Faith and hope in something is an intrinsic instinct and necessity of the human species. Religious institutions take on the responsibility of directing that faith into the moral benefit of society at large. Religious institutions also spring from human endeavors and may or may not have elements of spirituality. Invariably, politics get involved.

Religious institutions play a vital role in providing a moral compass, especially in the education of children, as well as a social bond for groups of people. Since time immemorial, the charitable activities of these institutions have done immeasurable good, usually without fanfare or recognition. The trouble starts when leaders and thus their followers of the institutions proclaim that their tenets are not only superior to any other religious institution, but the only righteous and valid means of salvation.

After the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity c.312, he made Constantinople the capital city of what would become the Byzantine Empire. In 325 he convened the First Council of Nicaea to try and settle many of the differing viewpoints as to the meaning of Christianity.

The Nicene Creed has been adopted throughout Christendom ever since. Originally written in Greek, it was the formula of belief to be sworn to at baptism. Also known as the Apostle's Creed, it became the statement of faith recited by all members of the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church and major Protestant Churches.

The English translation is:

"We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father.

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God.

begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven

by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen." ₅

One wonders if less emphasis could be made on the persona of Jesus and more on his message of love and peace.

The rivalry that developed between Rome and Constantinople made a division in the Christian Church. Fundamentally, both the East and West had the same beliefs except that the Eastern Church did not recognize the supremacy of the pope. Greek became the ritual language in the East while Latin remained in the West. Also, the Eastern Church allowed marriage for priests.

There was no marriage prohibition of priests in the early church or in Christian scripture for that matter. Celibacy became a tradition for several reasons. The priest or member of clerical orders was encouraged to devote himself wholly to God and the betterment of his fellow man. The Roman Church felt that a wife and children would be a distraction from that devotion at best and also that the married priest might be tempted to acquire property and power for the benefit of his family.

The opposition to marriage escalated to fear that clerical dynasties might be established through inheritance as they were in Hindu India or had been in Persian Zoroastrianism. Then the pope would not be able to control such ecclesiastical classes of society. One council in 1018 went so far as to condemn all the children of priests to slavery!

The political breach between East and West was precipitated when Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800 by Pope Leo III. The religious schism reached its peak in 1053-1054 when the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated each other. Later attempts to heal the estrangement occurred but the complete separation of the organizations is generally attributed to that event. Apparently, one cave was not big enough to house the two religious Hunters, the pope and the patriarch.

The conquests by the Moslems in 1453 more and more limited the influence of the Eastern Church. However, Russia had been converted to Christianity in 987 and the Patriarch of Constantinople had organized that Church into a subordinate Byzantine metropolitanate. The names, "metropolitanate", "patriarch" and others, are designations of rank in the Orthodox Churches. "Patriarch" is roughly the same as "pope" in the Catholic Church. The meanings are generally self-explanatory in the context of the passage.

Peace and prosperity do not foster institutional religions as well as strife does.  In desperation, people are more disposed to turn to religion for solace during times of tribulation.  Political leaders are all too well aware of this and use it to further their aims by linking patriotism and religion.