TRST 300: Themes of Chrisitian Faith
Dr. Stephen T. Chan
Lecture on Christian Religion: Unity and Diversity
1. Christianity is an unified religion with internal diversity. The first crisis happened in 1054 (Eastern Schism) and separated Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The second break in 1517 resulted in the development of Protestantism led by Martin Luther and other reformers.
2. These three Christian traditions within the global Christian religion are divided because of multifarious reasons: socio-political, economical, cultural, doctrinal, and sacramental. The immediate cause of the separation between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox was over the debate of the Holy Spirit (Filioque controversy). The Western church believed and taught that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and the Son, while the Eastern church held that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father alone. The Reformation of the 16th century circled around numerous doctrines, e.g. doctrines of grace, salvation, justification, holy communion, church, etc. But the doctrinal differences are usually one among the many reasons that finally resulted in the inevitable splits.
3. An enduring unity among these three Christian traditions has persisted in spite of the historical discords. Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants are identical in their affirmation of the dogmas of Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Spirit) and Christ (the divine and human nature of Jesus Christ). The confession of God and Christ becomes the Christian identity that distinguishes Christianity from Judaism (God is absolutely one) and Islam (Jesus as one of the prophets), and other world religions.
4. The geographical center of authority of Catholicism is Rome, Italy, and for Orthodox is Constantinople (now Istanbul of Turkey). Protestantism was began by Luther in Germany, continued by Calvin in Geneva, Swiss, and spread to England and the rest of Europe and the world.
5. The head of the Roman Catholic church is Pope (Latin for father), while the Eastern Orthodox has Patriarch, and the Protestant churches have no unified hierarchy. Individual Protestant denominations may have bishops and archbishops.
6. The papacy system is unique to Roman Catholicism. There are altogether 262 popes from St. Peter to the present pope, John Paul II. One of the most renowned popes of the century is John XXIII (1881-1963, reigned 1958-63) who inaugurated the second Vatican Council in 1962. The papacy is succeeded by Paul VI (1897-1978, reigned 1963-78) and John Paul I (1912-78, died 34 days after coronation, the shortest reign in modern age). John Paul II (original name Karol Wojtyla, born 1920 in Poland) was the first non-Italian pope in the last 5 centuries of Catholic history. His recent writing, Crossing The Threshold of Hope, has become one of the bestsellers of the years.
7. General Christianity:
Yale Library on Christianity: www.library.yale.edu/Internet/xtian.htm
Catholicism:
Vatican Home Page: www.vatican/va/
Catholic Information Network: www.cin.org
Protestantism
Luther Project: www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/ger/luther.html
Christianity Net: www.christianity.net/
Eastern Orthodox:
Orthodox Christian Foundation: www.ocf.org
Orthodox Page in America and Europe: www.forthnet.gr/hellas/Orthodox-Page/Orthodox.html