Tuesday, July 16, 2024

It is the 16th of July 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

How many “varieties” of Christianity are there? Perhaps we could ask, “How many denominations?” (to use a Protestant-friendly term).

At most? We are in the millions—maybe more? Counting differences in language and worship style… but, to be as generous as possible, what is the smallest number of slices we can make to the pie and still be historically honest?

I will suggest 4. The first group out are the Oriental Orthodox- the Ethiopian, Coptic (that means Egyptian), Armenian, etc., churches that split with the council of Chalcedon in 451. They hold to 3 councils and resemble Eastern Orthodox to the West but date their division back to the controversies over the number of “natures” in Christ- holding to 1 instead of 2. If you call them “monophysites” they might punch you.

We then have the schisms of 1054 and 1517 to round out the party with 4 major branches of the church (and I can hear the emails of Protestants protesting being lumped together with other protesters…we’re a funny bunch).

Today, we head back to 1054 to that GREAT schism between East and West. It’s complicated, but we are here to smooth out and simplify.

By the 11th century, only 2 of the 5 major patriarchates (centers of the faith) were left. Constantinople in the East and Rome in the West. There had been considerable variations in practice and belief between the churches but they didn’t come to the forefront until those pesky Norman invasions of the 11th century started making new, uncomfortable neighbors.

As differences in practice came to light, both patriarchs (the 2 ‘popes’ as it were) wrote to each other demanding change. When neither would budge, the Pope sent a cardinal to Constantinople where on this, the 16th of July in 1054, he strode into the Hagia Sophia in the middle of a service being held by Michael, the Eastern Patriarch, and delivered a notice of excommunication on the altar.

Patriarch Michael responded to Pope Leo with an excommunication, and the churches have been divided ever since—ostensibly over a few differences that were acceptably diverse until issues of authority caused one of the three great schisms in the church.  

With the Muslim incursions into the West in the 13th century, things could have worked out differently. The Eastern Patriarch called on the Western Pope for help, and this became the first of the many bumbling crusades. But by the 4th “Crusade,” Western troops were taking Constantinople and fighting fellow Christians.  

The Councils of Lyon in 1274 and the Council of Florence in 1439 sought to unite the churches but were unable.  

While spiritual (and earlier temporal) authority was at the heart of the schism, the theological debate was over the place of innovation, with the East charging the West with changing doctrines regarding the Holy Spirit- the West added to the Nicene Creed later on that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father AND the Son- it’s good theologically but changing creeds without proper consultation can lead to problems.

The two churches would continue to develop their distinctive theology- to oversimplify the East held to a mystical orientation whereby union with Christ, the victor over death and the devil, we are brought up into a mysterious union with God. The West (Roman and later Protestant) would generally emphasize the legal and penal aspects of the faith- humanity “in the dock” with Christ fulfilling the legal penalty for sin- both corporate from Adam and Eve and personally.

That is a big simplification- but I don’t think it’s unhelpful.

Over the years there has been considerable dialog between the two church bodies but almost 1,000 years (officially, and even more unofficially) of differences in language and culture and worship and terminology… and most importantly perhaps- in authority and thus reunification overtures seem to be at most, gestures of goodwill.

Could the 4 major divisions ever become 3, or 2, or… 1- before the second coming? That seems to be the gist of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden for unity.

Today, we remember a momentous ex-communication- of the entire Eastern church on behalf of the Western Pope, precipitating the Great Schism, which dates from this day in 1054.

 

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary and Psalm 142- from David when hiding in a cave:

I cry aloud to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.

I pour out before him my complaint;

    before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me,

    it is you who watch over my way.


In the path where I walk

    people have hidden a snare for me.

Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;

    no one is concerned for me.


I have no refuge;

    no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;

    I say, “You are my refuge,

    my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry,

    for I am in desperate need;


rescue me from those who pursue me,

    for they are too strong for me.

Set me free from my prison,

    that I may praise your name.


Then the righteous will gather about me

    because of your goodness to me.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 16th of July 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who has more children than there are Ecumenical Councils… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who reminds you that Die Hard was released on THIS day in 1988- it’s a summer blockbuster, not a Christmas movie. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.