Schism

The word schism is derived from the Greek σχισμα, schisma, meaning division or split (from σχιζο, schizo, "to split").

Schism can refer to:

• The offense of inciting divisions among Christians.
• The event of two groups of Christians ceasing to be in communion with each other, so that, whereas they formerly could worship together, they decide they must worship separately because of disagreements between them. See also orthodoxy.
• The Great Schism; either of two rifts within the Christian church.
• Any Christian communion or sect that has left the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Which church is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is disputed; the Catholic Communion claims that title and considers the Eastern Orthodox Communion to be in schism; the Eastern Orthodox Communion also claims that title and holds that the Catholic Communion is heretical.
• Any division of a formerly united movement in politics or any other field into two or more disagreeing groups.
• The Schism between the anarchists (libertarian socialists) and communists of the International Workingmen's Association; more specifically between their respective leaders: Mikhail Bakunin and Karl Marx.

A schismatic is a person who creates or incites schism or a member of a schismatic church. Schismatic can also be used as an adjective to describe ideas, policies, etc. that are thought to lead towards or promote schism, or to describe a Christian church that has departed from whichever communion the user of the word schism considers the true Christian church.

In the early centuries of Christianity, schism was considered by many Christians to be as serious or more serious than heresy.

See Old believers and Raskol for schism in Russian Orthodox Church.

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Schism is also a song by the band Tool, from the album Lateralus.

Schism was also the name of a NYC-based hardcore record label/fanzine.