consciously reject the possibility of salvation, God incarnates in our world! The Second Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity (God the Word) unites with our (human) nature and, through suffering and death on the Cross, heals it (human nature) in Himself. It is the victory of Christ over death and the re-creation of the new man in Christ that Christians celebrate on the day of Holy Easter!

Having accepted the damage of man, becoming a man himself, the Son of God, through the cross and suffering, restored the nature of man in himself and thereby saved humanity from the fatalism of death as a consequence of disunity with God. The Orthodox Church, in contrast to the Catholic Church, which emphasizes the purely legal nature of the atoning sacrifice, unanimously teaches that the Son of God goes to suffer only out of His incomprehensible and sacrificial love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

But the incarnation of Christ is not only a victory over death, it is a cosmic event, since the restoration of man in Christ means the return of its pristine beauty to the cosmos. And indeed: “...Only the atoning death of Christ could make this final restoration possible. The death of Christ is truly salvific and life-giving precisely because it means the death of the Son of God in the flesh (that is, in hypostatic unity)... As the Bishop of Alexandria Athanasius showed during his polemic against Arianism, God alone is able to defeat death, because He “the only one who has immortality” (1 Tim. 6:16)... The Resurrection of Christ means precisely that death ceased to exist as an element regulating the existence of man, and that thanks to this man was freed from slavery to sin” (5).

Church of Christ

Only for the sake of salvation, healing and rebirth of man (and through it the transformation of the entire created world) God founded the Church on earth, in which through the Sacraments the believing soul is communed with Christ. Having endured suffering on the Cross, conquered death and restored human nature in Himself, Christ on the day of Pentecost, on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, creates the Church on earth (which is the Body of Christ): “And He put all things under His feet, and set Him above everything, the head of the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22).

In this regard, it should be noted that the understanding of the Church as a society of people united only by faith in Jesus Christ as the Divine Messiah is completely incorrect. Both the Christian family and the Christian state are also societies of people who have Divine origin, but neither the family nor the state is the Church. Moreover, from the definition of the Church as a “society of believers” it is impossible to deduce its basic properties: unity, holiness, conciliarity and apostolate.

So what is the Church? Why is the Church most often compared to the Body of Christ in the Bible? YES BECAUSE THE BODY INVOLVES UNITY! INDIVIDUAL UNITY! That is, UNITY AS A LIVING CONNECTION: “That they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John. 17:21).

Church, like human body(where many organs function, the work of which is coordinated by a central nervous system), consists of many members who have a single Head - the Lord Jesus Christ, without Whom it is impossible to allow the existence of the Church for a single moment. Orthodoxy views the Church of Christ as the environment necessary for the union of man with God: “There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all” (Eph. 4:4-6).

It is thanks to the Church that we no longer risk irretrievably losing communion with God, for we are enclosed in one Body, in which the Blood of Christ circulates (i.e., the sacrament), cleansing us from all sin and all filth: “And taking the cup and giving thanks, gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27).

It is about the unity of all members of the Church in Christ, about the union of love bestowed in the Sacrament of Communion, that is spoken of in all the Eucharistic prayers of the Orthodox Church. For the Church is, first of all, a gathering around the Eucharistic meal. In other words, the Church is a people who gathers in a certain place and at a certain time in order to become the Body of Christ.

That is why the Church is created not by teaching and command, but from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Ap speaks about this. Paul: “Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, on in which you are settling into a home God's Spirit"(Eph. 2:19).

Figuratively, the process of human salvation in the Church can be described as follows: people (like living cells) join healthy body- The Body of Christ - and receive healing in Him, because they become one in nature with Christ. In this sense, the Church is not just a means of individual sanctification of a person. In Christ, a person gains real fullness of life, and therefore full communication with other people; Moreover, for the Church it is immaterial whether a person lives on earth or has already passed into another world, for in the Church there is no death, and those who accepted Christ here, in this life, can become members of the Body of Christ and thereby enter the Kingdom of the Future Age, for: “The Kingdom of God there is within you” (Luke 17:21). The Church is both the Body of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit, “filling all in all”: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all” (Eph. 4:4-6).

