Does size matter?

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When the Catholic church was very powerful, it routinely eliminated the opposition using the power of the state. When it lost this power, it also lost numbers as a proportion of population, and continues to do so. However this has nothing to do with whether the Church is ‘true’ or not.
 
Hokomai said:
When the Catholic church was very powerful, it routinely eliminated the opposition using the power of the state. When it lost this power, it also lost numbers as a proportion of population, and continues to do so. However this has nothing to do with whether the Church is ‘true’ or not.
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I’m not so sure of what you mean. It seems that the Church maintained numbers in centuries when it was less influential.
 
Well Bran, size may not matter that much in the case of the Catholic Church since many are born into the Church.

Are you considering converting to Catholicism?
 
When you think about it, the Catholic Church is massive because we are united. As for the Protestants, I haven’t heard one organization of Protestants worldwide… (except Mormons and JW but I don’t think they can be called Protestant). Also, it might be because back then, the Church spent a lot of resources in missionary work. Although, I hate it when some of them become drunk off the power of the state…
 
Bran_Stark said:
When comparing the Catholic Church to other Christian denominations, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church is by far the largest and most widespread and most powerful, and had been so for many centuries. What are the implications of this? It don’t think it’s a very Biblical attitude to say that whatever group is ahead in worldy numbers is necessarily the one most approved by God. In her infancy the Church was obviously a quite small religious minority, very limited geographically. So is it just a coincidence today that the “One True Church” so happens to be the biggest?

I feel that part of the reason for many Protestants being so attracted to Catholicism may be simply awe in belonging to such an impressive worldwide organization, and not so much in liking the particular doctrines which she teaches.
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On the flipside of this issue, I have met non-Catholics who consider the smallness of their congregations/denominations a point of pride. Many are called and few are chosen–and of course, they’re the chosen. Something like a David v. Goliath complex. Largeness is almost seen as proof of being wrong.

My cousin, a Reformed Baptist, belongs to a small country church of about 40 or 50 members. She strongly opposed my conversion to Catholicism, and when I mentioned the universality and unity of the Church, she basically intimated that those things were either irrelevant or existed locally in any congregation that preaches the truth (meaning, any Reformed Baptist church). The warm 'n fuzzy fellowship of her church is much more impressive to her than the worldwide sweep of Catholicism.
 
RyanK said:
Well, I think it’s also the fact that the Church’s roots lead directly to Jesus Christ himself considering that our first Pope was St. Peter the Apostle whereas every other church’s roots leads to a reformer of some sort.
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Your first pope? There are some other church’s who would disagree.
 
Calgar said:
Your first pope? There are some other church’s who would disagree.
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The fact that other churches disagree with the teachings of the Catholic Church is well documented, it does not however change the facts concerning the Faith:).
 
Calgar said:
Southern Baptist Convention.

Now you’ve heard of one. 👍
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Reserved only for those who live in the southern areas of their countries, no doubt. Truly, JK! 😉

Size really has nothing to do with truth no matter who has the larger country, religion, ism, whatever. For example, at one time Arianism held the majority of Christendom in its sway. Other heresies, both on the left and on the right have held the majority opinion amongst Christians, but it doesn’t make them true.

Christ gave us the truth through his Apostles and they, having Christ’s promise that they would be led into all truth by the Holy Spirit, passed it down to us through their successors. They did this both orally and in the written word, both of which we have today in the NT and in Sacred Tradition from which it sprang.

No one need wander in the dark, wondering what Christ meant to tell us. He gave us the means. We only need to accept it.
 
not sure if someone said this or not yet…
but doesn’t it show the mark of the Church that we are Catholic? Universal? We’re everywhere! A mass is likely being celebrated somewhere, at any given time! Is the Catholic Church not present in every nation?
Praise God!

and on the other side of things… a truth is still true even if no one believes it, and a lie is still a lie even if everyone believes it. (Fulton J Sheen quote which I just butchered)

Pax Christi,
Phil
 
Bran_Stark said:
When comparing the Catholic Church to other Christian denominations, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church is by far the largest and most widespread and most powerful, and had been so for many centuries. What are the implications of this? It don’t think it’s a very Biblical attitude to say that whatever group is ahead in worldy numbers is necessarily the one most approved by God. In her infancy the Church was obviously a quite small religious minority, very limited geographically. So is it just a coincidence today that the “One True Church” so happens to be the biggest?

