Christianity¿s East-West split lasts to this day. Both halves of the Church drifted apart prior to the Great Schism of 1054. Poor communication, personality conflicts, few theologians conversant in both Latin and Greek as well as political tensions contributed to the division and thwarted reconciliation attempts.
The Filioque, use of azymes, papal supremacy, and purgatory were the most contentious issues. A weak Byzantine Empire struggled and failed to secure Western military assistance.
Lutherans saw Orthodoxy as a purer form of Christianity. In the 1570s, Tübingen Lutherans contacted...