2007-11-09 16:08:10 · 23 answers · asked by Michele 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes.
Catholics are Christians.
Most non-Catholic Christian denominations accept Catholics as Christians. A very few do not.
The World Council of Churches which brings together more than 340 churches, denominations and church fellowships in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world, representing some 550 million Christians accepts the 1.1 billion Catholics as Christians. http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/who/faq-e.html#07
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.
2007-11-10 14:45:55 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that both believe in Christ. The only thing is that the Catholic religion is a mixture of Christianity and the pagen religions of the Roman Empire. It was to make everyone happy. Pagen cultures often have a god and godess. You can see how Catholics pray to God and to Mary. The Bible never teaches us this because it is putting Mary up there on the same level as God. Catholic religion also believes in a bunch of stuff that Christians don't, that was added to men up there with God. We confess to our LORD, not to man. The Bible tells us that saying a prayer over and over again doesn't mean anythign because it doesn't come from the heart. Well, when I was a child I was told by the Priest to say so many prayers and I would be forgiven. All I really have to do is be repentative, ask for forgiveness and then accept it. Just me and God, no one else needed. I don't remember a Pope hanging on the cross for me.
2007-11-09 16:16:14 · answer #2 · answered by Discerning 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catholics are Christians. So YES, one can be both Catholic and Christian. Put more accurately, one is a Catholic Christian.
2007-11-13 05:34:39 · answer #3 · answered by Daver 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic denomination is the forerunner of today's Christianity. To date I have heard more stories about Catholics ie: they are not christian, or the religion is dead and so on on so forth. Christianity has its roots in the Catholic church. Have you ever heard of the Pope? What church does he preside over? How long have Pope's been around? The answer to your question is they are one and the same. - no need to choose.
2007-11-09 16:25:39 · answer #4 · answered by Tricia R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics ARE Christians. Catholicism is a branch off the Christianity tree.
2007-11-09 17:36:18 · answer #5 · answered by Two quarters & a heart down 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you can be Catholic AND Christian
or Christian.
Catholics ARE Christian.
Protestants are not Catholic.
2007-11-09 16:12:40 · answer #6 · answered by * 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋
All Catholics are Christian, however not all Christians are Catholic.
2007-11-09 16:18:14 · answer #7 · answered by CRtwenty 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Ok, lets be clear:
Christian is catholic and protestant.
They are the same....they believe in Christ.
Some how in the past years people are being taught they are not the same. That saying Protestant is old fashioned. It is not. You can be Christian and be of Catholic or Protestant faith. The Protestants just have more break downs, Pentecostal, Luthuran, Presbyterian, etc etc etc.....
2007-11-09 16:14:14 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Catholicism and Christianity (which included all other christian based religions) are different religions. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the actual body and blood of Christ and Christians believe that it is only symbolic. Also Catholics have a Pope in Rome. The other religions have their own popes.
So technically you can't really be both.
2007-11-09 16:13:39 · answer #9 · answered by Monika 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I've known people who were both. A close friend of mine--a life-long Catholic--has told me before that she thinks it's easier to get by as a non-Christian in a Catholic church than it is in other denominations because all of the ritual makes you think you're doing everything you're supposed to.
2007-11-09 16:11:57 · answer #10 · answered by BAMAMBA 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