The Roman Catholic Church IS a denomination

[With_Questions]

Since I am getting tired of quoting the dictionary every time this statement is made:

4: a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices

So unless you want to say that either your are not a religious organization or that you are not united, then you are a denomination. And if you want to claim that either the above are not true, then Protestants do not have denominations either.

So don’t argue with us any more. Take your dispute to the dictionary.

 

[Trishie]

You do sound frustrated with this! Definitions and categorizations have caused so many problems over the centuries!
I guess people on all sides of various questions get a bit fed up with quoting the same things over and over in different threads and in different places. It’s a little like battling a Hydra!

Wishing you well, Trishie

God bless you

 

[chris_molter]

In the strictest literal sense, yes. Since that’s the term commonly used now. Of course, language evolves constantly. What Catholics and Orthodox object to is the insinuation that they are to be counted as ‘just another denomination’ of Christianity since they predate the whole CONCEPT of denominations by… oh… 1500 years, give or take.

 

[Dempsey1919]

I can agree with you, BUT…

The Catholic Church is THE Church founded by Christ. All of the other churches left the Catholic Church; the Catholic Church is the oldest and original Christian organisation.

As the fullness of Christian truth and doctrine subsists in the Catholic Church, it is accurate to say that the Roman Church is more than a denomination. It is the Mother Church from which all other christian denominations originate. It is wrong to label this ancient, divine institution as simply another man-made denomination.

 

[CapIV]

this is a waste of a thread.

 

[BRZ]

Well, I would tend to agree that technically it may be the case but then I would say that Catholicism is the only Christian denomination and the reason why we don’t want to be called a denomination is of course the insinuation that the other Christian denominations have the same status as the Catholic church, because they do not.

Denomination
3. A class, or society of individuals, called by the same name; a sect; as, a denomination of Christians.

 

[Trishie]

Definition of “Denomination”
A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language

From Latin denominatus, “named”

It’s a matter of semantics, not of any derogatory or demeaning definition. No one need take exception to the word. It in no way defines which isn’t or is the true or original church.

 

[Michael_David]

I can agree with you, BUT…

The Catholic Church is THE Church founded by Christ. All of the other churches left the Catholic Church; the Catholic Church is the oldest and original Christian organisation.

As the fullness of Christian truth and doctrine subsists in the Catholic Church, it is accurate to say that the Roman Church is more than a denomination. It is the Mother Church from which all other christian denominations originate. It is wrong to label this ancient, divine institution as simply another man-made denomination.

And to the Jew, Christianity ‘sprung’ from the OT Mother Jewish Religion… The religions of Moses and Abraham dating back to Adam. One might say, very guardedly, that Christ ‘fulfilled’ these earlier forms of Religion, thereby starting a new era (covenant) with those that followed. Just as God formed a covenant with Noah… the rainbow.

If anything truthful can be said, the Catholic Church, is one-half based on God and one-half based on Man… as Christ was both God and Man (this is our Catholic belief).

To the OT religions that still exist… we Catholic’s ‘spun off’ from their Religion, and so become a ‘denomination’.

 

[jkarp]

Since I am getting tired of quoting the dictionary every time this statement is made:

So unless you want to say that either your are not a religious organization or that you are not united, then you are a denomination. And if you want to claim that either the above are not true, then Protestants do not have denominations either.

So don’t argue with us any more. Take your dispute to the dictionary.

OK, so I guess if we’re going to pick and choose definitions, I choose the following:

1. 
   *]A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.
   The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. 
   With this in mind, the only churches that can really claim to be a denomination are the Catholic, Orthodox, and Episcopal churches. All other Christians would be defined as sects:
   

   A religious body, especially one that has separated from a larger denomination.
   
   The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
   
   or
   
   A religious group, especially one that has separated from a larger group
   
   The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

 

[Dori1]

I am a late comer, and so my opinion may be unwelcome. However, as a soon-to-be Catholic Christian; and loving adherent to everything the Church stands for, I find I must weigh-in and say:

This thread is arguing semantics at a dark time when all Christians should be standing together; those of us with the fullness of the Catholic faith and all of those who love Christ in their own manner. These types of arguments serve only to deepen the divide between us and not to draw our brethren to the fold.

                         Why do we CARE?

