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Why did many Orthodox Christians reject the proposed reunion with Rome after the Council of Ferrara-Florence?
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Eastern Orthodoxy
Jesus Christ, detail of the Deesis mosaic, from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, 12th century.
Many Orthodox Christians rejected the proposed reunion with Rome following the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438β1445) primarily because the agreement was viewed as a politically motivated capitulation rather than a genuine theological consensus.1
While Byzantine leaders signed the Decree of Union in 1439 out of desperation for Western military aid against the Ottoman Turks, the rank-and-file clergy and laity largely repudiated the act upon the delegates' return to Constantinople. Key factors in this rejection included:12
- Historical Resentment: Deep-seated memories of Crusader violence against the East persisted, fostering distrust of the Latin church.3
- Theological Objections: Despite the council's attempts to resolve differences, many Orthodox remained committed to their traditional doctrines, particularly regarding the Filioque clause and the nature of papal primacy.132
- Lack of Consensus: The union was seen as an imperial imposition rather than a decision made by the church as a whole. The metropolitan of Ephesus, Mark Eugenicus, famously refused to sign the decree, becoming a symbol of the resistance.1
Ultimately, the union was never effectively implemented and was officially condemned by a council of bishops in 1484.4