Aren't Catholics, Christians?

Question

Well, I'm a Muslim and as far as I thought I knew about Christianity; Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah Witnesses and others belonged to diferent sects of CHRISTIANITY!

So, basicly, all would call themselves Christians, u know!

But recently I have seen that the word 'Catholic' and 'Christian' used in the same sentence to reffer to different people almost all the time in R&S and other forums. Besides, what really puzzled me was that when I was reading this book on Islamic history by a westerner and I came to the topic of 'Crusades' - he seem to have divided the churches into two = 'CatholicChurch' and 'Christian Church'.

Now, I'm really confused. Is Catholicism a different religion altogether? but wait - My Roman Catholic freinds here call themselves Christians. MORE CONFUSION! Please help.

Answer 1

A few self-described "Christians" have claimed that the title applies uniquely to those who believe precisely as they do. They apparently take for themselves a role which properly belongs to Christ himself.

(Matthew 7:21-23) Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, ...and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.


Ironically, the bible most closely associates being "Christian" with preaching about Christ and Christ's teachings. Review all three times the bible uses the term "Christian" and note that the context connects the term with:
"declaring the good news"
'teaching quite a crowd'
'open eyes, turn from dark to light'
"uttering sayings of truth"
"persuade"
"keep on glorifying"

(Acts 11:20-26) [The early disciples of Jesus] began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus... and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.

(Acts 26:17-28) [Jesus said to Paul] I am sending you, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God... Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind. ...Do you, King Agrippa, believe the Prophets? I know you believe.” But Agrippa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”

(1 Peter 4:14-16) If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy... But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name


So why do anti-Witnesses try to hijack the term "Christian" and hide its Scriptural implications? Because anti-Witnesses recognize that it is the preaching work that makes it clear that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent followers of Christ:

(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded


Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050422/article_02.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/ministry.htm

Answer 2

Some Christians do not bear in mind Roman Catholics to be truly Christians, and those are most often protestants. But pretty much, Roman Catholics are Christian however now not all Christians are Catholic. Roman Catholics are lead by way of the Pope in Rome. Protestants do not respect the Pope's authority and are equipped into 1000s of exclusive denominations. The Eastern Orthodox(Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) additionally don't respect the Pope, despite the fact that their teachings and ceremonies are similar to the Roman Catholics. The Eucharist is meant to be Jesus's Body and Blood, this is a Holy Sacrament, an excessively primary aspect of Catholic church rite. I do not think in it. I can type of realize the idea however I am now not Catholic or Christian. Never be scared of asking questions of your priest or fellow parishioners.

Answer 3

Okay lemme try to break it down to you.

Catholics are Christians, and the Christians who don't call themselves Catholics are most likely Protestants or people from the Fundamentalist Christian sub groups.

The only difference we had came in the form of Martin Luther during the Reformation, as well as the Inquisition.

Just look up on the Reformation and you might get a more basic idea (I recommend you don't ask that here. Look for unbiased resources)

Answer 4

Catholics are the only true Christians, even if other sects call themselves Christians. The Roman Catholic Church is the only divinely instituted Church founded on the Rock of Peter ( the Papacy) and thus is the only one that is validly Christian. All other 'christian' denominations are man-made.

Answer 5

Most non-Catholic Christian denominations accept Catholics as Christians. A very few do not.

A dictionary would say that a Christian is someone professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Catholics would fit this definition.

In the Nicene creed, from 325 C.E., Catholics profess:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.

For us and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are baptized as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

We truly are spiritually "born again," we just don't usually use those words.

For a complete description of what Catholics believe, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

Titles of and membership of particular divisions or denominations of 'Christendom' are of no relevance to God. What matters is whether that person is 'born again' as Jesus said to Nicodemus in John chapter 3. Becoming a christian is a spiritual thing not a religious ceremony or something aquired by birth into a particular family. I would advise you to read the first few chapters of Acts in the new testament. The very early Church preaches to the Jews the message of the risen Messiah and how salvation from the wrath of God is obtained.

Answer 7

Catholics are Christians we believe that our savior has come and died on the cross for our salvation, we Baptist, confirm and take holy Communion. I am a Roman Catholic and I am a Christian it's one in the same, as the Catholic church was the original Christian faith, the others split off for various reasons.

Answer 8

The phenomenon found in some Christian groups. It appears to work like this:


"if you don't believe that faith alone saves, then you must believe that you can work your way into Heaven (something Catholics are constantly falsely accused of believing),"
"if you don't believe in sola scriptura, then you are a follower of the 'traditions of men',"
"if you think we can cooperate in our salvation, then you're saying that Christ isn't enough,"
"if you believe that one can freely turn his back on God, then you're denying God's omnipotence," .
These either/or arguments consist of an "if" statement, coupled with an implied premise that amounts to a false dichotomy, and followed by an invalid conclusion.

Catholic rebuttals to these sorts of assertions often rely on the heavy use of prepositions:


"we are saved by grace, through faith and works inspired by the Holy Spirit's love,"
"the source of Christian Truth is the Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit and which is both the source of and is bound by Sacred Scripture,"
"we are saved solely by the grace of the Cross, with which we must co-operate,"
"God can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, but He chose to give us free will with which we can freely choose Him," .

It's been said that the Catholic Church is a "both/and" Church; another way of saying it is that, when arguing with Protestants, we are a "Yes, but..." Church:


"Yes, grace saves through faith -- but a faith that works,"
"Yes, Christ is the only way to the Father, but we Christians co-operate with Him in His divine plan and therefore, in a real but limited sense, play a co-redemptive role in salvation history,"
"Yes, we must be born again, but 'born again' refers to Baptism,"
"Yes, Christ is the Spiritual Rock of the Church, but He made Peter the earthly Rock" .

Answer 9

the catholic church was and is the first church of christianity. therefore catholics are christians.

However, due to the protestant reformation led by Martin Luther, the catholic church was viewed as being corrupted and having lost its way. the new protestants considered their form of christianity to be 'more pure' as it is based on a more literal interpretation of the scriptures. Therefore, many protestants do not consider catholics to be true christians.

Answer 10

Catholics are Christians par excellence

Answer 11

Catholics are Christians. Catholicism is the original Christian religion and it will always be no matter what other people say against it.