What makes a Catholic catholic?

Question

What defines catholicism? how are catholics any different from Methodists or anglicans or charismatics? What makes catholics so distinct?

Answer 1

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.

A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The word Catholic holds the key.

The word Catholic has two meanings in Greek. The first is "all embracing." It in essence means non-denominational. To be Catholic is to embrace all, especially the unlovable. It may not seem distinct from Protestants but it is. When two Protestants disagree they form a new denomination. There are now 46,000 Protestant denominations. When two Catholics disagree they (hopefully) pray on it and embrace in the divine Love. Communion holds us together even though none of us share a world view. A tribesman from a primitive society and a New York neurosurgeon certainly do not share a world view, yet they can share communion. There is more variety of religious expression within the Catholic Church than across all of Protestantism. Some forms of ancient Christianity are still practiced in the Catholic Church and have no analogs at all in Protestantism.

The second meaning is "according to the whole." This means that a Catholic belief is only those beliefs held by the whole body across the entire history of the Church to the apostles. Whatever happened in the 1st century is the standard for today. This does not mean Catholics do not have local beliefs that differ from the Church, just that they are not binding upon anyone else. So, for example, some Catholics say the rosary but there is no obligation on all Catholics to say or use the rosary. It isn't a Catholic belief, but it is a belief many Catholic hold and it is the present form of a first century prayer form. That first century prayer form is part of the apostolic tradition, the specific form is not in the strictest sense. Other elements of that same prayer form are chaplets and the Jesus prayer (protestants call it "centering prayer" to make it acceptable).

A Catholic embraces all and only holds as an obligation of belief those beliefs held since apostolic times. Protestants demand you hold the current system of beliefs by the denomination. Truth varies in Protestantism, it is constant in Catholicism.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church claims the Pope as a direct spiritual line back to the apostle peter. He is the representative and the final voice on what the Bible means. The Anglicans and E$astern Orthodox are Catholics as well. Just that the Anglicans take the King or queen of England as the head of the Church and the Eastern Orthodox use their own Patriarch. You don't really want to get into all the dogma about the Trinity or Saints.
The majority of the protestants are rooted in Calvinism and have no person to interpret between them and the writings, in theory. In practice all Baptist type or Charismatics are under the control of their sects preachers interpretation of the Bible, and some of them are weird indeed.

Answer 4

Catholisim is the parent denomination of Christianity, the original Church founded by Christ. In the1500s the Protestant Reformation occurred, and from there a "different branch" split off from the Catholic Church. We are all Christian - protestant and catholic - but the confusion over Christianity insues when you try to examine all the different protestant denominations. It's sorta built into protestantism that they don't all believe the same things, yet each claims to have the correct interpretation of Christ's teachings.

I would say that as far as doctrines, the Catholic Church has very highly developed doctrines that have emerged during Her 2000 year history, and lot of which most protestants do not understand. I think this is why they end up calling us non-christian because a lot of the Church's doctrines aren't directly found in the bible, even though they are hinted at or derived from scripture.

Take your time and study up on this. You'll enjoy it.

Answer 5

Catholics are unified in faith and belief in the dogmas of our religion. I will not name all distinctive beliefs, but we believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Mary born without sin), The Assumption of Mary (Mary is in Heaven body and soul with God)and The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession), to name a few. I think what makes us distinctive is the fact that we are unified under the teaching of the Pope, and are not allowed to just pick what we feel comfortable in believing. It is ALL or NOTHING.


Ps. Post your question on EWTN website where you are bound to get the best answer. Don't mind all the obvious and ignorant misrepresentations of Catholicism(that make me sigh and give me headache)

Answer 6

Catholics accept the God given authority of the church, the authority of the pope, and the teaching authority of the all the bishops, in union with the pope.

Catholics also believe that both scripture plus sacred and apostolic tradition are necessary for a complete understanding of all God's revealed truth.

Catholics believe all that God has revealed to his church for the purpose of our salvation.

Catholics believe that Jesus personally instituted both the church and the seven sacraments, as his primary means of giving grace, and that neither the church or the saints are bound by the confines of time and space.

Catholics believe than anyone God chooses to save, for whatever reason and by whatever method, is saved only by that grace which he obtained for us on the cross, and which he has entrusted into the care of his church, which remains forever one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic, with Jesus as its' head, and the Holy Spirit as counselor and divine truth advocate.

Answer 7

I think it's sort of a self-declaration thing. There's Roman Catholic, but other "Catholics" who aren't Roman Catholic. It's semantic, granted, but I think a lot of Catholics have a weirdly deep attachment to their identity as Catholics.

As the joke goes, in Ireland if you're an atheist, people ask you "yes, but are you a Catholic atheist or a Protestant atheist?"

Answer 8

I'd recommend the following book to you: "What Makes us Catholic: Eight Gifts for Life" by Thomas H. Groome - it's a wonderful read. (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/What-Makes-Us-Catholic-Eight/dp/0060633999/sr=1-1/qid=1167611410/ref=sr_1_1/104-9968435-7759146?ie=UTF8&s=books) Hope you find a copy, and happy reading!

Answer 9

Catholics pray to saints. Some of the people that the Catholic church calls saints actually were "called" saints but some of them were not even believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Called saints are called out of the world and of false religion.

The Catholic church teaches the practice of witchcraft. Burning candles is not a sin but the way the Catholic church says to do it is. Saying the rosary is witchcraft.

The Catholic church says that Catholics "venerate" statues which is another way of saying that they worship idols.

Answer 10

The Catholic church came into being as a result of the mixing up of Christianity and the Roman empire. "Idolatry" is the key word. In Christianity, Idolatry is not allowed. In fact it is said to be an abomination. But in Catholism it is accepted and practiced.