Investigate how geography affected the East-West Schism.

The East-West Schism, which formally divided Christianity into the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East in 1054, was influenced by a variety of factors, including geographic elements. Let's evaluate the options presented:

**A. Disputes over political control of the Church played a more important role than geographic differences between the Eastern and Western Churches.**
- While political disputes, especially concerning the authority of the Pope versus the Patriarch, were significant, geographic factors also contributed to communication barriers and cultural divergences that were equally important in the eventual schism.

**B. Cultural differences such as the language of religious services are the only example of geographic influence.**
- This statement oversimplifies the geographic influence. Language is indeed one example, but geography also affected trade routes, political alliances, and military conflicts, all of which were part of how the churches developed differently over time.

**C. Geography influenced the language, politics, and power centers of both the Eastern and Western Church.**
- This is the most accurate option. The Eastern Orthodox Church operated in a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic environment, with Greek being predominant, influencing theological development and liturgical practices. In contrast, the Western Church, predominantly Latin, had its own cultural and political dynamics, with the Pope in Rome wielding significant religious and political power. Geographic barriers, such as the Adriatic Sea and the mountains between Eastern and Western Europe, also hampered communication and contributed to divergent development.

**D. The Eastern Church was more influenced by geography than the West because of caesaropapism.**
- While caesaropapism was an important concept in the Eastern Church, attributing the East's influence solely to this concept overlooks the complexities of geographic impacts on both churches.

In conclusion, **C** is the best answer because it highlights the multifaceted ways in which geography affected the language, politics, and power dynamics in both the Eastern and Western Churches, contributing significantly to the East-West Schism.