This week in Christian history: John Wesley preaches first open air sermon, early church schism ends

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, March 27, 2022

Acacian Schism ends – March 28, 519

Felix III (d. 492), an early church leader who became pope in AD 483. | Screengrab: Catholic.org

This week marks the anniversary of when the Acacian Schism, a split between western and eastern churches over theological differences that began in 484, came to an end.

Centuries before the more permanent split between Rome and Constantinople in 1054, in the fifth century, the two Churches were divided over a controversial document known as the Henotikon, or “Edict of Union” in Greek.

Written up by Byzantine Patriarch Acacius, the edict attempted to reconcile orthodox Christian teaching with the belief of a group called the Monophysites, who believed that Jesus had a single nature, rather than both a divine nature and a human nature.

Pope Felix III rejected this edict and excommunicated Acacius and many other Byzantine church officials, leading to a divide between Rome and Constantinople.

The schism was eventually healed through the efforts of Byzantine Emperor Justin I, who officially endorsed the Council of Chalcedon of 451, which rejected Monophysite teaching.