Catholics - Are They Christians?

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Hi All
Of course Catholic’s are Christians. A Christian is anyone who proclaims to follow Christ. That however doesnt mean that anyone who claims to follow Christ is acually following him. The Mormans claim to follow Christ, so did David Koresh, Benny Hinn and so many others. The real question here is who will inherit the kingdom of God. If one does not follow the scriptures I don’t care what Denom you call yourself, you will will not hear ‘‘Well done thou good and faithful servant’’.
Thanks.
 
Of course we are Christians. I’ve never really seen any distinction between Catholic and Christian, except for those Christians who are not Catholic.
 
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jsussvsus:
Hi All
Of course Catholic’s are Christians. A Christian is anyone who proclaims to follow Christ. That however doesnt mean that anyone who claims to follow Christ is acually following him. The Mormans claim to follow Christ, so did David Koresh, Benny Hinn and so many others. The real question here is who will inherit the kingdom of God. If one does not follow the scriptures I don’t care what Denom you call yourself, you will will not hear ‘‘Well done thou good and faithful servant’’.
Thanks.
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So is it the armenian, calvinist, or lutheran view of soterology that is correct? OSAS or Eternal security? Predestination, double predestination, or no predestination? Baptism required, not required, in the name of Jesus or the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Communion real, a symbol or spiritual, babies be baptized or no? So many doctrines all defended as “biblical” by people who say they follow the Bible. I guess all that really matters is that your not Catholic and that you protest that Catholic Church. That after all is what a “protestant” really is. Truth doesn’t really matter, it’s having your own interprutatoin that matters. It’s having your own understanding which you are to follow. Oh wait Proverbs 3:5, trust not in your own understanding. That Bible gets you guys every time.

Blessings
 
hi, im new , just simple catholic, I just want to share my ideas.

I believe catholics are Christian, because of the Grace recieve in baptism Jn 3:5, but we go further than believing to be Christian through our works in the grace of God.
 
PAX VOBIS! ( peace be with you! )

Before the Reformation, the birth of Protestantism (1517 AD), Catholics called themselves Christians. Therefore to say Catholics are not Christians is ridiculous. Just to give an example:

“…to announce the word of God, that they might believe in God the Father almighty, His Son and the Holy Spirit, the creator of everything, the redeemer and savior of all the faithful, and might be baptized and become Christians…”

-St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226 AD)

In fact, “It was at Antioch that the followers of Jesus were for the first time called Christians. The pagans gave them that name in order to distinguish them from the Jews.”

(Church History, by: Fr. John Laux M.A., page 15)

How Protestants became known as “Christians”, seemingly to imply that Catholics and other non-Protestants are not Christians, is a mystery to me.

God bless,

:angel1: :bowdown2: Deus Solus! (God Alone!) :bowdown2: :angel1:
 
Of course Catholics are Christians.

My observation has been that frequently this question is posed, because the various Protestant denominations that accuse the Catholics of being “pagan” will identify themselves as Christians, and say that Catholics are not Christian.

Catholics typically have used the name Catholic because this is the name the Church uses and is the name identified with the true historical Church founded by Christ, on the rock of Saint Peter, and is the Church that remains in apostolic succession and in full communion with the sucesor of Saint Peter to this day.
Thus, many Catholics use the name Catholic rather than the more general name “Christian” to distinguish themselves from the separated denominations.

In the US, though, too often catechesis has been terribly weak, and so, many Catholics, especiallly those who happen to live in areas with a high density of Protestants, especially Fundamentalists and Evangelical or other self identified “Bible Christians”, have been led astray. Now many younger Catholics need to be taught the truth.

In closing here is a quote from Saint Pio:

“Keep close to the Catholic Church at all times, for the Church alone can give you true peace, since She alone possesses Jesus, the true Prince of Peace, in the Blessed Sacrament.”
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              St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
Thanks
 
Funny thing is CHRISTIAN is the first thing the Pagans CALLED US. In Antioch. The First thing we called OURSELVES is Catholic. 🙂 St. Ignatius of Antionch: “Where the Bishop is, let the people gather, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic church.” Approx. 107 a.d.

