Calling the RCC just "Roman Church"

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As to Anglicans, depends on which you speak of, and which portion of the Magisterium. I’ve been defending mere Catholicity on boards like this for many years, often getting the come back that of course I would say such things, since I am patently Roman Catholic.

I smile.

And no. When I say Catholic, it’s Capital C.
 
Episcopalian said:
Long story short, I was raised Catholic and converted to Episcopalian a year or two ago. I have a few friends in my new Church who often call the Catholic Church the Roman Church. Enough where it’s clearly noticable.

It sounds weird to me to call it anything else aside from Catholic Church! So my question:

For fellow non-catholic forum members, do you this as well? What’s the meaning behind it? Did I miss out on this Protestant standard of reference since I grew up Catholic?

For Catholic forum members, what’s you’re take on it? Can the RCC be called the Roman Church and the Catholic Church equally? I never knew, if so!
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Some history and context HERE and HERE and HERE
 
My good friend who is a Lutheran pastor uses “Roman Church” as a pejorative, to cast the Catholic Church in a parochial light, that is it just another branch of the nebulous “church”, which is false.
For one thing, the Catholic Church is a union of 22 other Churches. What is called Roman Catholic Church is properly called Latin Rite Catholic Church. The Pope of the whole Church is in Rome obviously.
I wish all of us as Catholics would speak accurately about who we are. But as westerners we learned it that way so…
 
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As others have indicated, most American non-Catholic Christians refer to Roman Catholics as just that, or simplified to ‘Catholic’. Most Protestants where I live are exposed only to Roman Catholics, so there’s not much of a need to differentiate further, unlike in England.

Although I use the term “Protestant” for ease of use when describing myself on CAF because that’s how Catholics categorize me, the word ‘Protestant’ kind of makes me feel like being called a “Gentile” in Israel because it stresses what I’m not, instead of what I am. I call myself “Christian” outside of Catholic circles because that’s how I see myself — a garden variety follower of Christ who happens to attend a Methodist congregation but who has a deep respect and curiosity for Catholicism.
 
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I’ve been told that in the US Catholics refer to themselves as Roman Catholics and many Churches and Schools are title Roman Catholic to distinguish between the different rites. Outside the US though, especially in all the English speaking nations, we simply use Catholic. Protestants used “Roman” Catholic as a derogatory term. I have never in my whole life called myself a “Roman” Catholic.
 
Same in Latin America: Catholic. Moreover many many of the homilies I remember we were addressed as Christians or using the word Christian so yes,not really ever Roman Catholic.
I do not know why, but as it is ,it is ok for us. No big deal. We know it is Roman Catholic, but Catholic is just fine.
 
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I’ve never heard it. But it makes sense, especially if you belong to a tradition that professes one Holy, Apostolic, Catholic Church. Kind of not want to “define” Catholic as Roman Catholic.

To me it’s the same as our Eastern brothers stressing that Catholic doesn’t mean Roman.
 
I think it is a slur against the Catholic people and against all the Churches who live an authentic sacramental life.
 
Yeah, I think the term protestant seems to have sort of a negative connotation to it. Only reason I use it is because it’s become the universal term around here and it’s easier to spell out than ‘Non-Catholic Christian’. I certainly mean no offense when i do so, but I’ll bet some people do not appreciate the term being used.
 
Dear Episcopalian:

There is the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox churches. There are a few others that are all Catholic churches, including the Greek Orthodox. The Roman Catholic Church is that Catholic church headed by the pope in Rome. The Eastern Orthodox church (if I’ve got its correct title) serves Russia and other Eastern European countries and is headed by a different pope. These two churches remain connected but physically separated lovingly many centuries ago because the expanses of Europe and Asia were too vast for one Pope to pastor. Their church culture look different during Mass but the faith is the same, As an Episcopal you should know this and you could go to your priest or minister to confirm. So yes, use RCC for the Roman Catholic Church.
 
I agree with the ultimate sentence.

The rest may need a little work.
 
Emeraldlady said:
I’ve been told that in the US Catholics refer to themselves as Roman Catholics and many Churches and Schools are title Roman Catholic to distinguish between the different rites.
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This is true. It’s not uncommon to find a Roman Catholic Church, a Greek Catholic Church, a Ukrainian Catholic Church etc. all in the same city. All Catholic and in communion with Rome, but obviously each one is attracting a different group of people and there will be differences in the worship styles. The Anglican/ Episcopal are also not a dominant group here, nobody thinks of them as Catholic, and few people are familiar with all the British history behind the use of the term “Catholic” in England.
 
“Protestant” is a standard word in USA to describe non-Catholic Christians for a very long time. For example, there is a positive expression, “Protestant work ethic”, that describes people who put a lot of value on working diligently, not being idle, doing their jobs well, accomplishing things. There is the acronym WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) that can be used in a good, bad or neutral way but WASPs usually don’t take offense at the term being used and will use it in a tongue-in-cheek way to refer to themselves. News media feel free to use the word Protestant.

There are probably some individual Protestants in USA who object to the use of the word “Protestant” but on a macro level it really doesn’t come up.
 
Although I use the term “Protestant” for ease of use when describing myself on CAF because that’s how Catholics categorize me, the word ‘Protestant’ kind of makes me feel like being called a “Gentile” in Israel because it stresses what I’m not instead of what I am – a Christian who loves and follows Jesus to the best of my knowledge and ability.
 
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And it’s fine to call yourself a Christian, and maybe one day the media will decide to refer to everyone who isn’t a Catholic as a “non-Catholic Christian”. I’m just pointing out that historically in the USA, most people have not had an issue with the word “Protestant”, or at least not enough of an issue that they made a big campaign out of changing the vernacular as has happened with certain other racial and ethnic designations that people didn’t like.

One problem with using the word “Christian” is that if the term is used to exclude Catholics (i.e. “Christian” means “Protestant” only) then it’s incorrect, as Catholics are the original Christians. So in many usages, such as the media trying to do an article, would have to say “non-Catholic Christians”.
 
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I’ve always used the word “Christian” to include Protestants and Catholics together, as well as Christians from East and Middle East, Africa, Coptics, you name it (all inclusive).
Any Protestant who says “Are you Catholic or Christian” are just narrow-minded folks who are prejudiced in their thinking, in my opinion.
 
Tommy999 said:
Any Protestant who says “Are you Catholic or Christian” are just narrow-minded folks who are prejudiced in their thinking, in my opinion.
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And usually quite ignorant of what Catholics actually believe.
 
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