Christian Unity - Part 2

Christian Unity – Part 2

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

In part 2, I would like to address the Great Schism of 1054 AD. I believe this happened due to a misunderstanding of the Scripture and the teachings of the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Gospel of John, Chapter 14, Verses 16 and 17 is as follows: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows It. But you know It, because It remains with you, and will be in you.”

The Orthodox belief is that the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father only. As written in the above passage, the Father did send the Holy Spirit at the bequest of Jesus. This could easily be interpreted by the Western Church Fathers as being sent by both the Father and Jesus. However, the Nicean Creed, which we say at Mass, states the the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. The Council of Nicea did not use the word “sent” or “sending”. They use the word “proceeds”. I realize that this may be splitting hairs, but both Eastern and Western Church Fathers are both correct in their beliefs. Thankfully, the excommunications issued by each Church were lifted in 1965 by Saint Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras.

The reality of both Churches is that we have the same seven sacraments even though our culture may be different. It is time for both East and West to believe the truths of the Nicean Creed. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune Godhead. He is best described as the love between the Father and the Son. Yes, He is his own person, but He also exists in both the Father and Jesus. Therefore, the Holy Spirit did proceed from the Father and Jesus. The Holy Spirit existed like the Father and Jesus before all time began. As the Father and Jesus had no beginning, neither did the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at the bequest of Jesus to the Father to enforce the love of the Father and Jesus to his entire Church Community, and to bolster the will and bravado of 11 scared and sometimes doubting disciples to preach the teachings of Jesus which came from the Father and Jesus.

Let's ask the Holy Spirit, both the Catholic and Orthodox communities, to heal the split between us, embrace each other's cultures, and truly become one mystical body once again under the leadership of Jesus Christ as represented by the Vicar of Christ on earth, the Pope as it was at the start of our Church.

In part 3 of this article, I will endeavor to analyze the balance of our Christian brothers. Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe. Laus Deo. Deo Gratias. See you in Paradise.