One of the real joys of spending time reading and studying the writings of the earliest Christians (aka the Early Church Fathers) is gaining a bit of insight into what life was like those who professed to be Christian.Posted on 01/15/2012 2:36:04 PM PST by narses
One of the real joys of spending time reading and studying the writings of the earliest Christians (aka the Early Church Fathers) is gaining a bit of insight into what life was like those who professed to be Christian.
One of the real surprises (at least to me) was how early the term “Catholic” came to be used to refer to all Christians.
How early? How about the year 107 … maybe even earlier!
From the Letter to the Smyrnaeans by St. Ignatius of Antioch:
Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful to baptize or give communion without the consent of the bishop. On the other hand, whatever has his approval is pleasing to God. Thus, whatever is done will be safe and valid.
Note that St. Ignatius is a real hero of the early Church – both a bishop and a martyr at the hands of the Romans, he left an awesome written legacy of letters to local churches … primarily encouragement as he marched to his martyrdom.
The current wiki article presents a good overview of the life of St. Ignatius of Antioch. From that article comes this paragraph:
It is from the word katholikos that the word “catholic” comes. When Ignatius wrote the Letter to the Smyrnaeans in about the year 107 and used the word “catholic”, he used it as if it were a word already in use to describe the Church. This has led many scholars to conclude that the appellation “Catholic Church” with its ecclesial connotation may have been in use as early as the last quarter of the first century.
While this may seem like a small point, I think it’s rather significant – the sense of universality, of all Christians belonging to the church that they themselves called katholikos … this gives us some real insight into what Christians thought important.
An Opposing View
Notice it is in direct contrast to the probably well-intentioned, but definitely historically inaccurate perspective of those who oppose the reality of the one Church founded by Jesus Christ. Typical of this perspective is a recent post by Thomas H., who writes from a Baptist perspective:
The application of the word “catholic” was not used in reference to all supposed Christians until the Council of Trent. This word was used by catholics to beat over the heads of non catholics in the sence of saying you do not belong to the true church. This resulted in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Christians who were not Roman Catholics by the emissaries of Rome.
I think you get the idea … the only real problem with all that is it doesn’t square with the historical record on any level, starting with the word catholic.
The Historical Reality
I can empathize with folks like Thomas – when you have spent your whole life being told bits and pieces of what happened, along with stuff that’s simply not true by folks who spent their lives in the same circumstances, it must be hard to be open to the reality that contradicts what you believe.
Yet, the historical record is clear, and provides an eloquent testimony to the truth … from its earliest days the Church understood that unity and universality were basic marks of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.
It began calling itself katholikos around the end of the first century, at most a few years after the death of the last apostle (John). It did not begin with the Council of Trent (late 16th century – nearly 1500 years later) or any other time. In fact, by the time the canon of Scripture – what we call the Bible – was settled Christians had been calling themselves Catholics for almost 300 years … longer than the United States has even been a country!
That Church remains Catholic to this day, and will remain so until the end of time (Matthew 16:18+).
An Invitation
If this does not seem right to you, please investigate on your own. Look into the historical record – pagan, Jewish, or Christian – and see what evidence supports each side. What you’ll find is exactly what the Church has always understood … it is katholikos, and has been so from the beginning.
The writings of the Early Church Fathers are widely available, with treatments ranging from the easily-accessible to the more in-depth, scholarly works. A good place to start for most folks is Four Witnesses by Rod Bennett – a very readable account, well-grounded in current scholarship,
Cicero wrote:
That was one reason why I left the Anglican Church, because like Newman I concluded that there was no way that it could be the universal Church, throughout the world and through all time since its founding by Christ. I received great good from growing up in the Anglican Church. I have read and considered its own claims to be universal and apostolic, and I found that I simply could not justify those claims.
Well said.
Good point!
Just because someone picks up a good word and incorporates it into their title doesn't mean anything. Are the LDS the real saints because they incorporate the word "saint" into the name they chose for their supposed church. No. Neither is the Catholic Church the true Church because they chose the name "Catholic" as their title.
And yes, they murdered countless people who did not agree with them. They were in power. The Jewish religious system that was in power at the time of Christ rejected and murdered Him. Being the religious system in power does not make you right. The Jewish religious system was abolished and will not come back until Jesus comes again.
