SCHISM

SCHISM

Schism is defined as “division of a group into opposing factions”. In the Judaeo-Christian setting, the main schism point of the Judaism and Christianity can be identified at time after the crucifixion where the New Testament states that the High Priest and the other Elders bribed the Roman soldiers who saw the resurrected Christ to state that Jesus Christ was still dead. Though the bribery of the High Priest is not proven, the faith and belief of anyone in this issue effectively spells out his or her faith. However, I personally believe that the Jewish people are a race special to God which He wants to protect and conserve to the end of time. Therefore, I stand firmly to condemn every form of Anti-Semitism of any kind. Christianity has and will always be the best mechanism to transport Gentiles to God.

In the Christian Church, the Great Schism is a term that refers to both the break away of the Church into the East and the West in 1054 and also the break within the Western when three popes simultaneously claimed to be popes around 1400.

THE EASTERN AND WESTERN CHURCHES

This break came about because of the influx of Germanic practices to the Western Church and the sustained use of Hellenistic or Greek practices in the Eastern Church. This leaked into the political set ups of the East and the West. Although the Eastern Church recognised Rome as the capital of the Church and the power of the Roman Emperor, they despised the command of the Pope and the Roman Church. In the time of Pope Leo IX, the demands for subordination of the Eastern Church to the Roman Church were amplified.

In 1043, Patriarch Michael Cerularius became Patriarch in the Eastern Church at Constantinople. He began a bitter campaign against the Latin churches in the city and closed down all of them. His campaign was against the use of unleavened bread in the Latin churches and the filioque, a portion of the Nicene Creed that was changed to include the statement “I believe in the Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father and Son.” Patriarch Michael Cerularius had support of the Hellenistic church because the change in the Nicene Creed was made by the Pope and the Romans without consulting the Eastern Church and secondly because it reflected teachings of the Trinity which most of the members in the Eastern Church objected.

The Church in Rome sent a Cardinal to Constantinople. The Cardinal concluded that Patriarch Michael Cerularius was simply narrow minded so he was excommunicated from the Church. This act was interpreted by the Church in Constantinople as an excommunication of the whole church! Patriarch Michael Cerularius formed a Synod responded in kind by also excommunicating the Pope and the rest of the Roman Church from the Church. This mutual excommunication stayed in force from 1054 until it was abolished in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I.

THE WESTERN CHURCH

In 1378, a new pope was supposed to be elected one man who had so much charisma and love amongst the Roman people was elected because the masses threatened to riot if he was not selected. That man was finally selected. His name was Pope Urban VI. As Pope, Urban VI put up an erratic behaviour. In line with this, the Cardinals who elected him withdrew their support saying that he was chosen out of duress. They then selected a new Pope, Clement VII.

Pope Urban immediately excommunicated Clement VII as well as the Cardinals who elected Clement. Pope Urban began a new College of Cardinals of his own. Clement moved to Avignon in France and won the support of the French King. In no time, each king in Europe gave support to either of the two Popes.

Finally, the Council of Constance was formed between 1414 and 1418 and they demanded the resignation of both Popes. Eventually, Martin V was elected Pope and he ruled universally as the Pope of a unified church.

This Schism in the Western Church led to two things, first the Concillar Theory and ultimately, the Protestant Reformation. The Concillar Theory stated that in an issue where the Pope cannot act immediately, a council should sit and take a decision that would be binding on the whole church.

These two incidents set a great precedence for:

Dealing with perceived insubordination in the church
Succession of a successor.

The use of excommunication in the church must be undertaken carefully. These two cases were all as a result of the hasty excommunication. From these landmark cases it can be inferred that excommunication in matters that are not universally and conclusively illegal can lead to break ups of churches, no matter how big it might be. This calls for careful inquiries and exhaustive investigations of matters that occur within churches.

Sometimes beliefs that people bring up in church are divine and these beliefs must be allowed to exist side by side with the known doctrine of the church by careful monitoring and supervision of the people at the top. Power in the church tends to corrupt. Peter exhibited this very sign the very moment when Jesus declared that he will be the rock on which He will build His church. Peter in the following chapters began to exhibit his personal beliefs by standing against the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This abuse of power is common with many people when the get church position. This calls for close contact and regular monitoring of people who are put in charge of units in churches. However, because beliefs from subordinates are not always wrong, it is always prudent to question subordinates whenever they exhibit new traits and correct them when required.

Also, in case of succession, the problem mainly arises when the leader in charge has charisma and all it takes to do all the work. In that case, the followers follow without thinking of tomorrow. So in the absence of the leader confusion becomes rampant. It is therefore a good idea to put in place checks and balances for the future when the leader is not present.

Sources
Microsoft Encarta