When did Christians give up there name (Christians) and accept the name catholics?

Question

before I went all the way and gave up god i read some books written by catholic saints and such as I was raised a protestant and we weren't allowed to read them. Anyways in all the books I have read the saints always refer to themselves as christians belonging to the catholic (universal) church, they never call themselves catholics... so why have catholics choosen to stick with the name catholics? I get that you don't want to be associated with protestants and other fundies (eww) but honestly why do you guys let them steal your title and make it their own? Not only that some even say the title isn't for you...

Answer 1

It's probably the same thing that happened to Orthodox Jews. Once Protestant groups started to pop up they had to have a way to differentiate themselves. Orthodox Jews did the same thing when the Reform movement began, whereas before everyone was just Jewish.

Answer 2

Never.

Catholics still call themselves Christians.

The early Christian Church has referred to herself as the “Catholic Church” at least since 107 C.E. (about 10 years after the last book of the New Testament was written), when the Greek term "Katholikos" (meaning universal) appears in the Letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans:

"Wherever the bishop appear, there let the multitude be; even as wherever Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church."

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/ignatius-smyrnaeans-hoole.html

We do not know how long they had been using the term "Catholic" before it was included in this letter.

All of this was long before the Council of Nicea and the Nicene Creed from 325 C.E. which states, "We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07644a.htm

If someone asked me what I believed about God I could truthfully say that I was:
+ A Theist
+ A Monotheist
+ A worshiper of the God of Abraham
+ A worshiper of the God of Moses
+ A worshiper of the God of Israel
+ A Christian
+ A Trinitarian

But telling someone that I am a Catholic says all of the above and more.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

In the 11th chapter of Acts of the Apostles, we see that in Antioch the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called 'Christians':

Act 11:26 "and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians. "

It is worthy of note that in the writings of the Fathers of the Church extant, it is St. Ignatius of Antioch who first used the term Catholic Church to refer to the Christian Church. This occurred in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans in AD 110 (or about 10 years or so after St. John wrote the Apocalypse (Revelation)):


Chapter 8. "Let nothing be done without the bishop.
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid."


http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0109.htm

Answer 4

Hello, Ex-Nun:

If you studied your history, you should know that the early church was formed by Christ's disciples that took the Gospel to the four winds of heaven and Jerusalem was H.Q. for the catholic (not Roman) church until Hadrian's reign. None accepted Rome as leader and Linus, not Peter, was the first bishop. Also, Paul, not Peter, established the Roman church while prisoner, then after Spain, he visited Rome again, and the third visit,he was decapitated there.

It would be Clovis, king of France, about the year 498, who was baptized Catholic and began military campaigns against differing Christian denominations. Then about 536 Justinian, the Greek emperor, exalted the papacy and started military assaults against the North African Christians--Christianity was the official religion under Constantine, Catholicism official under Justinian.

These perversions of the truth were foretold in Bible prophecy and you need not think that God did not know that Rome would "wear out the saints of the Most High" (Daniel 7:25).

In fact, there is a last-day Bible code that explains why it happened, and Rome is not finished yet, but will again renew its monstrous assaults against the saints.

See: http://abiblecode.tripod.com

Shalom, peace in Jesus, Ben Yeshua

Answer 5

Evodius was the first Bishop of Antioch, and he is credited with being the first person to call the followers of Christ, "Christians", as shown in Acts 11:26. See Eusebius, book 3, chapter 22.
He was a Catholic

Saint Ignatius (35-107), the second Bishop of Antioch wrote a letter to the Smyrneans in 107 A.D..
In this letter is recorded the first known use of the words "Catholic Church"...
Paragraph #8
"You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid."

Some non-Catholics teach that the Catholic Church did not even come into existence until the Emperor of Rome, Constantine, issued the "Edict of Milan"* in 313 A.D..
How then, can they explain this letter of Saint Ignatius written over 200 years earlier?
Here is an additional sampling of titles of writings** where the Catholic Church is mentioned by name, and with all of them penned before 313 A.D.:

Martyrdom of St. Polycarp 16:2. J77,79,80a,81a, 155 A.D.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 7:17:107:3. J435, 202 A.D.
Cyprian, Letter to Florentius 66:69:8. J587, 254 A.D.
Lactantius, Divine Institutions 4:30:1. J637, 304 A.D.

