Anti-Orthodoxy

Anti-Orthodoxy or Anti-Orthodoxism is the name for negative attitudes or hostility towards clergy and adherents of Orthodox Christianity because of their religious beliefs and practices. The term is generally used to describe hostility towards members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and sometimes it is also used to describe the same attitude towards adherents of Oriental Orthodoxy. The use of the term is not restricted to hostility towards Orthodox Christians belonging to traditional Orthodox cultures, but includes similar attitudes towards Orthodox Christians of any cultural background.

Orthodox Christians have been persecuted throughout history by other Christians, by members of some other religions and also in modern times by anti-religious political movements and regimes in some countries. Since non-Christian and non-religious opposition to Orthodoxy was often motivated by basic animosity towards Christians or religious people in general, the term Anti-Orthodoxy is mainly used to describe internal Christian opposition or hostility by some non-Orthodox Christians towards Orthodox Christianity.

The Crusades of the Middle Ages brought many challenges to relations between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Christianity in general. Major problems arose during the First Crusade with the creation of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 1099 and the attempts of its Latin clergy to suppress Orthodoxy in Holy Land. At the same time, new Latin Patriarchate of Antioch was created in 1100 and its existence was marked by the attempts of Latin clergy to suppress Orthodoxy in Syria. The later events of Second Crusade and Third Crusade only worsened situation.

The point of no-return was reached during the Fourth Crusade and the infamous Sack of Constantinople (1204). Religious policy of Crusaders and Roman Catholic Church resulted in systematic suppression of Eastern Orthodox Church by take over of churches and monasteries, expulsion or persecution of Orthodox bishops, priests and monks after the creation of Latin Patriarchate of Constantinople and the forceful establishment of Catholic hierarchy throughout the Byzantine lands. Byzantine rule in Constantinople was restored in 1261 but various regions of Greece remained under local Latin rulers who continued to oppress Orthodox Christians until Turkish invasion in the 15th century.

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