What Is the Difference Between Orthodox and Catholic Christianity?

Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians share much of the ancient Christian inheritance. Both confess the Holy Trinity, the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ, His Crucifixion and Resurrection, the importance of the Sacraments, the ministry of bishops and priests, the honor given to the Virgin Mary and the saints, and a Christian tradition rooted in the early Church.

At the same time, the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches are not in full communion. Their separation developed over centuries and involves questions of Church authority, theology, and later doctrinal developments.

The authority of the Bishop of Rome

One of the most important differences concerns the role of the Pope. Orthodox Christianity recognizes that the Bishop of Rome held a place of honor in the ancient Church, but it does not accept the later Roman Catholic understanding of universal papal jurisdiction and papal infallibility. Orthodox Church governance remains fundamentally conciliar, with bishops sharing responsibility within the Church.

The Filioque

The original form of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed says that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. In the Western Church the words "and the Son," known in Latin as Filioque, were later added to the Creed. The Orthodox Church retained the original text and objected both to the unilateral alteration of the Creed and to theological questions connected with the addition.

Later Roman Catholic dogmas

After the separation between East and West, the Roman Catholic Church formally defined a number of teachings that the Orthodox Church does not receive in the same form. Examples include papal infallibility and the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. These subjects require more explanation than a short comparison can provide.

Different customs are not always doctrinal differences

Some visible differences are matters of tradition rather than fundamental dogma. Orthodox churches generally use leavened bread in the Eucharist, clergy discipline differs, liturgical forms developed differently, and calendars may differ. Such practices should not all be treated as if they had the same theological importance.

A long separation, but continuing dialogue

The division between Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians should not be reduced to a simple list of arguments or to hostility between Christians. The two traditions share a substantial ancient inheritance, while important disagreements remain unresolved. Orthodox and Catholic representatives continue theological dialogue about these questions.

This page provides only an introduction. Individual subjects such as papal primacy, the Filioque, the Great Schism, and differences in sacramental practice deserve separate treatment.