In fact catholic means that all people who believe in Jesus are a part of the universal Church, not that you have to be "Catholic" to be a member of the universal Church.
________________________________________________________
] Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; all]
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4 [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.
More insults. Hope you feel better.
In fact catholic means that all people who believe in Jesus are a part of the universal Church, not that you have to be "Catholic" to be a member of the universal Church.Eh, no. Then Our Lord would have NOT founded ONE Church, appointed Apostles to govern that ONE Church and given them the power to do so.
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ “
More insults.
Believe me, I could put up a lot of really weird Catholics pictures up too. Just follow Catholic threads on FR and you will find all kinds of deviant Catholics that are discussed. You prove nothing.
So? “Deviant Catholics” are by definition, well, deviant. So?
Who do you think authenticated the books known as the “Bible”? To authenticate you must have authority given by Christ to St. Peter and his Apostles. It is the Catholic Church that placed its imprimatur on the books we call the Bible and discarded other tracts known as the agnostic gospels. Go check it up.
"The word catholic (derived via Late Latin catholicus, from the Greek adjective καθολικός (katholikos), meaning "universal") comes from the Greek phrase καθόλου (kath'holou), meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words κατά meaning "about" and όλος meaning "whole". The word in English can mean either "including a wide variety of things; all-embracing" or "of the Roman Catholic faith" as "relating to the historic doctrine and practice of the Western Church."It was first used to describe the Christian Church in the early 2nd century to emphasize its universal scope. In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. In non-ecclesiastical use, it derives its English meaning directly from its root, and is currently used to mean
universal or of general interest;
liberal, having broad interests, or wide sympathiesor inclusive, inviting and containing strong evangelism.
All Christians believe in the Catholic Church. Not all believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the totality of the Catholic Church.
Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ “
Yes, I see your point. But basically, people either thought of themselves as Christian believers or non-Christians. There didn’t seem to be the multitude of organized denominations that there are today.
When did Christians start ignoring the direct access to the Throne of Grace and start praying to dead Christians for help?
Cicero must know that that is not what the Book of Common Prayer says re: the word “catholic”.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
...
Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic
Church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its
unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.
...
Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;
That we all may be one.
When did Christians start ignoring the direct access to the Throne of Grace and start praying to dead Christians for help?Oh please tell us. Please. Direct from the Throne of the Single Wide Church. Give us the answer, please!
Agreed. I would put it as “Catholic” means universal and also can mean that present day organization headquarted in Rome with Benedict as its head. Propagandists play on the confusion engendered by the ambiguity.
“when did Christians first call themselves Catholic?”
A hell of a long time before they didn’t.
Chapter 6. Unbelievers in the blood of Christ shall be condemnedLet no man deceive himself. Both the things which are in heaven, and the glorious angels, and rulers, both visible and invisible, if they believe not in the blood of Christ, shall, in consequence, incur condemnation. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Matthew 19:12 Let not [high] place puff any one up: for that which is worth all is faith and love, to which nothing is to be preferred. But consider those who are of a different opinion with respect to the grace of Christ which has come unto us, how opposed they are to the will of God. They have no regard for love; no care for the widow, or the orphan, or the oppressed; of the bond, or of the free; of the hungry, or of the thirsty.
Chapter 7. Let us stand aloof from such heretics
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it with respect, that they also might rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that you should keep aloof from such persons, and not to speak of them either in private or in public, but to give heed to the prophets, and above all, to the Gospel, in which the passion [of Christ] has been revealed to us, and the resurrection has been fully proved. But avoid all divisions, as the beginning of evils.
Chapter 8. Let nothing be done without the bishop
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.
Chapter 9. Honour the bishop
Moreover, it is in accordance with reason that we should return to soberness [of conduct], and, while yet we have opportunity, exercise repentance towards God. It is well to reverence both God and the bishop. He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop, does [in reality] serve the devil. Let all things, then, abound to you through grace, for you are worthy. You have refreshed me in all things, and Jesus Christ [shall refresh] you. You have loved me when absent as well as when present. May God recompense you, for whose sake, while you endure all things, you shall attain unto Him.
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans
It is clear that according to St. Ignatius the Holy Catholic Church, the Church which is where Christ is -- is also the Church believing in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and ruled by bishops, and not some sum total of all Christians as some would like to interpret the word.
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