Amid Catholic church turmoil comes talk of a possible schism or formal split

As a writer for Vox recently put it, “the Catholic church is facing one of its most serious and divisive crises of the 21st century.”

Some think the turmoil could lead to a new schism — or formal split — within the faith.

Christianity’s “East-West Schism” occurred in the 11th century. Nearly 1,000 years later, the Catholic church is reeling amid revelations of sex abuse by priests and coverups by bishops, which have spurred some to call for Pope Francis to resign and tensions to rise between conservative and liberal camps within the church.

One commentator for the liberal-leaning National Catholic Reporter wrote last month, “We are a step away from schism.”

A writer for The Weekly Standard, a conservative journal, this month floated the possibility of a “schism, the destruction of the papacy and a long war for the soul of the Catholic church.”

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