Was Christianity/Catholicism originally called something else?

[scapularkid8]

I just read in Acts where Christianity/Catholicism was referred to as “The Way” (Acts 9:2)

Was our religion really called that?
It seems so mystical hahaha

 

[Eucharisted]

Christianity didn’t exist until a bunch of churches began calling themselves the true church. In the beginning there was just The Way. The Catholic Church is The Way.

 

[Barzillai]

Yes, good answer.

“The Way” is the name used in several descriptions in Acts (before the use of the name Christian).

Acts 9:2

… and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.

See also:
The Way is used in several other Acts passages as the name the disciples used for themselves. (Acts 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Interestingly, “The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life” notes the New American Bible footnote to Acts 9:2.
See also this book excerpt which has a short summary and time line chart on The Way and the name Christians (first used in the City of Antioch) about 42 AD.

 

[Eucharisted]

Interestingly, “The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life”

That’s why some folks believe Jesus was an Essene. But they tend to forget that there are more differences between Essence and Catholicism than there are similiarities. There are also many similiarities between Jesus’ and Hillel’s teachings, but I like to think that the sage learned a lot from the Lord - as, I’m sure, every sage did.

 

[scapularkid8]

That’s why some folks believe Jesus was an Essene. But they tend to forget that there are more differences between Essence and Catholicism than there are similiarities. There are also many similiarities between Jesus’ and Hillel’s teachings, but I like to think that the sage learned a lot from the Lord - as, I’m sure, every sage did.

Wow you read my mind with your comments in this post

I was just about to ask if Jesus could then be thought of by some as having been an Essene. But wasn’t that movement massacred by the Romans before Jesus was born? Or at least when He was a lot younger? If not, I don’t see a reason to say that He couldn’t have been influenced by their teachings in the LARGE gap in His Life the Gospels leave out between young adulthood (12-14) and the beginning of His adult ministry (30s). (Either way, the Essenes were very smart to have repetitively copied the Torah and prophets’ writings to keep them safe. I guess in a way they fulfilled their own prophecy of preserving true Jewish thought for the wisdom to outlive them.)

Another question about what you said that I have is, didn’t Hillel live a long time before Jesus?

I learned about all of these people/movements mentioned here from a miniseries by PBS (it was actually good), which is why I bring it up. They didn’t provide dates or a time line of the events they covered though, so I don’t really know how far close or apart the Essenes, Hillel, Jesus Christ, and even Jesus Ben Sira and Rabbi Akiva are from each other?!

I’m pretty sure they’re at least all after the Babylonian exile

 

[scapularkid8]

Well in a small research quest on wikipedia (hope it’s accurate), It says Hillel died approximately when Jesus was around eight or nine…
I don’t think he could have that big of an impact on Him in that case?

 

[Eucharisted]

If not, I don’t see a reason to say that He couldn’t have been influenced by their teachings in the LARGE gap in His Life the Gospels leave out between young adulthood (12-14) and the beginning of His adult ministry (30s).

Jesus didn’t belong to any Jewish sect. And as for what He was doing between youth and ministry, He was a carpenter according to Sacred Tradition - which means there was no way He could have been an Essence, given the sect’s way of life.

Another question about what you said that I have is, didn’t Hillel live a long time before Jesus?

Yes, but that dosen’t mean he didn’t learn from God. God is eternal!

Moreover, God, in Jesus, has shown His humility and meekness to the world: by learning from and obeying man! Who else but He who is All-Holy could have been such a Model for holiness?

 

[Eucharisted]

Well in a small research quest on wikipedia (hope it’s accurate), It says Hillel died approximately when Jesus was around eight or nine…
I don’t think he could have that big of an impact on Him in that case?

Well, He did learn a lot as He grew up, and Hillel was a very popular sage back than - as he is now. (I like to think God allowed Hillel to have his own sandwich so He could eat one Himself, in honor of the man)