Early Christian scholars did not know...?!

[Bluegazer]

Assalamu Alaikum [Peace be upon you],


I was reading an article about the "Eastern Schism". It is the term used to describe the separation of Christians into Catholic and Eastern Orthodox denominations.

Before I continue, I'd like to make clear certain points:

1- Since I'm a Muslim, both types of Christianity (Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) contain major elements of falsehood. Among many of their false beliefs are the 'Trinity' (and so they both assert God Almighty has a son and that he and the Holy Spirit should be worshiped), and the denial that Muhammad [peace be upon him] was a Messenger of God. So, I'm not writing this to say that a certain form of Christianity (either Catholic or Eastern Orthodox) is alright or O.K. They are both false religions, and at the same we Muslims know that some of the beliefs still reflect correct elements of the religion of God (such as believing in life after death, the Day of Judgment and Heaven and Hell).

........

2- The terms "Catholic" and "Orthodox" are actually claimed by both Catholic Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians.The following two quotations are from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictonary:

* Main Entry: cath·o·lic
* Pronunciation: \ˈkath-lik, ˈka-thə-\
* Function: adjective
* Etymology: Middle English catholik, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French catholique, from Late Latin catholicus, from Greek katholikos universal, general, from katholou in general, from kata by + holos whole — more at cata-, safe
* Date: 14th century

1 a often capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the church universal b often capitalized : of, relating to, or forming the ancient undivided Christian church or a church claiming historical continuity from it c capitalized : roman catholic
2 : comprehensive, universal; especially : broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests <a catholic taste in music>

— ca·thol·i·cal·ly \kə-ˈthä-li-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

— ca·thol·i·cize \-ˈthä-lə-ˌsīz\ verb

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Catholic

* Main Entry: 1or·tho·dox
* Pronunciation: \ˈȯr-thə-ˌdäks\
* Function: adjective
* Etymology: Middle English orthodoxe, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French orthodoxe, from Late Latin orthodoxus, from Late Greek orthodoxos, from Greek orth- + doxa opinion — more at doxology
* Date: 15th century

1 a : conforming to established doctrine especially in religion b : conventional
2 capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting any of various conservative religious or political groups: as a : eastern orthodox b : of or relating to Orthodox Judaism

— or·tho·dox·ly adverb

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Orthodox


Both Catholic Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians claim that it is their denomination that is "Catholic" [i.e., Universal] and "Orthodox" [i.e., Conventional, or as I understand it...Traditional]. But with the passage of time, the "Catholic" label became more associated with those who sided with the Pope in Rome, and the "Orthodox" or "Eastern Orthodox" label became more associated with those who sided with the Patriarch of Constantinople.

........

3- The paragraph quoted below is only a section of a larger article explaining the reasons of the "Eastern Schism" [i.e., the splitting up of Christians into Catholics and Eastern Orthodox], and this large article is from the Catholic Encyclopedia, which means it shows the Catholic point of view as to why this happened and who's to blame. But I'm not interested in whose to blame since (as I explained in my point 1 above) both denominations are false religions.

.......

Now, here's the paragraph from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The Eastern Schism

Remote preparation of the schism

Even the detail of language was an element of separation. It is true that the East was never entirely hellenized as the West was latinized. Nevertheless, Greek did become to a great extent the international language in the East. In the Eastern councils all the bishops talk Greek. So again we have the same two unities, this time in language — a practically Greek East and an entirely Latin West. It is difficult to conceive this detail as a cause of estrangement, but it is undoubtedly true that many misunderstandings arose and grew, simply because people could not understand one another. For during the time when these disputes arose, hardly anyone knew a foreign language. It was not till the Renaissance that the age of convenient grammars and dictionaries arose. St. Gregory I (d. 1604) had been apocrisary at Constantinople, but he does not seem to have learned Greek; Pope Vigilius (540-55) spent eight unhappy years there and yet never knew the language. Photius was the profoundest scholar of his age, yet he knew no Latin. When Leo IX (1048-54) wrote in Latin to Peter III of Antioch, Peter had to send the letter to Constantinople to find out what it was about. Such cases occur continually and confuse all the relations between East and West. At councils the papal legates addressed the assembled fathers in Latin and no one understood them; the council deliberated in Greek and the legates wondered what was going on. So there arose suspicion on both sides. Interpreters had to be called in; could their versions be trusted? The Latins especially were profoundly suspicious of Greek craft in this matter. Legates were asked to sign documents they did not understand on the strength of assurances that there was nothing really compromising in them. And so little made so much difference. The famous case, long afterwards, of the Decree of Florence and the forms kath on tropon, quemadmodum, shows how much confusion the use of two languages may cause.

Fortescue, Adrian. "The Eastern Schism." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

Source: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm


Now, please focus on the following passages from the above paragraph:

"It is difficult to conceive this detail as a cause of estrangement, but it is undoubtedly true that many misunderstandings arose and grew, simply because people could not understand one another. For during the time when these disputes arose, hardly anyone knew a foreign language."

"St. Gregory I (d. 1604) had been apocrisary at Constantinople, but he does not seem to have learned Greek"

"Pope Vigilius (540-55) spent eight unhappy years there and yet never knew the language."

"Photius was the profoundest scholar of his age, yet he knew no Latin."

"When Leo IX (1048-54) wrote in Latin to Peter III of Antioch, Peter had to send the letter to Constantinople to find out what it was about."

"At councils the papal legates addressed the assembled fathers in Latin and no one understood them; the council deliberated in Greek and the legates wondered what was going on. So there arose suspicion on both sides. Interpreters had to be called in; could their versions be trusted? The Latins especially were profoundly suspicious of Greek craft in this matter. Legates were asked to sign documents they did not understand on the strength of assurances that there was nothing really compromising in them."

To all my brothers in Islam, it is important to remember that one of the essential conditions for a scholar in Islam is that he or she must have excellent knowledge and mastery of Classical Arabic. And that's because Allah's Book [the Qur'an] was revealed in Arabic and because His Propeht [peace be upon him] spoke to his Companions in Arabic. And this means that among the scholars of Islam from every race, their was a universal language of communication between them; Arabic. And that universal language was so lacking for many centuries of Christianity (as shown from the paragraph quoted above).

This universal language of scholarship in Islam (Arabic) did not mean the exclusion of non Arab Muslims. There were many non Arab Muslims who excelled in Classical Arabic and therefore became famous scholars of Islam. Abu Hanifa An-Nu'maan (one of the famous Four Imams), Muhammad ibn Isma'il Al-Bukhaari (author of Sahih Al-Bukhaari) and Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaaj (author of Sahih Muslim) were just a few examples of non Arab Muslims who excelled in Classical Arabic and then contributed a lot to our understanding of Islam. Even nowadays, you find such examples. Muhammad Naasir Ad-Deen Al-Albaani (who died in the last decade or so) was an Albanian, and this did not prevent him from being a great scholar of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him].

Sometimes, one needs to know about the history of other religions to further appreciate the beauty and strength of Islam. And this also leads a Muslim to thank Allah the Almighty for preserving Islam and for His guidance in making him or her a Muslim.


Best regards,

Bluegazer