Before the Protestant reformation, there was no such thing as a "denomination". There was only the Catholic Church in the west and the Eastern Orthodox Churches in the east.
And before 1054 AD, there was only the Catholic Church with an unbroken Apostolic line going all the way back to the Apostle Peter when Jesus founded the Church with Peter as the first leader (what we today call the Pope).
The combination "the Catholic Church" (he katholike ekklesia) is found for the first time in the letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, written about the year 110. The words run: "Wheresoever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [katholike] Church."
2006-11-12 10:46:28 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No idea whatsover. Good point! The key word there is PROTEST.
Catholic means universal. The Church is spread throughout the entire world and is UNITED.
Protestant means protest.
Protestants all claim to use the Bible alone, yet they all teach radically different things.
Somehow, I don't think this is what Jesus wanted when he prayed for us to be ONE.
2006-11-12 10:49:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
You've done your homework. If only everyone else would too.
P.S.....sgoldperson (next up above), the Catholic Church DID NOT CHANGE the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments are found in two different places within the Holy Bible. The version almost all Protestants learn and memorize is found in Exodus 20 while the version held up by Catholics is known as the Decalogue and is found inDeuteronomy 5. When they are repeated in Deuteronomy they seem to be described just a slight bit different from Exodus, but you will see the main elements of what they say are the same. And BOTH are found in the Holy Bible and Books of Moses.
2006-11-12 10:52:50 · answer #2 · answered by Augustine 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I remember reading something about Martin Luther. He protested about the Catholic church, which insisted that the people pay so much money to the church. Martin Luther was a monk. I'm sure there are sites where you can get all the information you need. Maybe someone else can help you better.
2006-11-12 10:56:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
God, do I ever *love* to hear St. Ignatius quoted!!!
I tend to agree....the baby (Tradition and Reason) was indeed thrown out with the bathwater (the unfortunate Romish practice of the selling of indulgences) - and self-interpretation of Scripture became the Protestant norm.
Problem: "self interpretation" itself - when you buy into "sola Scriptura" - where The Bible is the only rule and guide for your faith - and you've got 10,000 different people interpreting the same scripture 10,000 different ways, and no Tradition, no Bishops or no Magisterium....you are going to logically and eventually end up with 10,000 denominations.
2006-11-12 10:57:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You people are idiots. The names we give things sometimes sticks even if it isn't all that relevant. Besides, meaning changes over time. Do you *really* think that the modern Protest line of churches is all about protest & division just because you're reading too much into the name?
Here's a simple example. Do you think Mtv means the same thing it did 20 years ago? It used to be a station devoted to music videos, now it's a station devoted to crap. See? Meanings change over time.
That's because words and their meanings shift over time - like techtonic plates. There's a linguistic study of this phenomenon and it's called Semiotics. I suggest you look into it.
2006-11-12 11:40:48 · answer #5 · answered by Good Times, Happy Times... 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Religion division is about mans erroneous teachings & self righteous teachings in the different churches.
The false teachings are sown of the devil and are called tares/ weeds. The true Word of God is the good seed.
I have heard of few churches that call themselves Protestants.
2006-11-12 10:53:22 · answer #6 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most of what you say is correct. Orthodox was the first christian church, catholic (meaning universal) and apostolic. Catholics are a branch off from Orthodox
2006-11-12 11:27:14 · answer #7 · answered by travelguruette 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Most Protestants don't know the history of their sect. But the same can be said of most religions and their sects.
The common folk believe as they are told to believe, often with the threat of damnation if they question.
2006-11-12 10:59:51 · answer #8 · answered by Black Dragon 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Why do Catholics claim to be the true Religion when they have changed the Ten Commandments? They used to sell "forgiveness" and you wonder why there was a split from them? Open your eyes to the truth. Ever think the Protestants who complain believe there should only be one true view? I really don't know why they comlain or what you are talking about but face it they had reason to break away.
2006-11-12 10:52:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
Maybe it's because after all this time, they realize that we should put our differences aside & work together for the greater good?
Unfortunately, you seem to be proliferating more division amongst Christians by posting this question. :(
Besides which, the protestant movement happened in response to corruption within the church. Martin Luther himself did not want to start another denomination, only to convince the pope that the corruption needed to be addressed & removed, but it didn't work, so he felt he had no other choice.
2006-11-12 10:50:15 · answer #10 · answered by kristalshyt 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