SCHISM, SCHISMATICS. The Greek word schism (ax(erp.a) is used several times in the New Testament in its literal sense of a rent or rupture in one and the same object (Matt., ix. 16; xxvii. 51 ; Mark, i. 10 ; ii. 21; Luke, v. 36; xxiii. 45 ; John, xix. 24; xxi. II); and also in a figurative sense for a division of opinion among a number pf persons considered collectively as constituting a whole (John, vii. 43 ; ix. 36 ; x. 19; Acts, xiv. 4; xxiii. 7). In reference to the Christian church, schism, in the abstract sense, is never mentioned. Schisms are spoken of twice only (1 Cor., i. 10; xi. IS); and in a third passage, where the union of the members of the church is compared to that of the parts of the human body, the object of this union is stated to be, "that there should be no schism in the body." (I Cor., xii. 24-26.) From a comparison of these passages, it clearly appears that a schism, in the New Testament sense, does not imply the open separation which exists between Christians and unbelievers, nor that between the mem hers of different Christian communions, but it denotes something existing within one and the same church ; and further, it does not appear to designate any difference of .opinion respecting doctrines or ceremonies or forms of government, but rather to refer to a state of mind, to the absence of a spirit of united Christian love. (` Dissent not Schism,' a discourse by T. Binney.) The common use of the word in ecclesiastical writers is different from this. With them schism is nearly synonymous with separation ;
but in its stricter use schism is a separation from the communion of a church on the part of certain of its members who do not differ from its other members on any point of religious doctrine. Heresy consists in a dissent from the doctrines of a church ; schism is a dissent from its government. From this definition it clearly appears that any attempt to enumerate the schisms of the Christian church would be fruitless, since every community is considered schismatical by all the rest.
The event which ecclesiastical historians call the great Schism, of the West occurred in the 14th and 15th centuries. After the death of Gregory Xl. (A.D. 137S), the cardinals, being compelled by the clamour of the people of Rome to elect an Italian to the popedoin, chose Urban VI. ; but afterwards the leading members of the college retired to Fondi in Naples, and elected Clement VII., who set up his court at Avignon, while Urban remained at Rome. Clement was recognised as pope by France, Spain, Scotland, Sicily, and Cyprus, and Urban by the rest of Europe. This schism continued till the year 1417, when it was healed by the Council of Constance, which elected Martin V. to the papacy. (Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History,' cent. xiv., pt. ii., c. sect. 15, &c.; Waddington's Church History,' c. xxiii.) The other great schism is that between the Greek and Latin churches. [GREEK Cntincii.]