*The "Edict of Milan", available on the Internet for all to see, did not "start" the Catholic Church, but merely allowed the open existence of Christianity. It allowed Christianity to continue without fear of Roman persecution. Prior to this event, Christians were persecuted mercilessly by both the Romans and the Jews, and they had to practice the faith underground, and in secret.
Read the "Edict of Milan" for yourself and you will see the truth of what I said.

Saint Justin the martyr (105-165), is recognized as the "First Christian Apologist".
He wrote extensively in the defense of the early Church.

Saint Irenaeus (140-202), wrote a monumental volume entitled "Against Heresies" which scholars use to this day. Yes, there were heretics then also, and right from the very beginning of Christianity.

Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea (263-339), is called, "The Father of Church History", and wrote 10 volumes of the history of the Catholic Church. His His-Storical writings span the time period from before the birth of Jesus Christ until about 330 A.D.. He quoted some of the writings of Josephus.

Saint Athanasius (295-373), Bishop of Alexandria. Read about how he championed the Church against the heresy of Arianism. In his Festal Letter #39, which he wrote in 367, is a list of the New Testament Canon, which just a few years later was accepted by the Church.

Saint Jerome (341-420), was the person who gave the world the first Bible with both Old and New Testaments, the "Latin Vulgate" in 404. The Vulgate is the official Bible of the Catholic Church to this day. Saint Jerome, as a great defender of the Catholic Church has many other outstanding writings to his credit.

Saint Augustine (354-430), one of the greatest writers in defense of the Catholic Church of all time. He wrote hundreds of documents and mentioned the Catholic Church by name over 300 times.
His "Confessions" is considered to be one of the most outstanding works ever written.

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), was one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all time. His monumental "Summa Theologica" embraces practically every facet of Christianity. In it he presents the objections to Christian doctrine and then gives the supporting arguments. His "Summa" is widely used by serious scholars and is considered to be one of the greatest writings of all time.

This is only a small sampling of the plethora of genuine historical documents written by early Christians, and these writings are available for everyone to study.
A comprehensive list of genuine historical documents with many different writers and covering many subjects, can be seen here. There are URL's posted in that file, that will allow you to find these writings and see for yourself the wealth of genuine historical documents that are just a click away.

There are also voluminous writings of Christianity by Roman, Greek, Jewish and other authors of the time, such as Pliny, Tacitus, and the Jewish Talmud.

Answer 6

"And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Acts 11:26

This is when the word Christian was first used and when the members of the church of Christ were first referred to as Christians. This took place around 33 AD, approximately 600 years before the Catholic Church was formed.

The title Christian is reserved for those who follow Christ and his commandments. If you follow a man and man-made creeds and commandments, you are not following Christ and are therefore do not fit the description of a Christian.

Answer 7

I'm a born again bible believing , washed in the blood, christian saved by the grace of God thru Jesus Christ. I done call my self Catholic at all. That system is vile and so much against God that it is sending many to hell thinking they are good people.

1. They teach purgatory - not in the bible. The bible teaches you die and go to heaven or hell immediately. Not to a holding pen to work out your sins. Eph 2:8-9

2. Matt 23:9 enough said there.

3. Confession is not in the bible it says to confess your faults James 5:16 man cannot forgive sins. Only God can.

4. Using alcohol in thier sacraments. Habakkuk 2:16 Prov 20:1

5. They are not punishing priests found in sin (you know the ones). Satan covers sin.

6. The pope is the vicar? Hes Jesus in the flesh? that's scary.

Why follow a religion that can't keep their own house clean. They are all about money and are damning millions to hell. You have to repent, trust Jesus and he will save you. Not say any our fathers or hail marys, just believe on the name of the Lord. Rom 10:9-10

Answer 8

Catholic: Meaning one, we are all God's children no matter the title.

Answer 9

True Christians know who they are (they are not Catholic), as they are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. These are the true saints of God. Those who have died in Christ and those who are still living are the true and faithful servants of God. It's not a matter of who calls who a Catholic or a Christian, It is a matter of who is, or who is not obeying God's Spiritual Laws. God's True Church is His spiritual body of believers who do not "make a habit" out of transgressing His Spiritual laws. These are God's true believers who will have eternal life and become joint heirs with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.

Answer 10

"Catholic" is not a "name" - it is a description...a combination of two good Greek words:

Kath = "according to"

Holos, or Holon = "the whole"

It means that the Church is, as St. Paul says, "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism..."

The "divisions" of which you speak are man-made.

The Creeds are clear: "(I believe) One (singular, indivisible), Holy (filled with the Holy Spirit), Catholic ("according to the whole") and Apostolic (given by Jesus Himself to His Apostles) Church