Thus, from Christocentricity (i.e. from the concept of the Church as the Body of Christ) and synergy (co-creation of God and man in the matter of salvation) the need for the moral work of everyone follows individual person for achievement main goal life - DEIFICATION, which can only be achieved through union with Christ in His Body, in the Church!

That is why for Eastern theology, in principle, it is impossible to view salvation from a “legal” point of view: as an expectation of either a reward for virtues or eternal punishment for sins. According to the Gospel teaching, in future life What awaits us is not just reward or punishment, but God himself! And union with Him will be the highest reward for the believer, and rejection from Him will be the highest punishment that is possible.

Unlike the Western understanding of salvation, in Orthodoxy the doctrine of salvation is understood as life in God and with God, for the completeness and constancy of which a Christian must constantly change himself in the image of the God-man Christ: “This is the meaning of sacramental life and the foundation of Christian spirituality. A Christian is by no means called upon to copy Christ, which would be only an external, moral feat... Pr. Maximus the Confessor presents deification as the communion of “the whole man” with “the whole God,” for in deification man achieves the highest goal for which he was created” (6).

Links:
1) Unfortunately, the format of the article does not allow for a detailed analysis of the doctrine of the Catholic Church, all of its distinctive features: papal primacy, filioque, Catholic Mariology, Catholic mysticism, doctrines of original sin, legal doctrine of atonement, etc.
2) Metropolitan Sergius (Starogorodsky). Orthodox teaching on salvation. Part 1. Origin of legal life understanding. Catholicism: http://pravbeseda.org/library/books/strag1_3.html
3) Meyendorff John, Archpriest. Byzantine theology. Historical trends and doctrinal themes. Chapter “The Holy Spirit and Human Freedom.” Minsk: Rays of Sofia, 2001. P. 251.
4) Lossky V.N. Vision of God. Essays on the mystical theology of the Eastern Church. M.: Publishing house "AST", 2003. P. 208.
5) Meyendorff John, Archpriest. Byzantine theology. Historical trends and doctrinal themes. Chapter "Redemption and Deification". Minsk: Rays of Sofia, 2001. pp. 231–233.
6) Meyendorff John, Archpriest. Byzantine theology. Historical trends and doctrinal themes. Chapter "Redemption and Deification". Minsk: Rays of Sofia, 2001. pp. 234–235.

The Orthodox and Catholic Church, as we know, are two branches of the same tree. Both of them revere Jesus, wear crosses around their necks and make the sign of the cross. How are they different?

The final division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism occurred in 1054. However, both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches consider themselves only “one holy, catholic (conciliar) and apostolic Church.”

First of all, Catholics are also Christians. Christianity is divided into three main directions: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. But there is no single Protestant Church (there are several thousand Protestant denominations in the world), and the Orthodox Church includes several Churches independent of each other.

Besides the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there is the Georgian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Church, etc.

The Orthodox Churches are governed by patriarchs...

On July 16, 1054, in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, official representatives of the Pope announced the deposition of Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. Since then, there have been churches that we today call Catholic and Orthodox.

Let's define the concepts

Three main directions in Christianity - Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. There is no single Protestant church, since there are many hundreds of Protestant churches (denominations) in the world. Orthodoxy and Catholicism are churches with a hierarchical structure, with their own doctrine, worship, their own internal legislation and their own religious and cultural traditions inherent in each of them.

Catholicism is an integral church, all its constituent parts and all members of which are subordinate to the Pope as their head. The Orthodox Church is not so monolithic. On this moment it consists of 15 independent, but mutually recognizing each other...

Orthodoxy is one of the main directions of Christianity. Orthodoxy is believed to have emerged in 33 AD. among the Greeks living in Jerusalem. Its founder was Jesus Christ. Of all Christian movements, Orthodoxy has preserved to the greatest extent the features and traditions of early Christianity. Orthodox believe in one God, appearing in three hypostases - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

According to Orthodox teaching, Jesus Christ has a dual nature: Divine and Human. He was born (not created) by God the Father before the creation of the world. In His earthly life He was born as a result immaculate conception Virgin Mary from the Holy Spirit. Orthodox believe in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. For the sake of saving people, He came to Earth and accepted martyrdom on the cross. They believe in His resurrection and ascension into heaven and await His second coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. The Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father. Joining the Church, one, holy, catholic and...

