I believe in one holy catholic & apostolic church…
Seems to sum everything quite nicely for me. I do think
the term catholic is thrown around quite liberally & without clear definition.
The catholic “denomination” with churches in the
community is the Roman Catholic one.
That definition of ‘Catholic’ is ‘new’. While it does mean universal, the Catholic Church is ‘universal’ and it’s the name of the one Church that existed since the first century. It was not ‘universal’ in the sense of multiple denominations.
**Acts 9:31
(IGNT+) αιG3588 THE μενG3303 INDEED ουνG3767 THEN εκκλησιαιG1577 ASSEMBLIES καθG2596 THROUGHOUT οληςG3650 WHOLE τηςG3588 THE ιουδαιαςG2449 OF JUDEA καιG2532 AND γαλιλαιαςG1056 GALILEE καιG2532 AND σαμαρειαςG4540 SAMARIA ειχονG2192 [G5707] HAD ειρηνηνG1515 PEACE, οικοδομουμεναιG3618 [G5746] BEING BUILT UP καιG2532 AND πορευομεναιG4198 [G5740] GOING ON τωG3588 IN THE φοβωG5401 FEAR τουG3588 OF THE κυριουG2962 LORD, καιG2532 AND τηG3588 IN THE παρακλησειG3874 COMFORT τουG3588 OF THE αγιουG40 HOLY πνευματοςG4151 SPIRIT επληθυνοντοG4129 [G5712] WERE INCREASED.
G2596
κατά
kata
kat-ah’
A primary particle; (preposition) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case [genitive, dative or accusative] with which it is joined): - about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to, touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, [charita-] bly, concerning, + covered, [dai-] ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from . . . to, godly, in (-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), . . . by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-) on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through (-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-) to (-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where (-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution or intensity.
G3650
ὅλος
holos
hol’-os
A primary word; “whole” or “all”, that is, complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb: - all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.
kata holos
kat-ah’ hol’-os
Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek adjective καθολικός (katholikos), meaning “universal”.**
Protestants will argue that there were ‘many’ Churches, even during the time the New Testament letters and epistles were written. However, we see the same message taught to all the Churches of the New Testament.
Protestants also argue that the letters and epistles were circulated among those Churches, again establishing one message through all Churches.
When we use the term ‘Apostolic’, we have to realize it is based on the Apostles. No one can give an example of multiple messages from different Apostles.
There was one Church, with multiple locations.
One has to deny history, either Church or secular, to say otherwise. The reformation was the beginning of other Churches, with the reformers coming from the Catholic Church. So, all Protestant Churches have roots to the Catholic Church.
When the reformers started Churches they had the Bible, that came from the Catholic Church. The common beliefs between the denominations came from the Catholic Church. The differences arose through ‘new’ interpretations of scriptures. Now, there are multiple Churches with multiple doctrines, all based on someone’s ‘new’ interpretation. New denominations are still being started, as someone ‘receives’ a newer interpretation.
As for the Orthodox Church, they are not a ‘denomination’. They are Catholic, with true Apostolic authority. Some Protestants are quick to point out the differences between the two Churches, but this seems to be a justification of their own denomination, otherwise they would belong to one of the two ‘Catholic’ Churches. In other words, you cannot say the Catholic Church is incorrect because there is an Orthodox Church. If it were specifically so, one should belong to the Orthodox Church, since it was a part of the one Church for the first thousand years.
As some Protestants will quickly point out ‘other’ Churches from an earlier era, none will affliate themeselves with the theology of those ‘other’ Churches. Again, if one is unwilling to affliate themselves with one of those Churches, it has to be because of something they don’t agree with.
God did not give us a Church, that has existed since the beginning, that slipped into such grevious error, that it was invalid, leaving thousands of generations without a ‘pillar and ground’ of truth.or a place where the manifold wisdom of God maybe made known. That pillar and ground of truth shared one interpretation of scriptures, even through the reformation and present today. Remember, Jesus promised to be with us always, without gaps leaving some generations without truth. His sacrifice was for ALL.
. But those to conditions do not really encompass all that the term ‘catholic’ implies, it seems rather minimalist, even to this Orthodox Christian. It seems in fact to be the bare minimum for recognizing Christianity at all, in any form including many heresies.