Education is very important. Sooo....please educate us.
To Roman Catholic Christians, if I talk to you. Christ is the one by whose name we are called. What branch, sect, denomination or political affiliation doesn't matter. Keep Christ in Christianity and we are one body! This is why I call myself a believer in The Christ as described by the Holy Spirit filled Apostles. Most people just know me as a nice person.
It's kinda crazy how you can tell people what you are by name, and they still call you whatever they want to.
2007-10-26 00:39:31 · 12 answers · asked by Ed 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I prefer Catholic or Catholic Christian.
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 (or a Catholic Christian) says all of the above and more.
+ Roman Catholic +
The Catholic Church has consistently referred to itself as the “Catholic Church” at least since 107 C.E., when the term appears in the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch
The term "Roman" Catholic is rather recent.
The new Anglican Church in England started using the term “Roman” in the 1500s as one of many ways of demeaning and demonizing Catholics.
Catholics accepted this late coming adjective without too much protest. Today “Catholic” and “Roman Catholic” are interchangeable terms. Both terms are even used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The term “Roman” neither increases nor decreases the faith, hope and love of the Catholic Church.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13121a.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic
With love in Christ.
2007-10-26 16:37:19 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
*Is Catholic*
Roman Catholics are Catholics of the Roman Rite.
A Christian is an individual who has a trinitarian baptism. This cannot be done as it is an objective quantifiable change in the human soul due to an imputation by the Holy Spirit.
A Christian who fullfills their baptismal vowes belongs to the Catholic Church. The religion is Catholic because it is universal -- that is to say that is the only religion that actualy leads to salvation and all that wish salvation must universaly be gathered into the Church.
Some Christians are not living out their baptismal vows either due to ignorance or malice. They go by various names. Because they are Christian and have access to the Spirit, the Spirit tries to lead them back to the Church where they can live the true Christian life. Sadly this does not always occur.
BTW Christ is not a name. It is a title so saying that you are a Christian is not "the one by whose name we are called". It has a vastly deeper meaning than that. To say that you are "Christian" is to say that you believe that Jesus son of Joseph and Mary is the Jewish Messiah and YHWH.
2007-10-26 17:50:12 · answer #2 · answered by Liet Kynes 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pastor Billy says: when Christians say they are Catholic they are advising you they are the first Christians. Caholicism has never claimed to be just one more denomination. Catholicism is truly what is "non-denominational" please read the sources below and email for more information.
Augustine
"[T]here are many other things which most properly can keep me in [the Catholic Church’s] bosom. The unanimity of peoples and nations keeps me here. Her authority, inaugurated in miracles, nourished by hope, augmented by love, and confirmed by her age, keeps me here. The succession of priests, from the very see of the apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after his resurrection, gave the charge of feeding his sheep [John 21:15–17], up to the present episcopate, keeps me here. And last, the very name Catholic, which, not without reason, belongs to this Church alone, in the face of so many heretics, so much so that, although all heretics want to be called ‘Catholic,’ when a stranger inquires where the Catholic Church meets, none of the heretics would dare to point out his own basilica or house" (Against the Letter of Mani Called "The Foundation" 4:5 [A.D. 397]).
2007-10-26 09:34:25 · answer #3 · answered by Pastor Billy 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Roman Catholics are the original Christians. The Word Catholic appears in the writings of the Early Fathers of the Church. 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.
Those who insist that Catholics are not Christians base their views on a false representation of Catholicism. Let's be clear about this: anti-Catholic statements about Catholic belief and practice are for the most part not true. Such statements are born of a hatred for Catholicism that is all too apparent in the statements that are often made. Such a practice helps no one.
Take a look at the Creed of the Catholic Church that is said at Mass and you will see that Catholics are Christian.
2007-10-26 09:45:17 · answer #4 · answered by latics7 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Catholics consider themselves as a type of Christian. Others who believe in Christ as the second person of the Trinity are also Christians. There is a unity among all believers, however, the unity among Catholics to other Catholics is stronger, just as the unity of Methodists with Methodists is stronger.
Every denomination has a different perception of who Christ is, and who mankind is, Man(kind)'s relationship with God, and moral duty towards God and Neighbor. Therefore, not all denominations are created equal.
The term "Catholic" is irrelevant. They use that name, but could just as soon turn to "Papists" and still be the same religion.
2007-10-28 04:18:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Roman Catholics ARE Christians. In fact, they have a rightful claim to being the first Church.
What do they want to be known as? I would imagine that varies from person to person. They probably call themselves Christians first, just as I would hope would be the case with any member of any mainline denomination.
Ask Anglicans, Lutherans, Pentacosals, or Orthodox - or any of dozens of other demoninations what they are - and they should tell you they are Christians. And indeed they all are.
2007-10-26 07:51:20 · answer #6 · answered by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
A christian is a follower of Christ!...the problem is we all have differing beliefs as to what that means...to be a follower of Christ...hence the many different sects of christianity. in my experience as a roman catholic most other christians (yes surprise surprise!! ..we r christians) do not accept us as christians!!
WHY?...my feeling is because in their own churches a lot of the sermonising is about putting down the Roman Catholic Church and their "false" beliefs....
God bless everyone....lets all pray for tolerance...
2007-10-26 08:09:58 · answer #7 · answered by Orita 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Catholics and Christians are two different things, you can actually find the word Christian in the bible. Catholic just means universal.
CHRISTIAN
CHRISTIAN, n.
1. A believer in the religion of Christ.
2. A professor of his belief in the religion of Christ.
3. A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.
4. In a general sense, the word Christians includes all who are born in a Christian country or of Christian parents.
CHRISTIAN, a. See the Noun.
1. Pertaining to Christ, taught by him, or received from him; as the Christian religion; Christian doctrines.
2. Professing the religion of Christ; as a Christian friend.
3. Belonging to the religion of Christ; relating to Christ, or to his doctrines, precepts and example; as christian profession and practice.
4. Pertaining to the church; ecclesiastical; as courts Christian.
2007-10-26 07:45:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
technically when people as our "religion" it is generally asking about denomination for the majority was Catholic "back in the day". that being said when one said Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist, etc, it also meant Christian. now, more and more, with the diversity, we are saying jmore and more Christian, unless the area we are in is predominantly Christian. even at mass when our pastor's, priests & decons talk they talk about being Christians.
we are first and foremost Christians who happen to choose the Roman Catholic methods for understanding, studying and worship.
hope that helps!
2007-10-26 07:47:25 · answer #9 · answered by Marysia 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wally sounds like CJ, lol.
BTW, why hasn't CJ posted yet to say "Catholics are not saved Christians"?
2007-10-26 12:07:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