I love history. Put the Protty’s in their place. With Charity of Course. 😉
 
As the original followers of CHRIST – what would Catholics be??

What a funny question.

That’s like asking “is water wet??”

Or…
all Poodles are dogs, but not all dogs are Poodles…

Same principle applies…
Blessings,
Joanie
 
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GodBlessJoanie:
As the original followers of CHRIST – what would Catholics be??

What a funny question.

That’s like asking “is water wet??”

Or…
all Poodles are dogs, but not all dogs are Poodles…

Same principle applies…
Blessings,
Joanie
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Many of our Protestant friends do not believe we are! And many Catholic’s aren’t aware of it either … many have left the faith because they aren’t aware of it …

Silly question, but profound - really …
 
  1. Are Catholics Christians?
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Well this is easy, if they believe in Christ and they believe in the essential Doctrines then I guess you are Christians … Now whether you are a practicing Catholic or not, in the Fullness of the Faith that is a different story, and there are several different reasons that this may not be done by some…
  1. Are all Christians Catholic?
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NO! Are all Christians that are Baptized catholic? Yes they are, and therefore they are regarded as our Brethren and have the right to be called Christians within the Church…

Whether or not they realize it they are accepted by the Church, but they are not herestics, because of the fact that they ignorantly born not of their own choice into heresy, therefore born into invincable ignorance, catholics not in Communion with the Church. They however cannot be charged with the sin of heresy because of the fact that it was no fault of their own. This is in fact, the point the CCC makes.

I certainly hope though looking at the results on top of the page that anyone that is posting here and that is Catholic has NOT answered the question in the negative, stating that we are NOT Christians … or that we have need of both answers …
 
I’ve caught myself on occasion saying “Catholics and Christians”. But by this, I know that I mean “Catholics and other Christians”. But, somehow, it comes out as “Catholics and Christians” and can be very confusing. Many people do mean in the way I expressed it. When I’m cognizant of what I’m saying about it, I try to say “Catholics and non-Catholics”. That, though, can also be divisive. I like “Christians and Protestants” but that certainly will not work. 😛

I think that it’s often mostly innocent and people are trying to make a distinction between Catholics and non-Catholics as I’ve done with the same expression. There are those that do use it to mean that Catholics aren’t Christian.
 
The English words “Catholic” and “Christian” are thought boxes.

Take them like set notation, as in new math. Those thought boxes are like Venn diagrams containing those we define as “in” or “out” of the sets that correspond to those labels.

Some of us believe that since the words themselves are of human origin and depend on common human understanding of the terms to be able to agree completely and with certainty, that does not preclude the ability to have an objective meta-discussion about this.

For example, what we are trying to decide, is first of all how do we assign individual souls, bodies, consciensnesses, attitudes, works, or whatever we are, into each of those boxes as separate issues, or as relatied issues in the case for example that “Catholic” implies “Christian” and the reverse of course, and all other permutations.

The second issue, is once having assigned those, according to some set of rules that we wish wre standard but are hard to agree on much less objecftively quantify, is extremaly simple then from the “new math” model I presented above.

This is all an effort by a math teacher to prove that math has real life consequences.

Here are some of the questions if I try to put it in math terms:
  1. How do we assign human beings to each of two sets which may or may not be congruent, called “Catholic” and “Christian.” this amounts to whose definition you are going to use, and if you continue you can also apply to how you are going to subjectively or objectively assign actual humans. That part can be avoided if you consider the subject elementary only.
  2. Once having done so, how would the Venn Diagrams look? Would the sets intersect, coincide, or have only the empty set in common?
Alan
 
I always thought that an appropriate response to the Evangelical’s question to Catholics, “Are you Christian?,” is, “Are non-Catholics Christian?”

A simple question I like to ask Catholics is, “Is the Bible Catholic?” Many Catholics completely ignore it, and even subtly view the Bible as the “enemy” of the Church, whiich needs to be “interpreted-around” to avoid unpleasant conflicts with Catholicism.

This view is completely mistaken. The Bible is an expression of the Roman Catholic Magisterium.
 
