What is the correct name for the Western Church?

[BVMFatima]

Hello, I have a question that keeps bothering me and I do not know where exactly to get the answers so I have come here. My question is, is the Western Church of the Catholic Church originally called the Roman Church? Is that why we use the term Roman Catholic to refer to Catholics of the Roman Church? I know Roman Catholic was used by Protestants to refer to all Catholics in communion with Rome, but besides that event, is Roman Church the original name for the western Church?

I have seen many Western Rite Latin Churches call themselves Roman catholic, is that because we belong to the Roman Church ( Roman Rite ) ?

Please give a answer and explain! Its so confusing!

God Bless!

 

[iloveangels]

Hello, I have a question that keeps bothering me and I do not know where exactly to get the answers so I have come here. My question is, is the Western Church of the Catholic Church originally called the Roman Church? Is that why we use the term Roman Catholic to refer to Catholics of the Roman Church? I know Roman Catholic was used by Protestants to refer to all Catholics in communion with Rome, but besides that event, is Roman Church the original name for the western Church?

I have seen many Western Rite Latin Churches call themselves Roman catholic, is that because we belong to the Roman Church ( Roman Rite ) ?

Please give a answer and explain! Its so confusing!

God Bless!

The term “Roman Catholic” is a sort of slang, used to mean “Catholic, Latin Rite.” There are 22 other rites (I believe that’s the right number off the top of my head) that are in union with Rome. They’re things like “Catholic, Byzantine Rite,” “Catholic, Armenian Rite,” and so on.

The difficulty is that there are other churches like the Eastern Orthodox, who aren’t in union with Rome, that also use the term “Catholic,” so many people have taken to saying “Roman Catholic” because then you don’t have to offer the long explanation to distinguish it from the others.

And actually, the Catholic Church was the Christian Church for centuries in the beginning of Christianity. Way back then it called itself just “The Church,” before the split in the 11th century and then the Reformation.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Roman Catholic would be the correct term. Churches were identified by the city where they are in. The Roman Catholic Church is the Church that grew out of Rome. St. Paul didn’t write to the Latins, he wrote to the Romans.

 

[BVMFatima]

Roman Catholic would be the correct term. Churches were identified by the city where they are in. The Roman Catholic Church is the Church that grew out of Rome. St. Paul didn’t write to the Latins, he wrote to the Romans.

True, I never thought of that

 

[ConstantineTG]

True, I never thought of that

Also note that “the Latins” and “the Greeks” were derogatory terms used by East and West against each other from the time leading up to and after the Great Schism. From my readings of the history of the Eastern faith usually when an Eastern bishop will speak with the West formally and respectfully they will say “Rome”. But if they making an effort to ridicule the West then they will say “the Latins”. “The Greeks” were derogatory from Biblical times because they referred to Gentiles.

Christians was a derogatory term too from when it was first used in Antioch. But eventually the “followers of The Way” eventually embraced the name.

 

[BVMFatima]

Also note that “the Latins” and “the Greeks” were derogatory terms used by East and West against each other from the time leading up to and after the Great Schism. From my readings of the history of the Eastern faith usually when an Eastern bishop will speak with the West formally and respectfully they will say “Rome”. But if they making an effort to ridicule the West then they will say “the Latins”. “The Greeks” were derogatory from Biblical times because they referred to Gentiles.

Christians was a derogatory term too from when it was first used in Antioch. But eventually the “followers of The Way” eventually embraced the name.

Well i learned something new! Why are Roman Churches called Latin Rite?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Well i learned something new! Why are Roman Churches called Latin Rite?

I guess eventually the words became less hateful and each side just embraced it. Often each side never embraced any formal name but everyone else keeps referring to them as such so at some point it becomes official. Even the terms “Catholic” and “Orthodox” were never really official until later on when the point of distinction was needed. Like the Oriental Orthodox were called Miaphysites which to this day is derogatory because it implies one accepts a heretic teaching (Miaphysitism). Eventually they were called “non-Chalcedonians” for not accepting Chalcedon, and then the term “Oriental Orthodox” came about as well.

