Michael Brooks
Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. The Catholic Church is often regarded as the original Christian church, tracing its roots to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine around 30 CE. Catholics believe that their church was founded by Jesus and is the living manifestation of Christ, with St. Peter as the first Pope. However, other Christian denominations, such as the Orthodox Church, also claim to be the oldest, and there are differing perspectives on the matter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholics believe that their church is the original church founded by Jesus Christ | Catholics believe they are the original Christians |
| The term "Christian" first appeared in the Bible in Acts 11:26 | The term "Catholic Church" first appeared in writing around AD 107 |
| The Catholic Church is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.3 billion followers | Catholics believe that the pope, the bishop of Rome, is the leader of the church and successor to St. Peter |
| Catholicism differs from other forms of Christianity in its beliefs about the sacraments, the role of the Bible and tradition, and the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints | Catholics believe that their church has an unbroken lineage of popes and that all other forms of Christianity are branches that protested against certain doctrines, traditions, and authorities |
| Catholics worship God and Jesus Christ, not statues or the Virgin Mary | Catholics rely on Scripture and tradition for their beliefs, including oral traditions that predate the Bible |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics believe they are the original Christians
Catholics believe that their church is the original Christian church, founded by Jesus Christ himself. They believe that St. Peter was the first Pope, and that there has been an uninterrupted line of Popes through history to Pope Francis today. All other forms of Christianity are, according to Catholics, branches that have broken off from this original lineage. The term 'Protestant', for example, comes from the word ''protest', referring to groups of people who disagreed with the Catholic Church.
Catholics believe that other denominations may claim to have more of the truth, or to be getting back to "real" Christianity, but none can claim to be started by Christ Himself, or to be older than the Catholic Church. The first recorded use of the term "Christian" is found in the New Testament in Acts 11:26, where Paul and Barnabas were preaching to the church in Antioch. It was during the reign of Evodius, the bishop of Antioch, that the disciples there were first called Christians.
However, some argue that the church in Antioch was not yet the Catholic Church, and that the term "Catholic Church" was first used later, by Ignatius of Antioch, in a letter to Christians in Smyrna. Ignatius exhorted Christians to follow their bishop as the broader universal assembly of Christians follows Christ. He wrote, "Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church", indicating that the term was already familiar to his readers.
The Catholic Church is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. As a branch of Christianity, Roman Catholicism can be traced to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine about 30 CE.
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The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. As a branch of Christianity, Roman Catholicism can be traced back to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine around 30 CE.
The Catholic Church considers itself to be the original Christian church, with all other forms of Christianity branching off from its lineage. This claim is supported by the fact that the early church in Antioch, founded by St. Peter, was the first assembly of Christians, who were then called disciples. These disciples later became known as Christians, but their assembly was, in fact, the Catholic Church.
While some may argue that the Catholic Church was founded by mere men later in Christian history, this is refuted by historical evidence. The belief that the Catholic Church is the original Christian church is central to its understanding of itself and essential to the justification of its authority.
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Catholics were the first followers of Christ
The term "Catholic Church" (Gk. katholike ekklesia) means "universal assembly", and was first used by Ignatius in his writings to the Christians of Smyrna, exhorting them to follow their bishop as the broader assembly of Christians follows Christ. Ignatius was a disciple of John, and was later appointed bishop of Antioch by Peter, where he served for many years before his martyrdom in Rome. Ignatius's use of the term "Catholic Church" indicates that the term was already familiar to his readers, and had likely been in use for some time, dating back to the time of the apostles.
The Catholic Church, as the original form of Christianity, possesses a continuity with the past that is central to its understanding of itself and essential to its claim to authority. The Catholic Church is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. The leader of the Catholic Church is the Pope, the bishop of Rome, who is considered to be the successor of St. Peter.
While some may argue that the Catholic Church was founded by men later in Christian history, this is not supported by historical evidence. The early Church in Antioch, founded by Peter, was indeed the Catholic Church, and the term "Catholic" was used by Ignatius to refer to the universal assembly of Christians following Christ. The belief that Catholics were the first followers of Christ is further supported by the fact that the Catholic Church is the only denomination that claims to have been started by Christ Himself, with an unbroken lineage of Popes leading to the current Pope Francis.
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The Catholic Church has an unbroken lineage
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic. Catholicism can be traced to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine around 30 CE.
The Catholic Church considers itself to be the original form of Christianity. This belief is based on the concept of apostolic succession, with an unbroken line of Popes succeeding St. Peter, whom Jesus chose to build his church upon. However, it is important to note that other Christian denominations, such as Orthodox Christians, may disagree and claim that their churches are the oldest.
While the Catholic Church recognises the authority of the Pope, the leader of the Church, other Christian churches, such as Protestant denominations, emerged as a result of protests against the doctrines, traditions, and authority of the Catholic Church. These denominations may argue that they are returning to "real" Christianity or that Jesus would not recognise the modern Catholic Church. Nonetheless, the Catholic Church maintains that it possesses the divine truth and continuity with the past, which are central to its understanding of its authority.
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The term 'Catholic' means 'universal'
The term "Catholic" is derived from the Greek adjective "katholikos", which means "universal". The word "catholic" comes from the Greek phrase "katholou", which means "on the whole, according to the whole, in general". It is a combination of the Greek words "kata", meaning "about", and "holos", meaning "whole". The term "Catholic Church" (Gk. "katholike ekklesia") means "universal assembly".
The first known use of the term "Catholic" was by Ignatius of Antioch in his "Letter to the Smyrnaeans" (circa 107 AD). In this letter, Ignatius exhorts Christians to follow their bishop just as the broader universal assembly of Christians follows Christ. He writes, "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". This is the earliest known written record of the term "Catholic Church", but it is presumed that the term had been in use for much longer.
The term "Catholic" is also found in the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian creeds. Many Protestants have given the term a different meaning, ignoring its historical usage. However, early Christians used the term "Catholic" to refer to the universal church, not any particular denomination. They believed that the Catholic Church was the true Church, distinct from heretical congregations.
The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox churches, and Church of the East, all maintain that their denomination is identical to the original universal church, from which all other denominations broke away. They believe that their church is the only original and universal church. This belief is based on the idea of apostolic succession, or an uninterrupted line of Popes, starting with St. Peter, the first Pope.
In summary, the term "Catholic" means "universal", and the term "Catholic Church" refers to the universal assembly of Christians who follow Christ. The earliest use of the term is attributed to Ignatius of Antioch, and it has been an important concept in Christianity since the early Church.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Catholics are Christians. Catholics follow the life, teachings, and death of Jesus Christ, which is the basis of the world religion, Christianity.
Catholics believe that they are the original Christians as their founder was Jesus Christ. However, some modern Christians believe that the Catholic Church was founded by men much later in Christian history. The term "Christian" was first used in Acts 11:26, where Paul and Barnabas were preaching to the church in Antioch.
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. Catholicism differs from other Christian churches in its beliefs about the sacraments, the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, the role of the Bible and tradition, and the papacy.
