Great Schism

The phrase The Great Schism is used to mean two different things Catholic and Orthodox Churches Schism & First Western Schism:

Catholic and Orthodox Churches Great Schism

The East-West Schism of 1054 was the separation of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Western ("Roman Catholic") branches of the Christian Church. Which basically created two churches. The "First Among Equals" title was lost by the Roman Pope and given to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople who is the leader of most of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches since 1054. Publicly the dispute centered on the Apostles' Creed which was updated into two versions(Eastern vs Western) of the Nicene Creed ; the RC Church starting in the 1960s to often use the undisputed Apostles' Creed again. Most Orthodox churches also support the rule that bishops acting together can order a superior bishop/patriarch/pope to retire as form of discipline; this rule was dropped by the Roman Catholic Church.
Over two-thirds of Christians sided with the Pope in 1054. The larger Roman Catholic has had major Schisms since then see Western Schisms below. However, the smaller Orthodox Churches since each one is Autocephalous (autonomous) never a major Schism and are still united under the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, in 1965, lifted the mutual excommunications that had been imposed during the Great Schism of 1054, marking a significant step towards reconciliation. However, this act did not restore full communion between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In Nov 2025 Pope Leo XIV joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I met at the site in modern-day Turkey where their predecessors met 17 centuries earlier to affirm and codify the core tenets of the Christian faith.

Western Schisms

• The first Western Schism of (1378-1417) was an argument within the Roman Catholic Church provoked by the French bishops resulting in French cardinals electing an "antipope" (Clement VII of Avignon, France) in order to dispute the authority of the recently elected Pope Urban VI, even though he had been lawfully elected by the majority of the cardinals in the electoral conclave. In 1409, a third antipope (John XXIII) existed in Pisa, Italy.
  
• The three Popes and other controversies set the stage for the Protestant Reformation started by Martin Luther over selling indulgences, in 1517. It also was one of the reasons used for King Henry VIII in 1536 having Parliament name him head of the Church in England replacing the Pope a title still held by British kings see Anglicanism.
  
• In 1870, the Old Catholic Church originated over a dispute with the First Vatican Council, and created Union of Utrecht.
• In 1970, the Society of St. Pius X spilt over a dispute with the Second Vatican Council , over ending Latin mass and other issues.
• In 2003, the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht which has been moving in an increasingly liberal direction was split in two with the larger half of Traditional Old Catholic Churches forming the the Union of Scranton.

See Romans 13:1-5, Hebrews 13:17 and Mark 12:17

Protestant Schisms

In the early 21st century, allowing Gay pastors, and Blessing Gay marriages has caused several Protestant Schisms in the Anglicanism, Lutheranism, Methodism, and Presbyterian denominations.

• The majority of Lutheran members and some churches in North American left the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and have joined the traditional North American Lutheran Church that was created in 2010.
• The vast majority of Methodist churches and members in North American left the United Methodist Church and joined the traditional Global Methodist Church that was created in 2022.
• The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been declining with members joining the more traditional Presbyterian Church in America and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and other faiths.
• Anglicanism has been dividing into liberal and traditional parts, since the 1970s.
• Some Orthodox Churches are gaining members as a result of the Protestant schisms.

Chalcedonian Schism

In 451 AD the Tewahedo Coptic Church was formed when the Council of Chalcedon created a dispute over the nature of Christ the Coptics' believe in Monophysitism. The Catholic Christian Church(as the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches were known prior to 1054AD) believe in the divino-human, humano-divine nature of Christ. The Council declared the Coptics' heretics and appointed another patriarch of Alexandria. The Coptic patriarch of Alexandria then became know as the Coptic Pope and patriarch of Alexandria, head of the Coptic/Ethiopian churches. There are two patriarchs of Alexandria to this day after 1054AD the Council's patriarch is Eastern Orthodox . See also Council of Chalcedon and Ethiopian Orthodox Church Bible Canon .

No Schism with Indian Church

The Malankara Orthodox Church in India, NEVER has had a Schism with any of the other churches it was just separated by distance, so was always run as an Autocephalous church under the Catholicos of the Apostolic throne of St. Thomas. For most of the last 2000 years it took about a year to reach Europe from India. Only in the 20th century did travel times shorten.

See Also

• Christianity

• American Christianity
• Canadian Christianity
• Biblical Canon
• Ethiopian Orthodox church
• Coptic_Church
• Global Christianity
• Christianity by continent
• Future of Christianity
• Christianity in Africa
• Christianity in Asia
• Christianity in Australia, Oceania, New Zealand
• Christianity in Europe
• Christianity in North America, Caribbean
• Christianity in South America, Central America
• Christianity in South America