I’m suspecting the “Latin Rite” referred to those who follows the Rites of the Latins which today is synonymous to the Roman Church. But back then when Churches were still more atomic, it could have been used to group the faction of Churches that followed Rome’s Liturgical traditions.

Also another great indicator of history is St. Ambrose’s “when in Rome”. He did not say, “do as the Latins would do”.

 

[BVMFatima]

I guess eventually the words became less hateful and each side just embraced it. Often each side never embraced any formal name but everyone else keeps referring to them as such so at some point it becomes official. Even the terms “Catholic” and “Orthodox” were never really official until later on when the point of distinction was needed. Like the Oriental Orthodox were called Miaphysites which to this day is derogatory because it implies one accepts a heretic teaching (Miaphysitism). Eventually they were called “non-Chalcedonians” for not accepting Chalcedon, and then the term “Oriental Orthodox” came about as well.

I’m suspecting the “Latin Rite” referred to those who follows the Rites of the Latins which today is synonymous to the Roman Church. But back then when Churches were still more atomic, it could have been used to group the faction of Churches that followed Rome’s Liturgical traditions.

Also another great indicator of history is St. Ambrose’s “when in Rome”. He did not say, “do as the Latins would do”.

This is very interesting, I love history and when I first become Catholic, I learned a lot about the Eastern Churches more than Roman. Can you please send me some links on the Roman Church such as history, timeline, etc. Anything on the Roman church if you have anything? Its easier to search Eastern catholic things such as history because when I google Roman Catholic, I just find anti catholic sites or just sites that call the whole church " Roman ".

 

[iloveangels]

I guess eventually the words became less hateful and each side just embraced it. Often each side never embraced any formal name but everyone else keeps referring to them as such so at some point it becomes official. Even the terms “Catholic” and “Orthodox” were never really official until later on when the point of distinction was needed. Like the Oriental Orthodox were called Miaphysites which to this day is derogatory because it implies one accepts a heretic teaching (Miaphysitism). Eventually they were called “non-Chalcedonians” for not accepting Chalcedon, and then the term “Oriental Orthodox” came about as well.

I’m suspecting the “Latin Rite” referred to those who follows the Rites of the Latins which today is synonymous to the Roman Church. But back then when Churches were still more atomic, it could have been used to group the faction of Churches that followed Rome’s Liturgical traditions.

Also another great indicator of history is St. Ambrose’s “when in Rome”. He did not say, “do as the Latins would do”.

“With regard to the modern use of the word, Roman Catholic is the designation employed in the legislative enactments of Protestant England, but Catholic is that in ordinary use on the Continent of Europe, especially in Latin countries. Indeed, historians of all schools, at least for brevity’s sake, frequently contrast Catholic and Protestant, without any qualification. In England, since the middle of the sixteenth century, indignant protests have been constantly made against the “exclusive and arrogant usurpation” of the name Catholic by the Church of Rome.”

Catholic Encyclopedia, newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm

To this day, you can get into a dandy dispute with any Anglican if you say you’re Catholic and they’re not because they’re Anglican. Episcopalians, same thing.

 

[ConstantineTG]

This is very interesting, I love history and when I first become Catholic, I learned a lot about the Eastern Churches more than Roman. Can you please send me some links on the Roman Church such as history, timeline, etc. Anything on the Roman church if you have anything? Its easier to search Eastern catholic things such as history because when I google Roman Catholic, I just find anti catholic sites or just sites that call the whole church " Roman ".

Unfortunately my current readings have been from the Eastern perspective. That is how I figured “the Latins” was derogatory.

I don’t have much sites, I started delving into books. If you are lucky to have a library near you with enough books on religion, take advantage of it. I myself had to invest in buying them online.

 

[BVMFatima]

By the way, one thing I find funny is when people say Roman Catholic is not found in Church documents and I fully agree, but niether is Latin Catholic, maronite catholic etc. The documents mention roman Church ( also calls it the " Latin Church" ), Maronite Church etc. It never adds Catholic to the end, because we are all equally Catholic no matter what Sui Juris Church we belong to.

