Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 58:1 (Spring 1996)
Article: Two Worlds: Eastern and Western Christianity
Author: J. Végh

WTJ 58:1 (Spr 96) p. 11

Two Worlds: Eastern and Western Christianity

J. Végh

[Translated by Ali Knudsen.]

Thanks to the missionary activity of the apostles, already very early on in the beginning of our era, Christian congregations were established in both the East and the West; these were united in faith in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, this unity was not allowed to exist very long. Friction soon appeared that eventually led to a division; it is therefore that we must speak of Christianity of the East and of the West. There are approximately 185 million Christians in the Eastern Orthodox churches, living in Leba non, Syria, Ethiopia, Persia, Egypt, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, and several countries of Western Europe and America. Eastern and Western Christianity are two separate worlds that have had very few contacts with each other since the great schism in 1054. The many attempts to bring about a reunion have had only a poor result, namely, the return of approximately nine million Orthodox people to the Roman Catholic Church, whom we call Greek or reunited Catholics.

Many causes have led to separation and division. There is, for instance, the difference in language. In the East, Greek was generally spoken, while in the West, Latin was used. The old liturgical languages in the Eastern churches are holy “mystery-languages,” as it were revelations of the divine, eternal and heavenly. Therefore they are unchangeable and irreplaceable. Still deeper is the difference in national character and mentality. It is said of the Easterners that they are passive and tend to be mystical, naturally inclined to meditation, consideration, and reflection. Their interest is more directed to the glorification of heaven and earth, the deification of man, than to the social, political, and cultural problems of the present time. In their opinion, government must take care of these. The Westerners, on the other hand, are active, practical, aggressive, and progressive. They show tremendous interest in life here and now. They want to give direction to this life and enjoy giving attention to all sorts of social problems of the present; they stimulate the organization of Christian political parties and “doing” science. They have never abandoned the rule of the church and given it to the state or the head of state, as one often sees in the Orthodox countries. On the contrary, the pope has often played a big role in world politics, crowning and deposing emperors and kings.

WTJ 58:1 (Spr 96) p. 12

Since the Eastern Christians focus more on the inner man, their missionary activity was much smaller than that of the Western churches, which because of their missionary involvement have penetrated to the farthest corners of the world. We often hear it said th...