Church History Notes (Great Schism, Iconoclasm, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Papal Infalibility)
-The Great Schism of 1054 was the first major division in the Christian Church.
- It was a division between the East (Greek) and West (Latin) churches.
-The head of the Church in the East was the Patriarch of Constantinople.
-The head of the Church in the West was the Bishop of Rome (the Pope).
-The main issue of disagreement was the Pope’s addition of the filioque to the Nicene Creed. The
argument came about because the Latin Church believed that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Father
AND the Son” whereas the Greek Church believed the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Father THROUGH
the Son.”
- The effects of the Great Schism are still seen today as the Eastern church developed into what today is
the Greek Orthodox Church and the Western church developed into what today is the Roman Catholic
Church.
-The term “iconoclast” means image breaker.
- The Iconoclast heresy came about because Emperor Leo felt that the veneration of images was a
violation of the first Commandment. Pope Gregory II disagreed and believed that icons, statues, and
paintings can help “raise our minds and hearts to God” and that the icons were not being “worshipped”.
The Second Council of Nicaea condemned iconoclasm as a heresy.
- Saint Thomas Aquinas O.P. was a Dominican priest and theologian. He is the Patron Saint of
Philosophers. His most famous work is the Summa Theologica (the Theological Summary). One of the
most famous parts of that work is Thomas’ 5 Ways (5 philosophical proofs for the existence of God).
The 5 proofs are
1: Argument from motion (An infinite regress of motion is impossible, so there must be one original
source of motion putting all else into motion. This original unmoved mover is that which we understand
to be God.
2: Argument from Causality (Everything that is has a cause. An infinite regress of causality is impossible.
There must be an original uncaused cause. This First Cause is God.)
3: Argument from Contingency (In order for something to exist, there must also exist what is necessary
for it to exist. For example, in order for a child to exist, it is necessary for the child’s parents to exist. The
child cannot come into being without his or her parents. An infinite regress of necessity is impossible.
Therefore, there must be an original necessary being whose existence does not depend on the existence
of anything else. This necessary being is God.)
4: Argument from Degree (In the world, there are varying degrees of perfection. Things are hotter,
brighter, softer, etc… The existence of these varying degrees of perfection implies that there is an
absolute standard of perfection (the hottest, brightest, softest, etc…) This standard of absolute
perfection is God.)
5: Argument from Design (There is a natural order in the world. Even things with no rational intelligence
tend towards an end. For example, a plant naturally grows towards the sun. However, a random
irrational source of design is impossible since natural design and order signifies intelligence, intellect,
and rationality. Therefore, there must be a rational intelligent source of design. This source of design is
God.)
-
Aquinas defines evil as “a privation (or lack) of a good which ought to be present.”
-
Aquinas also developed the understanding that God’s essence is esse (to be). This means that it
is God’s very nature to exist. God cannot not be.
-
Papal Infallibility is when the Pope (speaking with the guidance of the Holy Spirit) issues a
teaching which is to be held as true by the entire Church.
-
The Holy Father (Pope) is speaking infallibly when he is speaking ex cathedra (from the chair of
St. Peter) on issues of faith or morals.
-
Papal infallibility has been invoked only two times in history:
1) In 1854, Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception to be dogma (teaching to be held as true
by the whole Church).
2) In 1950, Pius XII declared the Assumption to be dogma.
-
The Immaculate Conception is when MARY was conceived without Original Sin in the womb of
St. Ann. IT IS NOT WHEN MARY CONCEIVED JESUS. DO NOT PUT THAT ON THE TEST!!!!
-
The Assumption is when Mary was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven.