The Catholic Church?

Question

How is it possible that people can buy into the ridiculous idea that the Catholic Church didn't begin until after 300 AD?

Christ’s Church is Catholic. Catholic comes from a compound of two Greek words: “kato” = according to, and “holos” = the one. Christ’s Church is for all, and all are one: the Body of Christ. It is like speaking the name “Jesus”: Christ’s name was Yeshua, not Jesus. But we say Jesus because it came to us through the Greek language, which is what the New Testament was written in. The same goes for the word “catholic”.

Was Christ’s Church hierarchical? Yes. He chose twelve apostles, made Peter the leader, and gave them authorities that all the other disciples did not have. Later, in the book of Acts, the hierarchy develops further. The apostles appoint Deacons (greek - diakonos / διάκονος ), Priests (greek - presbyteros / πρεσβυτερος ), and Bishops (greek - episkopos / επίσκοπος ), and each have different duties. It is the same today in the Catholic Church

A good read is Eusebius of Caesarea's “Historia Ecclesiastica” (Church History) written BEFORE the year 325 AD. In it, he traces not only the successors of Peter (the bishops of Rome) but also the successors of the other apostles. He was much closer to the time than we are, as are the other early Christian writers.

The fact is that only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches were established during the Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.) Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing.

Okay: Comments anyone?

Answer 1

"How is it possible that people can buy into the ridiculous idea that the Catholic Church didn't begin until after 300 AD?"

Lack of true knowledge of Church history and of the writings of our Church Fathers (Ireneus, Athanasisus, Clement of Rome, etc.)

Plus buying into the anti-Catholic propaganda that's prevalent these days.

Answer 2

"The Catholic Church is the work of Divine Providence, achieved through the prophecies of the prophets, through the Incarnation and the teaching of Christ, through the journeys of the Apostles, through the suffering, the crosses, the blood and the death of the martyrs, through the admirable lives of the saints. When, then, we see so much help on God's part, so much progress and so much fruit, shall we hesitate to bury ourselves in the bosom of that Church? For starting from the Apostolic Chair down through successions of bishops, even unto the open confession of all mankind, it has possessed the crown of teaching authority." - St. Augustine of Hippo ("The Advantage of Believing" 4th century A.D.)
Is the Church to be a loose conglomerate of believers or is it to be organized and structured? Scripture CLEARLY established "offices" and a "hierarchy" among Christians. The offices of "bishop, priest (presbyter) and deacon" are mentioned in Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1,8; Titus 1:7). What else is this but "organization?" Or should we believe that any believer can "claim" to be a bishop, priest, deacon or even "apostle?" The word "office" is specifically used in Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1) to describe these positions. Webster defines "office" as "A special duty, trust, charge, or position, conferred by authority or God and for a public purpose; a position of trust or authority." And the office of "apostle" is to be continued (Acts 1:20-26) to the present day. Not all believers are "equal" nor have the same gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Ephesians 4:11). Is the Church a "visible, earthly" entity? Yes, for Christ would not direct us to the Church for disputes if it were not here on Earth (Matthew 18:17). Nor would "fear" encompass the whole Church if it were a mystical, invisible and heavenly entity (Acts 5:11). The Church is definitely here on earth for the actions described in Acts definitely take place on earth and the term used is "the whole Church" (Acts 15:22).

Answer 3

The Roman Catholic Church is now and has always been faithful to the teachings of Christ in a degree not seen by other denominations. Protestantism was conceived as an act of rebellion, and each splinter group continues in greater or lesser degrees of error and discord to this day.

Only the Catholic Church with its unbroken succession from Pope St. Peter to Pope Benedict XVI can say that it has remained faithful to the teachings handed down to it from the earliest days. Anyone who says anything differently is either very confused or is rebelliously denying the truth.

Answer 4

If I want to belong to the Kiwanis Club, I have to join according to the rules of the Kiwanis Club. If I decide I don't like those rules and start my own kiwanis club, it is a bogus organization. I would not be a true Kiwanian.

Perhaps my self-made kiwanis club does good things, or perhaps it is organized to get the name without having to follow the bylaws. In any case, it is not the original organization.

The original catholic-orthodox Church, authorized by Jesus (Matt 16:18). began at the day of Pentecost. Constantine simply legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, ending the persecution of catholic-orthodox believers.

The Catholic Church is one of two main branches from the root of the original Church. Both Orthodox and Catholic Churches can trace their history to the Apostles and to Jesus.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

Why does this matter? Because Jesus gave authority to only one Church, and promised only one Church that Hades would not prevail against it. All the other Christian organizations vary in their fidelity to Jesus, but none are the true Church.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 5

"The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054"

The fact is that there was no "pope" as we know it today until at least Boniface III in the seventh century. He was the first person to be proclaimed as universal bishop over all the churches, and that by the Byzantine emperor Phocas. The papacy was a political development and you are reading your modern church hierarchy back into it, instead of checking it against scripture and the known facts of history. For the record I know the church had assigned bishops, presbyters, and so forth, but what I just said about the papacy developing over time is true, and it is also true of the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Answer 6

God bless you for your tenacity in proclaiming the truth of His Church. His Church only exist because of His Will. seems many people in today's world feel that the its the Pope's Church and as a catholic i find it just as ridiculous as you do.

Answer 7

Couldn't care less....

Answer 8

I'm with you brother!!!!

Answer 9

you seem more interested in your religion than in Jesus. somethng isn't right here!

Answer 10

None, you have answered with truth, God bless always