Words are simply that. They hold great power only when we allow them to do so. This argument is unimportant and divisive.

I respectfully submit that our time could be better spent discussing more substantive issues.

 

[reteeks21]

I am a late comer, and so my opinion may be unwelcome. However, as a soon-to-be Catholic Christian; and loving adherent to everything the Church stands for, I find I must weigh-in and say:

This thread is arguing semantics at a dark time when all Christians should be standing together; those of us with the fullness of the Catholic faith and all of those who love Christ in their own manner. These types of arguments serve only to deepen the divide between us and not to draw our brethren to the fold.

                         Why do we CARE?

Words are simply that. They hold great power only when we allow them to do so. This argument is unimportant and divisive.

I respectfully submit that our time could be better spent discussing more substantive issues.

Excellent words and an even better example set by you. Thank you for standing up and speaking from the heart.

 

[Mrschocolate42]

I am a late comer, and so my opinion may be unwelcome. However, as a soon-to-be Catholic Christian; and loving adherent to everything the Church stands for, I find I must weigh-in and say:

This thread is arguing semantics at a dark time when all Christians should be standing together; those of us with the fullness of the Catholic faith and all of those who love Christ in their own manner. These types of arguments serve only to deepen the divide between us and not to draw our brethren to the fold.

                         Why do we CARE?

Words are simply that. They hold great power only when we allow them to do so. This argument is unimportant and divisive.

I respectfully submit that our time could be better spent discussing more substantive issues.

LOVE IT! This is so true. We are all Christians, followers of The Christ. We should be searching for what unites us, Jesus, not what divides us, semantics. You are a great Christian witness and I think enough said on this thread about the matter.

Love always in Christ.

 

[Hisalone]

Since I am getting tired of quoting the dictionary every time this statement is made:

So unless you want to say that either your are not a religious organization or that you are not united, then you are a denomination. And if you want to claim that either the above are not true, then Protestants do not have denominations either.

So don’t argue with us any more. Take your dispute to the dictionary.

Very good points!

 

[allhers]

Just for the record, fortunately we don’t rely on dictionaries for what we profess we are.
We are The Church NOT a denomination.

 

[FK04US]

And please do not forget the The Catholic Church is Universal, so is beyond any English language word or concept. Try to find the same concept of “denominations” in Spanish, French or Italian. For sure, that concept does not exist in Spanish. In the Spanish world, you have “religions” and “sects”, VERY different. Most of the protestants belong in the “sect” category, people wouldn’t even dare to put them in the same league with The Holy Catholic Church. But we are all brothers in Christ, so let;s pray for our separated ones.

 

[With_Questions]

                         Why do we CARE?

I care for one.

I care because I for one use the word “denomination” frequently in threads referring to the (Roman) Catholic church. And I get (or see others get) “corrected” a lot when I use this word.

I do not use it in a derogatory sense. I only use it in the sense of the definition of the original post. I quite honestly know of no other word that I can use that has the same meaning.

And I am honestly getting quite tired of seeing myself or some other poster get “corrected” when we use the word denomination in the sense of the original post.

So if nobody cares about this, then please stop “correcting” us when we use the word in this sense. Then I won’t care either.

 

[With_Questions]

Just for the record, fortunately we don’t rely on dictionaries for what we profess we are.
We are The Church NOT a denomination.

Again…the dictionary disagrees with you.

Words have meaning. The dictionary is what we use to arbitrate meaning.

Evidently you care about this btw.

 

[Michael_David]

Another word may be ‘religion’ rather then ‘denomination’.

As each is a religion, in it’s own sense.

 

[allhers]

Again…the dictionary disagrees with you.

Words have meaning. The dictionary is what we use to arbitrate meaning.

Evidently you care about this btw.

Well, if you were talking to me you could say, “Your Church, not, your denomination”. I say this since you said earlier that you couldn’t think of another way to put it. Since we Catholics call it Church, you could respect that and address us this way.

 

[With_Questions]

Main Entry: re·li·gion
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈli-jən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English religioun, from Anglo-French religiun, Latin religion-, religio supernatural constraint, sanction, religious practice, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back — more at rely
Date: 13th century
1 a: the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion> b (1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Perhaps, although the dictionnary doesn’t associate organization with religion. Neither does it associate unity.