History of Schism in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 6, 2024

A schism is a division or separation between people, typically within an organization, movement, or religious group. It often refers to a split within a religious body, like the Great East-West Schism, but can also describe divisions in non-religious contexts, such as between individuals in a friendship or romantic relationship.

1923: Fall of the Ottoman Empire

Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, there hasn't been a widely recognized Caliph within Sunni Islam. This event marked a significant turning point in the history of the Caliphate, which had transitioned from a democratically elected position to a hereditary dynastic rule after the first four Rightly Guided Caliphs.

1983: Code of Canon Law

The 1983 Code of Canon Law codified that within the Roman Catholic Church, an act of schism, similar to apostasy or heresy, automatically results in excommunication for the individual. This penalty aims to be corrective, seeking to ultimately restore unity.

2004: Schism between Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens

In 2004, a schism, a break of communion, occurred between Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens. This event highlighted that such breaks are not always about doctrinal differences, further illustrating the distinction between heresy (rejecting essential doctrines) and schism (rejecting communion with Church authorities).

2018: Moscow-Constantinople Schism

In 2018, a significant schism occurred within Eastern Orthodoxy. This division arose between the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the primatial See of Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Russian Orthodox Church. The controversy stemmed from Constantinople's decision to grant autocephaly, or independence, to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.