Please Help About Faith

[Battle_Bear]

At school, I joined a Christian Education Club, but I thought Christian and Catholic are the same, do I attend or not?

 

[MarcoPolo]

Catholicism is the fullness of Christianity. I’m not sure how the group you joined views it, however. If you feel comfortable attending, go ahead and attend and see how it goes. If you ever have questions about what they are teaching or challenges for you and you need help, be sure to visit back here and/or check the Catechism.

 

[DavidFilmer]

The Catholic Church was the ONLY Christian Church until the Sixteenth Century, when the various protestant Christian Churches were first invented. The reason why the Catholic and protestant churches are both Christian is because we (generally) share a common Christian Baptism, which makes us members of the Body of Christ.

There was no such thing as any protestant faith prior to the Sixteenth Century. All protestant religions are inventions of man, but most continue to practice valid Christian Baptism (thanks to the legacy of the Catholic origins of their various inventors, such as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli - all raised as Catholics).

 

[Iron_Donkey]

It really depends on the club and the strength of your faith. Some Christian groups are predominantly Protestant and hostile to Catholicism, some are predominantly Protestant and are not hostile to Catholicism (but will teach things that Catholicism says is false), and some try (with varying success) to be neutral. Most groups that are predominantly Catholic will say so - it is my experience that if a group like this calls itself Christian rather that Catholic or some specific denomination, then it usually tries to bring together Christians of different flavors.

My suggestion is that if you were looking to learn more about the faith, go elsewhere, but if you are looking primarily for fellowship and an environment where Christians pray together etc, then go ahead and go - so long as you are willing and able to put in the effort to research and address any doubts raised about your Catholicism in the process, and the environment is not openly hostile to your faith.

The Catholic Church was the ONLY Christian Church until the Sixteenth Century, when the various protestant Christian Churches were first invented. The reason why the Catholic and protestant churches are both Christian is because we (generally) share a common Christian Baptism, which makes us members of the Body of Christ.

…

(Also the Great Schism was a bit earlier)

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

In all likelihood, this is probably an “Evangelical” group. In that case, you will constantly have to go out of your way to avoid stepping on toes and causing controversy.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

At school, I joined a Christian Education Club, but I thought Christian and Catholic are the same, do I attend or not?

All Apples are Fruits, but not all Fruits are Apples. All Catholicism is Christianity, but not all Christianity is Catholicism.

It is important to attend I think , as Catholics should always
seek connection with distant brothers and sisters (Don’t get
mad at me non-Catholics!)

 

[dronald]

At school, I joined a Christian Education Club, but I thought Christian and Catholic are the same, do I attend or not?

I think it’s important that you DO attend if only to help your brothers and sisters with any misconceptions. Refrain from argument though, and remember that you’re all in it for Christ.

 

[DavidFilmer]

(Also the Great Schism was a bit earlier)

Indeed it was (occurring in 1054 - half a millennia before the first protestants), and I have never denied the title “Catholic” to the Greek Orthodox or any number of other Eastern Churches. These Eastern Catholics are of valid Apostolic origin and succession, and have seven valid Sacraments. Latin Catholics recognize the Catholicity of these Churches, and rightfully genuflect before Eastern Tabernacles.

When (informed) Latin Catholics (at least on this Forum) use the term “Catholic” in a generic sense, we do not intend to exclude our Eastern Catholic brethren. Especially when the thread is specifically discussing protestant Christians, who are a rather late invention, and cling to authentic Christianity by the Sacrament of Baptism alone.

 

[dmar198]

Also the Great Schism was a bit earlier

That’s true, but the rupture was temporarily healed twice, most recently at the Council of Florence in the mid-1400s. (The East broke away again in the months subsequent to that.) Thus the Orthodox have been separated from us for not much longer than the Protestants.