FSC Associate Article
A Church in History: Part 3 – Presenter: Dawn Mayer – May 16, 2026
By Mary Mosser, FSC Associate
Dawn started her presentation with a prayer and a brief review of the previous session. She explained that her goal for the day was to outline the developments that led to the Great Schism of 1054 AD.
A schism is a formal division, split or separation. Prior to the Great Schism of 1054 AD, there were numerous controversies that challenged the Church. The Nestorian Schism was a major division in 431 AD over a teaching that Jesus was two distinct persons. The Council of Ephesus in 431 AD condemned the teachings of Nestorius and reaffirmed the Nicene Creed. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD affirmed that Christ is one person with two natures - divine and human.
The Schism by Jehan Georges Vibert
Another source of conflict in the Church was the addition of filioque clause “and the Son” to the Nicene Creed which was done to affirm Christ’s divinity. At the Council of Toledo in 589 AD, the Western Church added the filioque clause to the Nicene Creed. However, this addition was rejected by the Eastern Church.
Political events intensified the division between the Western and Eastern Church, including the rise of the Franks. The Franks were a Germanic people who became a major power in Western Europe. The conversion of Frankish King Clovis I to Christianity in 508 AD helped shift the Pope’s support away from the Byzantine Empire toward the Franks. This connection grew stronger in 800 AD when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as the Emperor of the Romans giving the Pope authority over state issues.
Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea (325).
The Donation of Pippin of 756 AD, giving territories in central Italy to the Pope, created the Papal States, which gave the Pope an army and authority over land. The Papal States existed until 1870 when the Kingdom of Italy captured Rome and annexed the former Papal States territory, leaving only the Vatican for the Pope. The Lateran Treaty of 1929 established Vatican City as an independent nation.
The rise of Islam brought significant change to the Christian world. Islam was founded by the Prophet Muhammad in 631 AD. Islam began its expansion in the 7th century under Muhammad and his successors. Islam spread quickly and took over many territories that were formerly Christian by evangelization or by military conquest.
Donation of Pepin by Girolamo Siciolante (1565)
Before the 1054 Great Schism, the Eastern and Western Churches were growing apart culturally, politically and doctrinally. In 1054 AD, Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael I Cerularius excommunicated each other. The Pope claimed absolute authority, which the Patriarch rejected. Theological issues included the filioque clause in the Nicene Creed. One doctrinal disagreement was the issue of using leavened vs. unleavened bread in the Eucharist. There were also cultural and linguistic differences. For example, Latin was spoken in the West vs. Greek in the East. The Great Schism caused a formal split leading to the emergence of two distinct entities: the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East. The formal reconciliation from the Great Schism began January 5-6,1964 when the Pope and the Patriarch met and the ex-communications ended.
Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople (1964)
Throughout the centuries, the Church was a source of support, stability and help for many people. Monasteries emerged in the 3rd and 4th centuries with individuals seeking a solitary life dedicated to prayer and spiritual discipline. Over time, monasteries became centers for education, medical care, food distribution, and the preservation of faith.
During the period known as the Dark Ages, from 500 to 900 AD, there was a decline in learning and culture, along with economic downturn and political fragmentation. During this time, the Church provided stability and offered spiritual leadership and a sense of belonging in a time of chaos.
The Church continued its work supporting social services, education and spiritual guidance during the Middle Ages, a period from about 476 – 1520 AD. It played a major role in preserving and managing libraries. It was also a source of innovation, including the origination of Gregorian chant, construction of Cathedrals and creation of mechanical clocks.
Reflecting on Dawn’s presentation, it’s clear that the Church has faced many challenges throughout history, including division, economic decline and political upheaval. Yet the Church has endured. It gives me a sense of hope to see that even in periods of difficulty, the Church continues to grow, preserve the faith and serve those in need.