How did the Roman-Catholic religion begin?

Question

If it didn't exist prior to Jesus' death, and the Romans were the ones who killed him, why they it became a religion with so many followers?

Answer 1

The Christian church began on Pentecost (after Jesus ascended to heaven) when God sent the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and disciples.

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. (Acts 2:1-4)

The Church has referred to itself 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

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

During Jesus' life and in the first couple of centuries after his death, there were many small sects calling themselves Christians. In 325, the Emperor Constantine decreed that the most prominent religious thinkers of the day should meet in a city called Nicea to standardize the Christian religion, to define it and decide which writings then being circulated would be considered canon for use by all who wished to consider themselves Christians.

The results of this meeting were the Nicean Creed and the first compilation of the Bible. Around this time, Christianity began to be referred to as 'catholic,' which meant 'universal.' When the early Church was established in Rome, it became known as Roman Catholicism. There are actually several types of Catholicism: Eastern Orthodoxy, the Ethiopian Rite, and the Celtic Rite. There may be others that I don't know of.

I think it became a religion with so many followers because Constantine decreed it to be the new state religion of the Roman Empire, which at that time was based in Constantinople (modern Istanbul). The Roman Empire did not technical fail until AD 467, over a century later, so the religion had time to gain a foothold while the Empire still existed.

Answer 3

The "Catholic" Church referred to the majority of believers. there were several other strands of Christianity, explored in places like Bart Ehrman's book Lost Christianities. But the Catholic faith constituted the mainstream beliefs. Peter relocated to Rome and since Jesus said Peter would be the founder of the Church, his successors (The Popes) have become seen as having special authority and the seat of the Church became Rome.

Christians were marginalized to a great extent in the Roman Empire (see the book Christians as the Romans Saw Them for details), and were almost persecuted into religious extinction. But then the emporer Constantine converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity walked out of the catacombs, out of the Colosseum, and into the Palatine. (See the books Constantine's Sword for details.)

Answer 4

do not you dare say the Catholic church supported Hitler through fact it did not! that is a brilliant fat LIE! He took administration over a lot of those ecu church homes and the persons lived in concern through fact as quickly as he became finished with the jews, Catholics have been next. The Catholic church is often helping the undesirable of the worldwide it basically there strikes in basic terms considered and not heard. reason over inhabitants? are you asserting abortion is positive? inspect the pictures on the link and that i'm specific you would be saddened and notice how evil that's!

Answer 5

"The Catholic Church was recognized by the whole Christian world as the true Church of God for 15 consecutive centuries. No man can halt at the end of those 1,500 years and say that the Catholic Church is not the Church of Christ without embarrassing himself seriously. I can accept only that Church which was preached to all creatures by my own forefathers, the Twelve (Apostles) who, like me, issued from the Synagogue." - Rabbi Zolli of Rome, Catholic Convert

"[T]here are many other things which most properly can keep me in [the Catholic Church’s] bosom...Her authority...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" St Augustine (Against the Letter of Mani Called "The Foundation" 4:5 [A.D. 397]).

CCC #816 "The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Savior, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it. . . . This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in (subsistit in) the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him."

Answer 6

The creation of the Bible and the Council of Niscea was a politically motivated gathering of many individual religion to decide on the one religion for the future of a collapsing Roman Empire. Constantine knew that the fractured nature of the Empire was going to end in chaos and tried to prevent this by gathering the people under one religion. It was a smart political move. This would become catholicism.

After discussion (the length of the discussions is not really known) they settled on which was essentially a mix of every Pagan religion and from that we received our Biblical myths and legends.


The Protestant Bible is basically the same except for one book. Regardless of the Christian infighting, the book is still a collection of myths and legends designed to exercise control over a large empire.

Answer 7

It began when Jesus told Peter he was the rock. It fell when they decided to take the writings of those who meditated on God, the prophets and apostles, and cannonized the words of these men. Now people believe they can read the searchings of others and that will count as an honest seeking for God themselves. These people are completely wrong.

Answer 8

Catholicism DID exist prior to the death of Jesus. Jesus Christ told Peter that he was the rck and upon that rock He will build His church. That church is the Catholic Church.

Answer 9

Catholicism started when Rome adopted the religion of those they were killing. Since Rome was the largest empire at that time, the most people adopted Catholicism.

Answer 10

With these little words. "Thou art Peter and on this rock will I build My Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." and "Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep." also "I give you the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven"