. Roman Catholics often make this false claim about their Church being the first Christian Church but it is simply a lie. There are college courses available for the history of the Christian Church and most histories will agree that the Catholic (universal) Christian era began in 70 AD as a result of the Romans destroying Jerusalem.
Although I too don’t believe that the first church was the Catholic one, the mere fact that someone is teaching something doesn’t mean it is right. So just because there are ‘courses’ you can study doesn’t automatically mean that they are right. The logic of your objection here is therefore flawed.
This event caused what is known as the “Great Diaspora” (dispersion) because the Jews of Jerusalem were dispersed as refugees through out Europe (Roman Empire).
this ignores the fact that Christian communities were already established in other cities regardless of the Diaspora, the church was out in the Empire.
but the actual name “Catholic’ would not appear until 107 AD when Ignatious wrote “Wherever Jesus Christ is there is the Catholic church”.
This is partly true insofar as half a quote is, to me a misquote.
"Chapter VIII.-Let Nothing Be Done Without the Bishop.
See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye 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. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid"
Ignatius “The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans”
ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-21.htm#P2123_357530
You are therefore ignoring the ‘church structure’ of the quote. We Orthodox maintain that this is the way the church should be. All churches headed by a bishop, and in communion with each other are Catholic - no bishop head of any other bishop.
By the end of the second century the term ‘catholic’ was widely used of the church in the sense that the Catholic church was both universal, in contrast to local congregations, and orthodox, in contrast to heretical groups. The establishment of the Roman Catholic Church occurred much later in the history of the church. In 325 Constantine called a meeting of all the bishops in his empire to convene in Nicea. Christianity had become a mix mash of pagan rituals and Christian truths so the emperor wanted the bishops to establish exactly what Christianity believed. They worked long and hard and there fruits are recorded for us as the original Nicene Creed of 325.
What innovations did Constantine add? Which are the pagan rituals?
· I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit.
The rest of this creed as we know it would not appear until 381 AD.
What’s your point about this?
