Great Schism: The Bitter Rivalry Between Greek and Latin Christianity

Kings and Generals

6 Feb 202019:41

EducationalLearning

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TLDRThis video explores the historical divide between Eastern and Western Christianity during the high Middle Ages. It begins with the Roman Empire's division into Latin-speaking West and Greek-speaking East, leading to the rise of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The fall of the Western Roman Empire, the rise of the Byzantine Empire, and the cultural and religious tensions culminating in the Great Schism of 1054 are detailed. The narrative progresses through political and religious conflicts, including the Sack of Constantinople in 1204, which further deepened the rift. The video concludes by highlighting the enduring separation of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, reflecting on their distinct cultural, linguistic, and political identities.

Takeaways

🏰 The High Middle Ages saw a deep divide in Christian civilization between the Catholic West led by the Pope in Rome and the Orthodox East dominated by the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople.
🕊️ Early Christianity spread rapidly in the Roman Empire and became the dominant religion after Emperor Constantine the Great legalized it, leading to the establishment of important Christian centers in Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople.
🌍 The Western Roman Empire fell to Germanic tribes in 476 AD, who adopted Christianity and Latin, while the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) continued to thrive, considering itself the true heir of Rome.
🛡️ Emperor Justinian was successful in retaking much of the Western Roman Empire for the Byzantine Empire, but faced new threats from the Islamic Rashidun Caliphate in the 7th century.
⛪️ The Pope, as the Bishop of Rome, was considered the highest Christian authority, but the Byzantine Empire sought to maintain control over the Papacy for cultural and spiritual primacy.
🗝️ The Lombards' conquests in Italy and the subsequent Iconoclasm controversy weakened the Byzantine Empire's control over the Papacy, leading to a growing rift between East and West.
🤝 The Papacy sought help from the Franks, specifically King Pepin the Short, who defended Rome from the Lombards and gifted lands to the Papacy, establishing the Papal States.
👑 Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was crowned Emperor of Rome by Pope Leo III in 800 AD, creating a new Western Roman Empire and further dividing East and West.
🔗 Theological and cultural differences, such as the use of different bread in the Eucharist and the Filioque doctrine, widened the gap between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Churches.
💔 The mutual excommunication in 1054 by the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople marked the Great Schism, officially separating Eastern and Western Christianity.
🛑 The Sack of Constantinople in 1204 by the Latin Crusaders was a significant event that further damaged relations between the East and West, leading to a permanent split in Christianity.

Q & A

What were the two major divisions within the Christian civilization during the high middle ages?
-The two major divisions within the Christian civilization during the high middle ages were the Catholic West, led by the Pope in Rome, and the Orthodox East, dominated by the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople.
Why did Emperor Diocletian decide to split the Roman Empire into administrative halves?
-Emperor Diocletian decided to split the Roman Empire into administrative halves because the empire had become too big to rule effectively, and the Crisis of the Third Century had nearly caused it to collapse under its own weight.
How did the fall of the Western Roman Empire impact the Eastern Roman Empire?
-The fall of the Western Roman Empire led to the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, considering themselves the sole heirs of the Roman Empire. They saw it as their duty to retake the west from 'Barbarian hands' and attempted to maintain their cultural and religious influence over the west.
What was the significance of the Photian Controversy in the relationship between the Eastern and Western Churches?
-The Photian Controversy was significant because it highlighted the political interference in religious affairs between the Frankish and Greek Emperors, leading to further disharmony and weakening the illusion of unity between the Eastern and Western Churches.
Why did the Pope crown Charlemagne as Emperor of Rome, and what were the implications of this act?
-The Pope crowned Charlemagne as Emperor of Rome to gain a powerful protector against threats to his religious and temporal interests. This act infuriated Empress Irene of the East, as it challenged the sole legitimacy of the Eastern Emperors to style themselves as Roman Emperors, thus deepening the divide between the Eastern and Western halves of Christendom.
What was the role of the Lombards in the political dynamics between the Papacy and the Byzantine Empire?
-The Lombards, a Germanic tribe, conquered most of the Byzantine holdings in Italy, including Ravenna. This led to the Papacy turning away from the Byzantines for help and seeking protection from the Franks, which eventually resulted in the establishment of the Papal States.
What were the theological differences between the Eastern and Western Churches that contributed to the Great Schism of 1054?
-Theological differences included the use of unleavened bread versus yeast-risen bread in the Eucharist, and the addition of the Filioque clause in the Nicene Creed by the Western Church, which stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, a belief rejected by the Eastern Church.
How did the Normans' conquests in southern Italy lead to the escalation of tensions between the Eastern and Western Churches?
-The Normans, who were Latin Christians, conquered territories that were formerly Byzantine and practiced the Greek rites. The Pope's demand for these Churches to convert to the Latin rite or face closure angered the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, leading to reciprocal excommunications and the formal schism.
What was the impact of the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 on the relationship between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity?
-The Sack of Constantinople, where Latin Crusaders committed atrocities against the people of Constantinople, marked the culmination of deteriorating relations and effectively ended any hope of reconciliation between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity.
How did the common folk experience the schism between the Eastern and Western Churches?
-While the feuding of Popes, Patriarchs, and Emperors affected the political and religious landscape, the common folk were rarely affected by the ecclesiastical or political conflict and often lived peaceful lives, even in regions where different branches of Christianity coexisted.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 The Great Schism: Origins and Early Divisions