The struggle between Catholicism and Orthodoxy Dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism Canonical differences between Catholics and Orthodox The mutual influence of religions on each other

Christianity is the most widespread religion in the world, with a huge number of followers. Meanwhile, not all adherents of Christianity find a common language with each other. Over the centuries, certain traditions of Christianity were formed, which varied depending on geography. Today there are three main directions of Christianity, which, in turn, have separate branches. Orthodoxy has taken hold in the Slavic states, however, the largest branch of Christianity is Catholicism. Protestantism can be called an anti-Catholic branch.

The struggle between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

In fact, Catholicism is the original and most ancient form of Christianity. The politicization of church power and the emergence of heretical movements led to a split in the Church...

Before 1054 Christian church was one and indivisible. The schism occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cyroularius. The conflict began due to the closing of several Latin churches by the latter in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Kirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965, the mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not yet been overcome. Christianity is divided into three main directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Eastern Church

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some differences in teaching, performance of sacraments, etc. We'll talk about which ones a little later. First, let's make a short overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, called the orthodox religion in the West, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5 thousand people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some CIS countries and Eastern Europe.

The baptism of Rus' took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Vasily II, Anna. But for this he needed to convert to Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was extremely necessary to strengthen the authority of Rus'. Late summer 988 great amount Kyivans were baptized in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the schism in 1054, a separate denomination arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her “Catholicos”. Translated from Greek it means “universal”. The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some dogmas of Christianity, but also in the history of development itself. The Western confession, compared to the Eastern one, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the Crusades, which brought a lot of grief to the common population. The first of them was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades there was the liberation of the “holy land” of Palestine and the “Holy Sepulcher” from the infidels. The actual one is the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - a church court for apostates from the faith. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, during the existence of the Inquisition, more than 500 thousand people were tortured.

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be discussed briefly in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, in relation to the Church towards the population in general outline its traditions and basic concept can be understood. The Western confession has always been considered more dynamic, but also aggressive, in contrast to the “calm” Orthodox one.

Currently, Catholicism is state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.

Protestantism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism also lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the 14th century. a split occurred. This was connected with the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion for citizens. In 1529, however, it was abolished. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word “Protestantism” comes from. This Christian movement is further divided into two branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is widespread mainly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In 1948, the World Council of Churches was created. Total Protestants number about 470 million people. There are several denominations of this Christian movement: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches pursues an active peacemaking policy. Representatives of this religion advocate easing international tension, support the efforts of states to defend peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, over the centuries of schism, significant differences have arisen in the traditions of the churches. They did not touch upon the basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and Son of God. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testament There are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rituals and sacraments do not agree.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

	Orthodoxy		Catholicism	Protestantism
Control	Patriarch, Cathedral			World Council of Churches, councils of bishops
Organization	Bishops depend little on the Patriarch and are mainly subordinate to the Council		There is a rigid hierarchy with subordination to the Pope, hence the name “Universal Church”	There are many denominations that have created the World Council of Churches. Sacred Scripture is placed above the authority of the Pope
Holy Spirit	It is believed that it comes only from the Father		There is a dogma that the Holy Spirit comes from both the Father and the Son. This is the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism.
	The statement is accepted that man himself is responsible for his sins, and God the Father is a completely impassive and abstract being		It is believed that God suffers because of human sins
Dogma of Salvation	The Crucifixion atoned for all the sins of mankind. Only the firstborn remained. That is, when a person commits a new sin, he again becomes the object of God’s wrath		The person was, as it were, “ransomed” by Christ through the crucifixion. As a result, God the Father changed his anger to mercy regarding original sin. That is, a person is holy by the holiness of Christ himself
	Sometimes allowed		Prohibited	Allowed, but frowned upon
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary	It is believed that the Mother of God is not free from original sin, but her holiness is recognized		The complete sinlessness of the Virgin Mary is preached. Catholics believe that she was conceived immaculately, like Christ himself. In relation to the original sin of the Mother of God, therefore, there are also quite significant differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism
Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven	It is unofficially believed that this event may have taken place, but it is not enshrined in dogma		Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven physical body refers to dogmas	The cult of the Virgin Mary is denied
	Only liturgy is held		Both a mass and a Byzantine liturgy similar to the Orthodox can be celebrated	The mass was rejected. Divine services are held in modest churches or even in stadiums, concert halls, etc. Only two rites are practiced: baptism and communion
Clergy marriage	Allowed		Allowed only in the Byzantine rite	Allowed
Ecumenical Councils	The decisions of the first seven		Guided by 21 decisions (the last one passed in 1962-1965)	Recognize the decisions of all Ecumenical Councils if they do not contradict each other and the Holy Scriptures
	Eight-pointed with crossbars at the bottom and top		A simple four-pointed Latin cross is used	Not used in religious services. Not worn by representatives of all faiths
	Used in large quantities and equated to Holy Scripture. Created in strict accordance with church canons		They are considered only decoration of the temple. They are ordinary paintings on a religious theme	Not used
Old Testament	Both Hebrew and Greek are recognized		Greek only	Only Jewish canonical
Absolution	The ritual is performed by a priest			Not allowed
Science and religion	Based on the statements of scientists, dogmas never change	Dogmas can be adjusted in accordance with the point of view of official science

