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* The [[Great Schism]]; either of two rifts within the Christian church.
* See Old believers and Raskol for schism within the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]].
* Any Christian communion or sect that has left the [[One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church]]. Which church constitutes the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church has long been disputed: for instance, the [[Roman Catholic Church]] claims that title and considers the Eastern Orthodox Communion to be in schism, while the Eastern Orthodox Communion also claims that title and holds that the Roman Catholic Communion is schismatic and heretical; meanwhile, the Protestant movement considers them both to be in error, as does the Restorationist movement, also including the Protestants in that error.
In the early centuries of Christianity, schism was considered by many Christians to be as serious or more serious than [[heresy]]. Within the Roman Catholic Church schism is still an act that incurs automatic excommunication as a penalty.