This paragraph outlines the historical context of the division within Christianity during the High Middle Ages. It describes the split between the Catholic West, led by the Pope in Rome, and the Orthodox East, dominated by the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople. The script also introduces a shoutout to the game atWar and provides a brief overview of its features. It then delves into the division of the Roman Empire by Emperor Diocletian, the rise of Christianity, and the establishment of key Christian centers in Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The fall of the Western Roman Empire and the survival of the Eastern Roman Empire, along with the cultural and religious shifts that followed, are also summarized. The paragraph concludes with the rise of Islam and its impact on the Mediterranean, leading to a polarization within Christendom.

05:02

👑 Papal Power Shifts and the Rise of the Franks

The second paragraph details the political and religious dynamics between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Papacy. It explains how the Byzantines retained control over Rome and the Pope, and how this control began to wane with the advent of Iconoclasm under Emperor Leo III. The narrative then shifts to the Lombard conquests and the Pope's turn to the Franks for protection, specifically King Pepin the Short. The paragraph highlights the significance of the Donation of Pepin, which led to the establishment of the Papal States and marked a pivotal moment in the history of Christianity. It concludes with the rise of Charlemagne, his military conquests, and the Pope's crowning of him as Emperor, which further deepened the rift between the Eastern and Western Churches.

10:02

👸 The Coronation of Charlemagne and the Schism

This paragraph focuses on the political maneuverings that led to Charlemagne's crowning as Emperor and the subsequent outrage from Empress Irene of the East. It discusses the Pope's justification for granting the title to Charlemagne and the failed marriage alliance between Irene and Charlemagne. The deposition of Irene and the rise of Nikephoros are also mentioned, leading to the existence of two Roman Emperors. The paragraph then describes the ongoing religious and political tensions, including the Photian Controversy and the growing differences in religious practices between the Latin and Greek rites. It culminates in the mutual excommunications of 1054, marking the official schism between Eastern and Western Christianity.

15:02

🕍 Aftermath of the Schism: Cultural and Political Developments

The final paragraph explores the aftermath of the schism, describing the cultural and political developments that further divided the Latin and Greek worlds. It mentions the Norman Kingdom of Sicily as an example of relative harmony between the two cultures. However, it also highlights the deteriorating relations between the Italian merchants and the Greeks in Constantinople, leading to a massacre in 1182. The narrative then moves to the Fourth Crusade and the Sack of Constantinople in 1204, which marked a significant downturn in relations between the two Christian branches. The paragraph concludes with a brief overview of the historical trajectory of the Byzantine and Catholic Churches, noting their enduring separation and the modern state of relations between them.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Christian Civilization

Christian Civilization refers to the cultural and social structures influenced by Christianity. In the context of the video, it highlights the division between the Catholic west and the Orthodox East, which were two major branches of Christianity during the Middle Ages. The video discusses how these branches drifted apart and became rivals, shaping the religious and political landscape of medieval Europe.

