How Tradition functions in the church
Experience and Memory of Christ
παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν πρώτοις ὃ καὶ
παρέλαβον... 1 Corinthians 15:3
30-80 AD preached and lived in 65-95 AD recorded in four
the first Christian communities independently written Gos-
pels, though dependence of
50-65 AD supported and deepened Matthew and Luke on Mark
by letters of Paul has been postulated by
scholars.
Formation of New Testament Canon c. 200-350 AD
Beginning of Baptismal Creeds and Beginnings of Christian Theology:
Prayer and Eucharistic Forms Apologists of 2nd Century
Worship forms First Theological Writings c. 200 AD
onwards
Martyrdom Cultic Veneration
c. 100-300 c. 300 onwards
Ecclesiastical institutionalization
Construction of
Ecumenical Councils & Creeds
Rise of Sainthood Churches and
shrines Expansion of Sacramental & Worship Forms
“Lex orandi, lex credendi” Iconographic & Hymnographic Sophistication
Beginnings of Christian Church & Faith
Experience and Memory of Christ
30-80 AD preached and lived in 65-95 AD recorded
the first Christian communities in four Gospels,
several letters by
Formation of New Testament Paul and other
Canon c. 200-350 AD apostles and early
Gnostic Gospels, other writings Christians.
which did not make it into NT
Beginning of Baptismal Creeds and Beginnings of
Prayer and Eucharistic Forms Christian Theology:
Worship forms 2nd Century
Martyrdom Cultic Veneration c. 300 onwards
c. 100-300 Ecclesiastical institutionalization
Construction of 7 Ecumenical Councils — Creeds
Rise of Sainthood Churches and
shrines Expansion of Sacramental & Worship Forms
Iconographic & Hymnographic Sophistication
The Five Ancient Centers of Orthodoxy
Latin West: Rome — Greek East: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem
Historical Outline of the Orthodox Church
Substantial unity of the church during first 800 years — but growing differences in church
administration and ritual. Language barriers grew stronger.
800 AD Enthronement of Charlemagne as Emperor in the West
Mid-9th century Photian Schism was the first serious break in communion between East
and West. Papal primacy became an increasingly divisive issue.
989 Baptism of Prince Vladimir and beginning of the Russian Church.
1014 The filioque was officially accepted by Pope Benedict VIII, after previous popes
had refused to endorse it.
1054 Mutual excommunication of Rome and Constantinople. This is the conventional dat-
ing of the split between East and West, a split which endures to the present. Attempts at
healing the schism were thwarted by the politics of the day.
1204 Diverting of the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople & Sacking of the City. In the
minds of the Orthodox this was the proof that the schism could not be healed.
1439 Council of Florence was a failed attempt at reconciliation. Most Orthodox represen-
tatives caved in to pressure and acknowledged the Pope as “supreme head of Christen-
dom,” but the Orthodox Church as a whole rejected this council.
1453 Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. Much of the Orthodox East was under
Ottoman rule for centuries. Centre of power in the Orthodox East shifted to Moscow.
1821 Greek War of Independence begins. Greek Church became autocephalous in 1850.
1965 Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras lifted anathemas of 1054. Great Schism be-
tween Catholic West and Orthodox East remain.