 

[daisybee]

Hello, I have a question that keeps bothering me and I do not know where exactly to get the answers so I have come here. My question is, is the Western Church of the Catholic Church originally called the Roman Church? Is that why we use the term Roman Catholic to refer to Catholics of the Roman Church? I know Roman Catholic was used by Protestants to refer to all Catholics in communion with Rome, but besides that event, is Roman Church the original name for the western Church?

I have seen many Western Rite Latin Churches call themselves Roman catholic, is that because we belong to the Roman Church ( Roman Rite ) ?

Please give a answer and explain! Its so confusing!

God Bless!

When used by Protestants, the term “Roman Church” is generally not a compliment. See apologist Jimmy Akin’s comments:

When it is used without malice or for the sake of clarity, I have no problem with it. However, it is often used as a pejorative (as it originally was) and when it is, I am offended. One can detect the pejorative usage whenever a Protestant refuses to use the word Catholic without the Roman adjective or when they parallel talk about Roman Catholics with talk about Romanists, Romanism, or the Roman Church.

For more information, see Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: “Roman Catholic” vs. “Catholic.”

 

[ConstantineTG]

“With regard to the modern use of the word, Roman Catholic is the designation employed in the legislative enactments of Protestant England, but Catholic is that in ordinary use on the Continent of Europe, especially in Latin countries. Indeed, historians of all schools, at least for brevity’s sake, frequently contrast Catholic and Protestant, without any qualification. In England, since the middle of the sixteenth century, indignant protests have been constantly made against the “exclusive and arrogant usurpation” of the name Catholic by the Church of Rome.”

Catholic Encyclopedia, newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm

To this day, you can get into a dandy dispute with any Anglican if you say you’re Catholic and they’re not because they’re Anglican. Episcopalians, same thing.

Same with the Orthodox. They will say Roman Catholic but believe themselves to be Catholic as well. So they won’t regard anyone in union with the Pope to be purely just Catholic because they are the Catholic Church from their perspective. And anyone in union with Rome is Roman Catholic, even the Eastern Rite Churches.

 

[iloveangels]

Same with the Orthodox. They will say Roman Catholic but believe themselves to be Catholic as well. So they won’t regard anyone in union with the Pope to be purely just Catholic because they are the Catholic Church from their perspective. And anyone in union with Rome is Roman Catholic, even the Eastern Rite Churches.

Yes, but it’s a historical technicality. They’ll quickly correct you if you call them Roman Catholic. They maintain that they are not Roman Catholic, but Ukrainian Catholic or whatever, in union with Rome.

 

[tabycat]

Roman Catholic would be the correct term. Churches were identified by the city where they are in. The Roman Catholic Church is the Church that grew out of Rome. St. Paul didn’t write to the Latins, he wrote to the Romans.

Also, the Rite celabradted in Rome was considered the ‘best’ of the Laten rites. :

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yes, but it’s a historical technicality. They’ll quickly correct you if you call them Roman Catholic. They maintain that they are not Roman Catholic, but Ukrainian Catholic or whatever, in union with Rome.

I know that

I’m just saying that is the Orthodox perspective.

 

[iloveangels]

Also, the Rite celabradted in Rome was considered the ‘best’ of the Laten rites. :

LOL, by those in the Latin Rite, yes.

 

[BVMFatima]

When used by Protestants, the term “Roman Church” is generally not a compliment. See apologist Jimmy Akin’s comments:

For more information, see Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: “Roman Catholic” vs. “Catholic.”

I have read this article before, The Term Roman Catholic is used in different ways, The Roman Church or the offensive term to mean all Catholics in communion with Rome.

I also have a link from Jimmy Akin, catholic.com/radio/shows/qa-open-forum-6599

Listen to the beginning he calls the Western Church the Roman Church

 

[ConstantineTG]

LOL, by those in the Latin Rite, yes.

Those with the Ambrosian and Mozarabic Rites will disagree

 

[BVMFatima]

Also, the Rite celabradted in Rome was considered the ‘best’ of the Laten rites. :

We are not taking about Liturgies, but Ritual Churches. The Roman Rite which is a Liturgy is a Latin Liturgy just as Ambrosian etc which are all used from the Roman Church