💡Pope

The Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church and is considered by Catholics to be the spiritual leader of the world's Catholics. In the script, the Pope in Rome is mentioned as having spiritual supremacy in the Catholic west, indicating his central role in the religious and ecclesiastical affairs of the Western Christian world.

💡Orthodox East

The Orthodox East refers to the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is one of the oldest Christian traditions and is characterized by its liturgical and theological practices. The script describes how the Orthodox East, led by the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople, was a dominant force in the Eastern part of the Christian world and how it diverged from the Catholic west.

💡Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire, also known posthumously as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces. The script discusses the Byzantine Empire's role as a hub of classical culture and education, and its efforts to retake the west from 'Barbarian hands', reflecting its significance in the narrative of the Christian world's division.

💡Iconoclasm

Iconoclasm was a religious movement within the Byzantine Empire that opposed the use of icons and images for religious veneration. The script mentions Emperor Leo III's introduction of Iconoclasm, which was a pivotal moment that contributed to the rift between the Eastern and Western Churches.

💡Papacy

The Papacy refers to the office and authority of the Pope. The script details the Papacy's historical development and its relationship with the Byzantine Empire and later with the Franks. The Papacy's shift from being under Byzantine influence to aligning with the Franks is a key element in the story of the Christian world's division.

💡Carolingian Dynasty

The Carolingian Dynasty was a Frankish royal dynasty that rose to power with Pepin the Short and his son Charlemagne. The script describes how the Carolingians played a crucial role in the history of Christianity by providing military support to the Papacy and eventually leading to the crowning of Charlemagne as Emperor, which further deepened the divide between the Eastern and Western Churches.

💡Schism

A schism refers to a division or split, especially in the context of religious denominations. The script recounts the Great Schism of 1054, when the Eastern and Western Churches excommunicated each other, leading to their formal separation. This event is central to the video's theme of the division of Christian civilization.

💡Ecumenical Patriarch

The Ecumenical Patriarch is the title given to the Archbishop of Constantinople and the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The script mentions the Ecumenical Patriarch's role in the events leading to the schism, particularly in the context of the excommunication and the closure of Latin Churches in Constantinople.

💡Crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The script refers to the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the Sack of Constantinople, a pivotal event that further damaged relations between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity and symbolizes the culmination of their deteriorating relationship.

💡Sack of Constantinople

The Sack of Constantinople refers to the brutal conquest and destruction of the city by the Latin Crusaders in 1204. The script describes this event as a significant turning point that extinguished any hopes of reconciliation between the Eastern and Western Churches, marking a permanent division in Christian civilization.

Highlights

Christian civilization was divided into the Catholic West and Orthodox East during the high middle ages.

atWar, a free online strategy game, is sponsored and featured in the video.

Emperor Diocletian split the Roman Empire into administrative halves based on cultural lines.

Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire by the 4th century.

The Western Roman Empire fell in 476, with Germanic tribes adopting Christianity and Latin.

The Eastern Roman Empire saw itself as the sole heir of the Roman Empire with a mission to retake the west.

Emperor Justinian was successful in retaking much of the former western Empire, including Italy.

The rise of Islam in the 7th century polarized Christendom, affecting major Christian centers like Antioch and Alexandria.

The Pope and the Holy Patriarch of Constantinople were the major authorities in the Christian world.

Emperor Leo III's Iconoclasm was opposed by the Pope, marking a turning point in the relationship between the Empire and the Church.

The Papacy sought help from the Franks against the Lombards, leading to the foundation of the Papal states.

Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III, challenging the sole right of Constantinople to the title.

The Photian Controversy in 863 highlighted the political interference in religious affairs between the Frankish and Greek Emperors.

Differences in Church rituals, such as the use of unleavened bread in the West and yeast-risen bread in the East, widened the rift.

Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida's excommunication of the Patriarch in 1054 marked the final schism between Eastern and Western Christianity.

The Sack of Constantinople in 1204 by Latin Crusaders was a culmination of deteriorating relations and ended hopes of reconciliation.

The Byzantine Empire was eventually conquered by the Ottomans, while the Catholic Church faced its own challenges in the West.

The Catholic and Orthodox churches remain distinct branches of Christianity with modern relations being cordial.

Transcripts

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