Was the Holy Spirit talking through Catholics or was he on vacation until the Protestants broke away ?
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2007-05-20 06:12:52 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
12.
Catholicism started w/ Constantine in 300 AD (I'm rounding off the years), and it wasn't really challenged until Martin Luther started Protestants in 1500 AD
That's a pretty lazy spirit!
2007-05-20 06:14:54 · answer #1 · answered by DougDoug_ 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hard to say, there were differing views early on Gnostics, Nestorians. Catholicism was "official" in the second century, then in the fourth century Constantine made it the State religion, then the Great Schism came, then the Protestant Reformation.
All churches will claim to have a direct line.
But the ones that really do are the Roman Catholic and the Greek Orthodox. And some that have broken off with very little variation, which still call themselves Catholic.
2007-05-20 13:18:06 · answer #2 · answered by Karma 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many Catholics are Christian. many Baptist are, Heck there are even a few Mormons. Not everyone in any religious group are Christians. Not everyone who says Lord Lord... Many Christian don't belong yo any organized religion. There have been Christians since the day of Pentecost. From that day the spread all over the face of the world. many of them had no idea that the Bishop of Rome by order of the crown had claimed the right to stand between man and God for all men. Many believed that since the Gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on all men they needed no one to stand between them and God. There were many churches all over the world that did, and do not look to Rome for direction. This has always been, it didn't have it's beginning with the reformation... Jim
2007-05-20 13:40:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
None.
Catholicism traces its roots to Peter, but the word Catholic can mean any number of churches who trace their history back to the apostles, including the Episcopal, Orthodox and Lutheran churches. Roman Catholicism is merely one such church.
The Orthodox and Roman churches split officially in the 11th century, but there were problems between them as far back as the 8th century.
Even in the writings of Paul, there were schisms among the Corinthian and others. Beliefs were never truly universsal, and individual churches had conflicting teachings on at least small points.
The idea that there was one universal set of beliefs held by all christians is an illusion.
2007-05-20 13:23:54 · answer #4 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It was the only "Legal" form from the early 300's AD until the 1500's, so about 13 Centuries.
2007-05-20 13:17:50 · answer #5 · answered by mxcardinal 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
About 1200 years give or take from Constantine to the reformation.
2007-05-20 13:17:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
None there was always another sect someplace outside of Europe. Still is.
2007-05-20 13:36:18 · answer #7 · answered by hairypotto 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably never, if you ask the Greek Orthodox Churches.
2007-05-20 13:17:28 · answer #8 · answered by Randy G 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
0. Orthodox churches existed before catholicism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church
2007-05-20 13:26:12 · answer #9 · answered by cynic 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Judaism came before Christianity. And Paganism even before that. What's your point?...
2007-05-20 13:16:34 · answer #10 · answered by Fool on the Hill 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