What are the differences between Catholic and Orthodox Christianity?

[Odin2005]

The only difference I can think of off the top of my head is that Catholics have one leader (the Pope) while Orthodox Christians have several patriarchs.

[Critters2]

1. There are some more subtle theological differences

There's a somewhat different understanding of the eucharist. Also, the Western Church believes the Holy Spirit emanates from both the Father and the Son, Orthodoxy teaches the HS emanates only from the Father. Also, tradition can change in the Catholic Church, through the magisterium and the Vatican. Orthodox teaching tradition was set by the 7 ecumenical councils and is unchangeable. Then there's the dating of Easter, the liturgy, which side you start at in crossing yourself, etc.

[sam sarrha]

2. it is a Greek Diphthong.. Jesus 'as' god vs 'Jesus IS god'..big difference

[Coastie for Truth]

5. Outward differences

1. Priests can be married.

2. Beautiful church architecture - with the Gold Onion Domes.

3. Prayer Book and Bible are/used to be in Cyrillic alphabet.

4. Wedding ceremony where the floral crowns are moved back and forth.

[Critters2]

7. Only the Russian Church used the Cyrilic alphabet

The Eastern Church went to the vernacular from early on. So, some worship in Russian, some in Greek, some in Armenian, etc.

[Solo_in_MD]

3. Do you mean Russion and Greek Orthodox Churches or

orthodox Christianity , which is can be argued is the domain of the fundementalists.

[Critters2]

8. Fundamentalists are NOT orthodox

in any way. Most believe in the crazy teachings of John Nelson Darby, which he pulled out of his butt in the late 18th century. They reject a good many things taught in scripture and have little or no connection to either the early church nor the Reformation.

Please don't accept what they say about themselves. They're a lot of things--but orthodox AIN'T one of 'em!

[Inland]

4. that's one.

There's no infallible head of the orthodox churches. Orthodox churches are orgainized by nationality as well, because the east missed the development of the church and state as separate and sometimes entirely hostile institutions.

One more is the role of ritual. The rituals in the orthodox churches were set in the 400s and haven't changed. They can't be changed. In the unification talks between the roman and eastern churches, Rome was saying, "if we agree on the theology, then all that separates us is ritual", with the enlightement concept that ritual is malleable as long as it reflects the theology. To the orthodox, a statement like "all that's left is ritual" is incomprehensible. There's a mystical belief that the specific ritual itself is what brings people in contact with god, and not to be rewritten.

[unschooler]

6. Karen Armstrong's book "A History of God" has a lot of good info on this.

Unfortunately, I read it about 8 years ago, and I can't remember much of the substance. Orthodox Christians, besides being big into religious icons, believe in a "plan of salvation" that is different from that of Catholic and Protestant Christianity. It's quite a different take on the "mission" of Jesus.

[Hoping4Change]

9. The music is different. Very haunting. Very beautiful.

Very much much like Gregorian chants.

[FooFootheSnoo]

10. The Orthodox Christians do not believe the doctrine of

original sin. They believe instead that mankind has a tendency toward sinfulness.

[hunter]

11. Here's something you may not see every day...

http://www.byzcath.org/Faith-and-Worship/Who-Are-Byzantine-Catholics.htm

;)