Christian cross: differences

Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not very significant, but still discrepancies. They arose a long time ago, and, apparently, none of the churches can resolve these contradictions special wish does not express.

There are also differences in the attributes of different directions of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight points. The Orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifix most accurately conveys the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal crossbar, it contains two more. The top one represents a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower oblique crossbar - a support for Christ's feet - symbolizes the “righteous standard”.

Table of differences between crosses

The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the topic “the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.” The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.

As you can see, with regard to the cross there is also a very noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore practically do not use it.

Icons in different Christian directions

So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) with regard to attributes is quite noticeable. There are even greater differences in these directions in icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

Below are the main differences.

The main difference Orthodox icon from the Catholic is that it is written in strict accordance with the canons established in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Typically, such paintings have a very broad subject and were painted by ordinary, non-church artists.

Protestants consider icons to be a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.

Monasticism

With regard to leaving worldly life and devoting oneself to serving God, there is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. comparison table, presented above, shows only the main discrepancies. But there are other differences, also quite noticeable.

For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and subordinate only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. The monasteries are united into so-called Orders, each of which has its own head and its own charter. These associations may be scattered throughout the world, but nevertheless they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, unlike Orthodox and Catholics, completely reject monasticism. One of the inspirers of this teaching, Luther, even married a nun.

Church Sacraments

There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. Both of these Churches have 7 sacraments. The difference lies primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rituals. Catholics believe that the sacraments are valid whether a person is in tune with them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, confirmation, etc. will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rituals with some kind of pagan magical ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Representatives of this trend consider everything else superficial and reject it.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. The only differences are in the methods of performing the ritual.

In Catholicism, it is customary for infants to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. IN Lately There has been some departure from this rule. However, now the Russian Orthodox Church is again returning in this rite to the ancient traditions established by Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (crosses worn on the body, like large ones, may contain the image of an “orthodox” or “Western” Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament is therefore not very significant, but it still exists.

Protestants usually perform baptism with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is carried out exclusively for adults.

Differences in the Sacrament of the Eucharist

We have examined the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This refers to the descent of the Holy Spirit and the virginity of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant differences have emerged over centuries of schism. Of course, they also exist in the celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests administer communion only with unleavened bread. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.

In Protestantism, not only members of the Church, but also anyone who wishes, are allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this direction of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Modern relations of the Churches

The split in Christianity occurred almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, churches of different directions failed to agree on unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, attributes and rituals, as you can see, have persisted to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

The relations between the two main faiths, Orthodox and Catholic, are also quite ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tension remained between these two churches. The key concept in the relationship was the word “heresy.”

Recently this situation has changed a little. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the orthodox Sacraments as valid.

Orthodox priests did not officially establish a similar attitude towards Catholicism. But the completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian directions still remains. For example, our Russian theologian A.I. Osipov does not have a very good attitude towards Catholicism.

In his opinion, there is a more than worthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov counts many saints Western Church almost crazy. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete subjugation. However, he also repeatedly mentioned that there are wonderful people among Western Christians.

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these faiths. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore Immortal life inevitable for the righteous.