in the word " Roman Catholic", why is the word Roman attached to the word Catholic?

Answer 1

The Catholic Church has consistently referred to itself as the “Catholic Church” at least since the early second century, when the term appears in the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch

The new Anglican Church in England started using the term “Roman” in the 1500s as one of many ways of demeaning and demonizing Catholics.

Catholics accepted this late coming adjective without too much protest. Today “Catholic” and “Roman Catholic” are interchangeable terms. Both terms are even used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

To add a little more confusion, some apply the term “Roman Catholic Church” only to the Latin Rite Catholic Church, excluding the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in full communion with the Pope, and are part of the same Church, under the Pope.

The term “Roman” neither increases nor decreases the faith, hope and love of the Catholic Church.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Actually, it was meant as an insult and as a protective statement by Protestants.

The word Catholic is from two Greek words and means either "all embracing" or "according to the whole." The word universal really isn't a good translation as it misses the point.

If you add an adjective to the word Catholic it ceases meaning Catholic anymore. Protestants needed to say it because they were purposefully not all embracing. And they rejected decision making by the whole body rather than just themselves. That is the reason there are currently 46,000 Protestant denominations. They refuse to permit whole body wide decisions and refuse to embrace everyone, especially those who disagree with them.

Protestants then invented the doctrine of the "invisible" church. The whole church is invisible and not real. You cannot see it. It is there, but who is in it is not only unknown but cannot be known.

Catholicism prohibits decision by conference in the same sense as Protestants. For example, if the Anglican Communion permits gay marriage it just votes on it or the Baptists. That is why there are such wishy washy belief systems in Protestantism. You can believe anything and find a denomination to support it.

Catholics resolve the question by the use of apostolic beliefs. What are the beliefs professed from the beginning? Voting is then determined not to determine correctness but rather fittedness to ancient belief. There are no women priests, for example, because they did not exist in apostolic times, nor immediately after the apostolic period. Catholics do not get to change beliefs because society changes. It is according to the whole, not only the whole today, but the whole across time.

Now Catholics have started using "Roman Catholic," or "Byzantine Catholic," etc to describe for fellow Catholics what the service looks like. It tells you which apostolic community the service come from. So for example, a Keralan Catholic uses the services left by the apostle Thomas, Roman Catholics by Peter, Coptic Catholics by Mark, Byzantine Catholics by James. Each one is a little different and have had slight modifications as time has gone on, mostly to shorten them.

Answer 3

Several churches consider themselves catholic (Which comes from the Greek Katholikos, which means universal). they are:
* the Roman Catholic church (as you pointed out)
* the Oriental Orthodox Church
* the Eastern Orthodox Church
* the Assyrian Church of the East

All these churches profess their adherence to catholism in the Nicene Creed ("We believe in one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church")

Left unqualified, the Catholic Church is understood to be the Roman Catholic Church.

The origin between the Church of Rome and the Eastern Church of Antioch is stems from the two apostles who professed the Gospel in the early days of Christianity: St Peter (Rome) and his brother St Andrew (Antioch).

At issue with these Church is really a question of leadership. The Eastern Churches do not recognize the Pope as the ultimate authority. One of the thing they all have in common is the adoration of the Eucharist as being the body of Christ (This is a central belief in Catholicism)

There is a nice write up on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism) on Catholicism. Have a read

Answer 4

"Roman" refers to the Roman rite, ie Latin Rite, which differs from the liturgies in the Byzantine Rite, Syrian Rite and Coptic Rite, among others.

Roman Catholic is the most prevalent rite in the U.S., while there are small communities of the others.

The key differences are the original language (sometimes still in use; Syrian Rite or Maronite still uses much Aramaic, for example) and specific prayers within the liturgy. What is in common is the Creed, the recognition of the authority of the Pope, and the administering of the Eucharist as the Real Presence.

Answer 5

Catholics were just Catholics for a long time.

Then the Pope began doing things that alot of people did not agree with. They split.

Roman and Greek Catholics.

They have split a number of times since into Lutheran, etc.

Answer 6

Becuase the ROman Catholics originated in Rome

Answer 7

Because when Christianity was first made "official", as in recognised by a government, it was by the Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire. Also, to distinguishj it from the Eastern Orthodox church.

Answer 8

though both catholic the Irish and the Romans had beliefs that slightly differed as a young America developed it became important for their Churches to elaborate which system of beliefs they preached

Answer 9

around 360 ad constantine decided "Christianity" would be the national religion. it took some time but Roman Catholicism is the result. it's all considerably different today, but the name stuck.

Answer 10

cuz it originated in ROME. Catholic the only church to trace its lineage to the first POPE, St. PETER.
"...you are the rock and on you I will build my church.."--Jesus
When Peter died there was a need of successors to lead the Church...and voila here we are today with Pope Benedict 16th