summary comparing the Roman catholic church and the Eastern orthodox church?

roman

Very similar, one main dispute is Papal authority. The western (Roman) Church believes that he is the successor of Peter and deserves more authority, the East (Orthodox) believes that the power should be more spread among the bishops.


I believe there is an old saying about the east and west

The Greeks (easterners) built the foundation for metaphysical theory while the Romans (west) built roads. (I probably murdered it)

On the theology level, it's mostly on Papal authority. Catholic Church believes the pope has universal jurisdiction over all other bishops, Orthodox Church believes all bishops has the same authority though the Pope before the schism/Patriarch of Constantinople after the schism has a primacy of honor. Other points are only used to justify the schism. For example. Mary's immaculate conception and assumption is defined after the schism so the Orthodox Church reject it as heretical.

On the cultural level the difference is more pronounced, The Traditional Latin Rite of most Catholic Church is more "feminine" than the Byzantine Rite of the Orthodox Church, and everything in the Catholic Church generally feels more fixed and legalistic than the Orthodox Church.

http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/reading/ortho_cath.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_rceo.htm


The Eastern Church did not have a barbarian invasion as the west did. Nor did they have a Protestant Reformation. Under the Muslims they did not have temporal authority. Under the Communists modernity was less a concern than survival.

The Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church (the Orthodox Church) and the Roman Catholic Church were one Church - the Catholic Church - for over 1,000 years.

Common tare most of the points of the Nicene Creed (http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/creed).
* belief in the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit
* the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ
* the future return of Christ and his everlasting kingdom

Also similar:
* baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
* liturgical worship
* the seven major sacraments and other sacramental
* the change of communion bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
* male clergy consisting of bishops, priests, and deacons
* the Tradition received from earlier generations is a guide to faith and practice
* the Bible is part of the Tradition

Orthodoxy believes
* the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (Nicene Creed and John 15:26)
* the regional churches are united by meetings of their chief bishops, with no ruling bishop over all.

Roman Catholicism believes
* the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (a Roman addition to the Creed)
* the Pope of Rome should be the presiding bishop over all Christianity

Later dogmas that are required for Roman Catholics to believe, but are not Orthodox dogmas:
* purgatory
* infallibility of the Pope
* the immaculate conception of Mary

Blessings.
/Orthodox