Dear George,

For a full detailed description on The Great Schism or the differences in theology with the Eastern Orthodox Church, it's best to read a good book or encyclopedia articles on the history of the Catholic Church because of the vastness of the topic. I would suggest reading, The Founding of Christendom by Dr. Carroll.

The term "primus inter pares" or "first among equals" come from the Eastern Orthodox Church's view that the Bishop of Rome holds a primacy of honor among the five great patriarchates. However, they do not believe in the primacy of authority held by the Bishop of Rome which is one of the major differences that caused the schism (among other things, such as the sack of Constantinople). One of the reasons why they hold this view is because at times, the papacy was viewed as a dictatorship similar to that of an emperor rather than a spiritual shepherd or "Servant of the Servants of God".

The Eastern Orthodox Church attended the first seven ecumenical councils, but the differences between the two sides had been developing before the schism of 1054. However, the proofs for Papal Primacy are more than clear in scripture:

"In Matthew 16:19, Jesus gives Peter "the keys to the kingdom" and the power to bind and loose. While the latter is later given to the other apostles (Matt. 18:18), the former is not. In Luke 22:28–32, Jesus assures the apostles that they all have authority, but then he singles out Peter, conferring upon him a special pastoral authority over the other disciples which he is to exercise by strengthening their faith (22:31–32).

In John 21:15–17, with only the other disciples present (cf. John 21:2), Jesus asks Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"—in other words, is Peter more devoted to him than the other disciples? When Peter responds that he is, Jesus instructs him: "Feed my lambs" (22:15). Thus we see Jesus describing the other disciples, the only other people who are present, the ones whom Jesus refers to as "these," as part of the lambs that he instructs Peter to feed, giving him the role of pastor (shepherd) over them. Again, a reference to Peter having more than merely a primacy of honor with respect to the other apostles, but a primacy of pastoral discipline as well."

Similarly, in 180 AD, St. Iranaeus, Bishop of Lyons wrote:

"But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volume as this the successions of all the churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul—that church which has the tradition and the faith with which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the apostles. For with this Church, because of its superior origin, all churches must agree, that is, all the faithful in the whole world. And it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the apostolic tradition"  (Adversus Heresies 3:3:1-3)

This quote was one of the most critical in regards to papal primacy in the Early Church. Both Tradition and Scripture defend the primacy of Peter.

God bless,
Mr. Mathew