I feel that part of the reason for many Protestants being so attracted to Catholicism may be simply awe in belonging to such an impressive worldwide organization, and not so much in liking the particular doctrines which she teaches.
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:eek: How could one go to Church, confess their sins, go up and accept the true bread from heaven, and then not really care for the teachings but want to be part of a big Church? This is unreal!
 
Bran_Stark said:
I seem to recall that at some points the Arians were in the majority… Even if not, she was still obviously not the largest religion.

But anyhow, if you think it “should tell us something”, then I guess you do indeed believe that size matters.

Not all of them of course. But plenty of them convert, and conversion starts with looking at Rome and wondering if something’s there.
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The Catholic Church is the biggest Church here on earth, but I have heard the Muslim is pretty neck in neck with us.

But I believe conversion starts with the working of the Holy Spirit and the HS will lead you to Rome. Because the RCC is the OHCAC.
 
Bran_Stark said:
I seem to recall that at some points the Arians were in the majority… Even if not, she was still obviously not the largest religion.

But anyhow, if you think it “should tell us something”, then I guess you do indeed believe that size matters.

Not all of them of course. But plenty of them convert, and conversion starts with looking at Rome and wondering if something’s there.
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Well the truth is that Arius was a Priest in the Catholic Church. It was at the council of Nicaea that his teaching on the nature of Chirst were declared a heresy and him and heretic. Up till then both he and those that followed his teachings were in the Chruch.
 
Bran_Stark said:
the Catholic Church is by far the largest and most widespread and most powerful, and had been so for many centuries.
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That is becuase the Catholic church adopted political power as its Shining Path. It forsook the spiritual, eternal world, for the physical, temporal world.
 
Bran_Stark said:
When comparing the Catholic Church to other Christian denominations, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church is by far the largest and most widespread and most powerful, and had been so for many centuries. What are the implications of this? It don’t think it’s a very Biblical attitude to say that whatever group is ahead in worldy numbers is necessarily the one most approved by God. In her infancy the Church was obviously a quite small religious minority, very limited geographically. So is it just a coincidence today that the “One True Church” so happens to be the biggest?

I feel that part of the reason for many Protestants being so attracted to Catholicism may be simply awe in belonging to such an impressive worldwide organization, and not so much in liking the particular doctrines which she teaches.
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The fact that the Catholic Church is so Large and all over the world, is due to the fact it was the First Church Founded. Therefore she has had a lot more years than other Churchs to grow. With that said, Many people who are in the Catholic Church are there because they Love being part of the Church that was founded by Our Lord and has Complete Truths to her.

Oh yes and One More Very Important reason she is so Large and will Continue to be so Large. “The Gates of Hell will Not Preveil Against Her.” God wants His Church known, and will protect Her.
 
amber_lux said:
That is becuase the Catholic church adopted political power as its Shining Path. It forsook the spiritual, eternal world, for the physical, temporal world.
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Not quite. The Church is in the world and of the world as it is populated with human beings. It has to engage the world in order to be a part of it otherwise it would simply float in the clouds where it could be admired from afar, but it couldn’t bring Christ down to earth where he is so desperately needed.
 
Bran_Stark said:
When comparing the Catholic Church to other Christian denominations, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church is by far the largest and most widespread and most powerful, and had been so for many centuries. What are the implications of this? It don’t think it’s a very Biblical attitude to say that whatever group is ahead in worldy numbers is necessarily the one most approved by God. In her infancy the Church was obviously a quite small religious minority, very limited geographically. So is it just a coincidence today that the “One True Church” so happens to be the biggest?

I feel that part of the reason for many Protestants being so attracted to Catholicism may be simply awe in belonging to such an impressive worldwide organization, and not so much in liking the particular doctrines which she teaches.
Click to expand...
Not many people believed when Jesus came to Jerusalem and taught them; so truth matters not the size.
 
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