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MGEISING:
I know so many catholic’s that don’t recognize that they are Christians. Have you ever experienced this with anyone. I remember My old hair dresser made the comment, or I grew up Catholic, but now I am a Christian. :eek: :eek: :eek:

I helped her understand where she went wrong in her sentence! 👍
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That doesn’t show that she didn’t think she was a Christian when she was Catholic. She now thinks she wasn’t a Christian back then.

But you’re right that there are Catholics who buy the predominant identification in our society of the unqualified term “Christian” with “Protestant” (one of the reasons that I started a cranky thread attacking the fact that Catholics around here have started giving in to some Protestants’ demands to be called “non-Catholics” instead of “Protestants”).

This is of course silly. Just as it’s silly that Protestants don’t know that they are Catholics (or at least that they are required by their faith to claim to be Catholic). “Catholic” and “Christian” are really identical. Or rather, they’re identical as self-identifiers. To be “Catholic” is simply to be fully a Christian. If, as a Christian, you don’t think you are a Catholic, then you have a conversion ahead of you. Of course “Christian” and “Catholic” are different when we’re talking about Christians with whom we disagree, whom we recognize to be Christians but not in possession of the fullness of the Faith.

Being a broadminded chap, I’d be willing to recognize Baptists as Catholics and JW’s or Oneness Pentecostals as Christians (but heretical Christians). But other high-church Protestants of my acquaintance would pull things in a step and say that Baptists are Christians (but not catholic Christians) and non-Trinitarians are not Christians at all.

And of course, those in communion with Rome think that we Anglicans are Christians (except for those of us who aren’t, likw Bishop Spong . . . . ) but not Catholics!

Edwin
 
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MGEISING:
I know so many catholic’s that don’t recognize that they are Christians. Have you ever experienced this with anyone. I remember My old hair dresser made the comment, or I grew up Catholic, but now I am a Christian. :eek: :eek: :eek:

I helped her understand where she went wrong in her sentence! 👍
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Oh yes I have, for several times…

My very first experience happened when I was in grade 5 or 6. I was over at a friend’s house and my wonderful manners and love of God charmed my friend and her parents. I told her I was Catholic and she replied, ‘That’s too bad, you could have made a great Christian.’ At the time, I myself did not know the distinction.

My second strong example was when I was attending a cell group party (I was recently ‘saved,’ but after months’ time, I began to creep back into catholicity), and I met this person. I told him I was Catholic, and he replied, ‘Excellent!’ And he began to preach to me how we Catholics worship Mary… I told him we didn’t, but he brushed off my continuation with a quick, abrupt ‘Yes, yes, well…’ Thank goodness it was time to eat. I was slightly offended that night.

My third one was at school in class. I was reading my bible, and then this girl was talking to me about Christianity. I replied my denomination, Catholic, and then she began to say, ‘Catholics aren’t Christian, they worship Mary.’ As much as I tried in defense, she kept cutting me off, and her friend commented, ‘If you’re Catholic, why do you have a Christian bible?’ with a retorted, disgusted look (I was reading the NAB…)

I was quite offended at that moment, and very much hurt for her lack of Christian charity and respect.

My friend’s fiery Pentecostal father didn’t accept Catholics as Christians… until he attended a sermon for our Charismatic community… after that, he has called us his ‘Catholic brothers and sisters…’

Even several lukewarm Catholics I have met think that there’s a difference between Christians (Protestants) and Catholics… It still bothers me, even today.
 
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MGEISING:
I know so many catholic’s that don’t recognize that they are Christians. Have you ever experienced this with anyone. I remember My old hair dresser made the comment, or I grew up Catholic, but now I am a Christian. :eek:

I helped her understand where she went wrong in her sentence! 👍
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I humorously recall once when my daughter (probably 6 years old then) told me that her neighborhood playmate asked my daughter if she was a Christian and she said “No, I’m a Catholic.” Instead of being horrified or otherwise insulted by this, I find it edifying as it highlights that there is a distinction between those who call themselves Christian and a Catholic Christian.

Using an analogy, if I and Tiger Woods were asked are you a golfer, both of us can say yes. However, he gets to say, “I’m a professional golfer.” 😉
 
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