A question on History

[The Squalid Wanderer]

Does anyone have opinions on, or read literature which addresses, the effects of the influx of barbarian tribes (i.e., Franks, Goths, Visigoths, etc.) in the west on relations between eastern and western Christianity?

 

[Patmosman_sga]

I can't imagine it having a positive effect, but I don't know if there has ever been any historical research into the subject.

 

[The Squalid Wanderer]

[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]In the background of dialogue and the Ecumenical Movement for the reunion of Christendom lies the generally recognized fact that there is an interplay between theology and society, which may lead to a dogmatic formulation and become the cause of doctrinal differences. [/font]

[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Within the Roman Empire doctrinal conflicts took place usually among Roman citizens in a atmosphere of religious and philosophical pluralism. With the official recognition of Orthodox Christianity, we witness the beginning of the use of doctrinal differences in support of nationalistic movements of separate identity and secession from Roman rule, both political and ecclesiastical. Both Nestorianism and so-called Monophysitism, although initially promoted by Roman nationals, were finally supported by separatist tendencies among such ethnic groups as Syrians, Copts, and Armenians. Indeed, both Persians and Arabs took care to keep Christians separated. [/font]

[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]By the eighth century, we meet for the first time the beginning of a split in Christianity which, from the start, took on ethnic names instead of names designating the heresy itself or its leader. Thus in West European sources we find a separation between a Greek East and a Latin West. In Roman sources this same separation constitutes a schism between Franks and Romans. [/font]

[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]One detects in both terminologies an ethnic or racial basis for the schism which may be more profound and important for descriptive analysis than the doctrinal claims of either side. Doctrine here may very well be part of a political, military, and ethnic struggle and, therefore, intelligible only when put in proper perspective. The interplay between doctrine and ethnic or racial struggle may be such that the two can be distinguished, but not separated. [/font]

[font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]The schism between Eastern and Western Christianity was not between East and West Romans. In actuality, it was a split between East Romans and the conquerors of the West Romans.

[/font]

This is only the beginning of the article.  The dissertation in full can be found in the following URL's:

http://www.orthodoxireland.com/franks1.htm

http://www.orthodoxireland.com/franks2.htm

http://www.orthodoxireland.com/franks2.htm[/size]

 

[The Squalid Wanderer]

I don't know if the above is true or not, but I wanted to conduct an investigation of the facts and suppositions and see if they ring true or not.