Schism

Schism (Greek schisma, a split or tear) refers to a division or separation within the body of Christ that disrupts the unity of the church. In the New Testament the word appears most explicitly in 1 Corinthians 12:25, where Paul states that God has designed the body so that "there may be no schism in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." The word also appears in 1 Corinthians 1:10, where Paul urges the Corinthians to be united in mind and judgment and avoid divisions — addressing the factional partisanship that had developed around different apostolic teachers. Jesus' high-priestly prayer in John 17 establishes unity as central to the church's witness: the world will know Christ was sent from God by the observable love and unity of his followers (John 17:21–23). Theologically, schism is distinguished from heresy (false doctrine) in that it involves breaking fellowship over matters of secondary importance, discipline, or personal loyalty rather than fundamental doctrinal error, though in practice the two frequently occur together.