Lecture Notes: The Roman Catholic Church and the Split with the Eastern Church

Introduction

• Series and Lecture: Series Two, Lecture Two
• Topic: The Roman Catholic Church and its split with the Eastern Church
• Suggested Readings: Books, movies (e.g., "Quo Vadis"), and supplemental readings on Moodle

Devotional Message

• Personal Story: Instructor shares a family anecdote illustrating the essence of Christianity
• Key Scripture: Romans 10:9
  • Emphasizes the Creed "Jesus is Lord"
  • Suggests its importance for salvation

The Roman Catholic Church: Early History

• Foundations: Simon Peter
  • Catholics believe Jesus built his church on Peter (Matthew 16:18)
  • Historical portrayal in "Quo Vadis"
• Early Bishops and Martyrdom
  • Early Popes were often martyred
  • Lists of popes can be found on resources like Wikipedia
  • 10 factors contributing to the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome (e.g., Apostolic Succession, population, and location)

Development of Church Structure

• Hierarchical Development
  • Rigid structure in response to external pressures
  • Led to issues like the Protestant Reformation and Vatican II reforms
• Veneration of Mary
  • Developed due to perceived distance of OT God
  • Criticized for going beyond biblical teachings

Transition to the Middle Ages

• Fall of Rome (476 AD)
  • Major change in the papacy
  • Influence of Pope Gregory the Great
  • Transition from Roman Empire influence to Middle Ages
• Missionary Influence
  • Augustine of Canterbury, Columba, and others were key figures
  • Ireland as a significant mission field and sender

The East-West Schism (1054 AD)

• Background
  • Political, theological, and cultural disagreements
  • Main issues: Papal Authority and the Filioque Clause
  • Attempts at reconciliation in 1274 and 1453
• Cultural and Language Differences
  • Greek (Eastern) vs. Latin (Western) influences
  • Differences in clerical celibacy
• Significance
  • Marked a major turning point in Christian history
  • Symbolized long-standing East-West cultural disagreements

Influence of Monasticism

• Benedict of Nursia
  • Established Benedictine Monasteries
  • Wrote "The Rule of St. Benedict"
  • Influence on Western monasticism

Personal Experiences and Reflections

• Instructor’s Visit to Vatican
  • Experience of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel
  • Observations of significant artworks

Conclusion

• Lecture Recap
  • Upcoming topics include future contrasts between figures like Pope Innocent III and Francis of Assisi
• Encouragement
  • Look forward to the next lecture

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the lecture's key themes, important historical developments, and theological issues discussed. They also include personal anecdotes shared by the instructor to illustrate certain points. The notes serve as a useful study guide for reviewing the key historical and theological aspects of the Roman Catholic Church and its schism with the Eastern Church.