March 3, 2026

The Lifting of the Anathemas of 1054: What New Relationship Has Developed Between Orthodox and Catholics? What Progress Has Been Made in Resolving Conflicts over the Canonical Problem of the Filioque?

Key Points

A new communion is forming between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, reflecting significant changes since 1965.
The act of removing mutual excommunications in 1965 is crucial for understanding current church unity dynamics.
This analysis employs theological and ecclesiological perspectives to evaluate the ongoing efforts to resolve the filioque conflict.
The findings suggest a shift in the relationship, indicating a need for future dialogues and collaborative efforts between the two traditions.

Abstract

The ecclesial act of December 7, 1965, by which Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I, in their Joint Declaration, “regret and remove from memory and from the midst of the Church” the mutual excommunications of 1054, was an event par excellence among the efforts to eliminate from the Church what is in the way of unity between Orthodox and Catholics. This thesis ascertains the psychological, ecclesiological, and juridical consequences of that ecclesial act for the communion between the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches and illustrates the very new situation that now exists between them. This thesis also explores what has been done, as a result of this new situation, to resolve conflicts over the canonical problem of the filioque, a lasting problem that continues to challenge the Church.

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The Lifting of the Anathemas of 1054: What New Relationship Has Developed Between Orthodox and Catholics? What Progress Has Been Made in Resolving Conflicts over the Canonical Problem of the Filioque?

Key Points

Abstract

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