which of the following was a political cause of the east-west schism
The political cause of the East-West Schism was the dispute over the authority of the Bishop of Rome (Pope) and the Patriarch of Constantinople. The Roman Pope claimed supremacy over all other bishops, while the Patriarch of Constantinople asserted the equality of all five major patriarchates (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem). This power struggle between the two led to the final split in 1054, resulting in the formation of the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East.
The east-west schism, also known as the Great Schism, refers to the split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in 1054. Several factors contributed to this schism, including political causes. One of the main political causes of the east-west schism was the growing differences in church governance and authority between the Eastern and Western Christian churches.
In the East, the Roman Empire had split into two parts: the Western Roman Empire, whose capital was Rome and the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, with its capital in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). As the Roman Empire declined and eventually fell in the West, the Eastern Roman Empire continued to thrive and developed its own distinct cultural, political, and religious traditions.
Over time, the Eastern Church, centered in Constantinople, began to assert its own authority and independence from the authority of the Roman Pope in Rome. The Eastern Church operated as a more decentralized and autonomous body, with the Patriarch of Constantinople being the most influential figure. This led to tensions and conflicts between the Eastern and Western Christian churches over issues of jurisdiction and supremacy.
Additionally, political events such as the Iconoclasm controversy in the 8th and 9th centuries, which involved debates over the use of religious icons, and the rise of feudalism in Western Europe further contributed to the growing differences between the Eastern and Western churches.
Thus, one of the political causes of the east-west schism was the diverging governance and authority structures within the Eastern and Western churches, which eventually led to a break in communion and the formation of separate branches of Christianity.
The East-West Schism, also known as the Great Schism, refers to the split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church that occurred in the 11th century. While there were multiple factors that contributed to this division, one of the political causes was the conflict over authority between the Pope in Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople.
To understand this political cause in more detail, it is helpful to explore the historical context. During the early medieval period, the Roman Empire had split into two parts: the Western Roman Empire centered in Rome, and the Eastern Roman Empire centered in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). The Byzantine Empire, which was the continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, had a different political structure and a distinct cultural identity from the Western Roman Empire.
Over time, disagreements began to emerge between the Pope, who was the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The primary political cause of the East-West Schism was the ongoing struggle for authority and supremacy between these two influential leaders.
One major point of contention was the primacy of the Pope. The Pope believed he held authority over the entire Christian Church, including the Eastern Orthodox Church. However, the Patriarch of Constantinople argued for the equality of all five patriarchates (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem), rejecting the Pope's claim of primacy.
Another political factor was the increasing influence of secular rulers in the appointment of Church officials. In the West, political leaders often had a significant role in selecting bishops and other high-ranking clergy, which the Eastern Orthodox Church strongly opposed. The Eastern Church insisted on the principle of "symphony," which emphasized the independence of the Church from secular power.
As tensions between the Pope and the Patriarch grew, additional theological and cultural differences added fuel to the fire, eventually leading to the official schism in 1054. This division had far-reaching consequences, impacting both religious and political developments in Europe and the Byzantine Empire.
In summary, one of the political causes of the East-West Schism was the conflict between the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople over authority and supremacy in the Christian Church, along with disagreements concerning the role of secular rulers in Church affairs.