Rethinking the Schism of 1054: Authority, Heresy, and the Latin Rite
Brett Edward Whalen
RETHINKING THE SCHISM OF 1054: AUTHORITY, HERESY, AND LATIN RITE By BRETT WHALEN In the year 1053, at request of Byzantine patriarch, Michael Kerullarios (1043-58), Archbishop Leo Ochrid denounced "priesthood Franks and reverend pope" for observing Jewish rites through their celebration Eucharist with azymes, same kind unleavened bread used Passover. made these accusations in a letter addressed to John, archbishop Trani southern Italy, region coexisting Latin Greek religious traditions that had been destabilized by recent invasion Normans.1 The epistle was subsequently passed along papal confidante Humbert Silva Candida, who translated it into presented Pope IX (1048-54). Around time, two churchmen also heard news patriarch anathematized all those rite Constantinople. A flurry inconclusive correspondence ensued between pope, ruler, Constantine Monomachos (1042-55). response this persistent crisis, dispatched legation Constantinople included Humbert, Frederick Lorraine, Peter Amalfi. On 16 July 1054, after series acrimonious debates, legates deposited bull excommunication against his supporters on high altar Hagia Sophia. responded excommunicating followers.2 For generations modern scholars, events were "thunderbolt" caused formal lasting division churches.3 Although evaluation eleventh-century confrontation 1 Both version translation are published Cornelius Will, ed., Acta el scripta quae de controversiis ecclesiae Graecae et Latinae saeculo undécimo composita extant (Leipzig, 1861), 56-64. Norman Italy its impact relations churches, see Richard Mayne, "East West 1054," Cambridge Historical Journal 11 (1954): 133-48, Herde, "Das Papsttum und die griechische Kirche Süditalien vom 11. bis zum 13. Jahrhundert," Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung des Mittlealters 26 (1970): 1-46. This article, which first took shape as part my Stanford University dissertation, owes great deal insights assistance Philippe Buc, University, Brad Gregory, Notre Dame, Jehangir Malegam, George Washington University. 2 exchange letters excommunication, scripta, 65-92, 153-54. 3 Edward Gibbon, Decline Fall Roman Empire, ed. David Womersley, vols. (London, 1994), 2:659. There is rich sometimes confessional tradition scholarship schism 1054. Among more important titles, analysis Louis ? TRADITIO Borne has greatly tempered qualified over last fifty years, 1054 still assume place prominence master narrative Christendom's division. "It noted Bichard Southern about strained "that elements disunity come light centuries concentrated single event."4 Even Yves Congar, persuasively argued "estrangement" Christian peoples product slow cultural, political, alienation rather than result event, appraised date "a fatal one, since seems mark one greatest misfortunes have ever befallen Christianity."? To present day, historians medieval Europe commonly invoke symbol divergence Catholic Orthodox churches. development, turn, contributed "birth" or "making" distinctly Western Europe, turned back Eastern empire church.6 not intention revisit origins causes determine precisely where fits long-term trajectory Instead, I would...
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