Question: Is the Roman Catholic Church the Church founded by Christ?
Answer:
We should not forget that the members of the Roman Catholic Church are called Catholics, just like Adventists of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Protestants of the different Protestant Churches, Born Again Christians of the different Born Again Ministries. But the members of the Church founded by Christ are called Churches of Christ because the name of the Church they belong is Church of Christ:
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia[a] to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. (Romans 16:5-16, NKJV)
If the members on that verses are members of the Roman Catholic Church, it should be written, “The Catholics greet you”.
Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church is not the Church founded by Christ.
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May 3rd, 2007 at 3:10 am
The word “catholic” means universal. Its first recorded usage in terms of the Church was by St. Ignatius in the early second century. It is clear fairly from the context that he is not using it as a novel term, but as something his readers are familiar with:
“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.”
(from “the Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans” chapter 7)
The self-titled “Church of Christ” has its origins in late 18th/early 19th century United States, in the Restoration Movement, not the Apostles.
It is clear in scripture and in the writings of the earliest Christians that Jesus founded a visible, universal, united Church, not simply a spiritual community of believers.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
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