When was the Church "Catholic?"

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Was Jesus Catholic? Was Peter? Or, was it the Christian Church in the beginning and became "the “Catholic” Church later? Did Constantine found the Catholic Church? Was the Orthodox Church originally part of the Catholic church, or vice versa, or were they both considered to be the Christian Church for a time?
 
Was Jesus Catholic? Was Peter? Or, was it the Christian Church in the beginning and became "the “Catholic” Church later? Did Constantine found the Catholic Church? Was the Orthodox Church originally part of the Catholic church, or vice versa, or were they both considered to be the Christian Church for a time?
Depends what you mean by the word “Catholic”. The Church has always been the adjective catholic. I believe that the noun Catholic was applied only after the Great Schism. Because before then there wasn’t a need to distinguish between Churches. The other schismatic Churches were called by the heresy they professed, like Nestorians, etc.
 
I believe that the noun Catholic was applied only after the Great Schism. Because before then there wasn’t a need to distinguish between Churches. The other schismatic Churches were called by the heresy they professed, like Nestorians, etc.
See this is the heart of the question. Seems like something as simple as the working name of the Church for the first 1000 years would be readily known to all.
some say it WAS the Catholic Church, some say it wasn’t. What did the early popes call it in their writings? What about the Eastern Bishops prior to 1054?
 
See this is the heart of the question. Seems like something as simple as the working name of the Church for the first 1000 years would be readily known to all.
some say it WAS the Catholic Church, some say it wasn’t. What did the early popes call it in their writings? What about the Eastern Bishops prior to 1054?
The terms Catholic and Orthodox were both used as appellations in the time of the Ecumenical Councils. We continue to use the both the terms Catholic Church and Orthodox Church as a term of self-reference in encyclicals and official documents, as we consider ourselves to be the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
 
The terms Catholic and Orthodox were both used as appellations in the time of the Ecumenical Councils. **We continue to use the both the terms **Catholic Church and Orthodox Church as a term of self-reference in encyclicals and official documents, as we consider ourselves to be the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Who is “we?” The Orthodox Church? In the writings that came out of the earliy councils, was there ever a name given to the Church? How did they refer to themselves in the Council of Nicea in 325, for example?
 
Around AD 106, Bishop Ignatius of Antioch called it the Catholic church in one of his letters. 106 is 10 years after John wrote the Book of Revelation.

That’s a pretty early reference to the Church as “Catholic”. Pliny the Younger, also alive during that time, describes Christians and the very early Mass in his letter to Emperor Trajan.

Put those two together and it’s a pretty clear picture of “The Catholic Church” very early in its infancy in my opinion.
 
I wonder why the Bishops assembled in the first councils didn’t use the term in any of the formal documents that issued. Or did they? I’ve been researching, but haven’t noticed anything but them being called “The Church in Alexandria,” etc…
 
Catholic means universal 🤷 In the past, some terms were used differently than today, ex. we spoke of “churches” though we professed that there was “one bread, one body, one Church”, and we also referred to all of the followers of Christ as “saints” (you know, the saints of the Church Militant) while today we reserve this term to the canonized of the Church Triumphant.
 
Hi All
Comment/ Ignatius of Antioch a disciple of St.John describes our religion as Catholic in some of his letters.
God Bless
onenow1 🙂
This indicates that in his day—at the beginning of the second century (circa A.D. 107)—the term was already in widespread use. For it to be used in such a broad manner, it would have required some time to pass into currency in the Christian community, meaning that the term probably was coined sometime in the second half of the first century. We don’t know who first used it, but it was a suitable description of the Church Christ founded and so was already in general use by the time Ignatius wrote.catholic.com
 
I wonder why the Bishops assembled in the first councils didn’t use the term in any of the formal documents that issued. Or did they? I’ve been researching, but haven’t noticed anything but them being called “The Church in Alexandria,” etc…
Councils were convened to deal with heresies and problems within the Church. My feeling is that if nobody had a problem calling the Church “Catholic” then it wouldn’t have been addressed.
 
See this is the heart of the question. Seems like something as simple as the working name of the Church for the first 1000 years would be readily known to all.
some say it WAS the Catholic Church, some say it wasn’t. What did the early popes call it in their writings? What about the Eastern Bishops prior to 1054?
Why was there a need to name the Church back then? There was one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church and there was no confusion. Usually labels were applied to the schismatics and heretics, not to the true Church.
 
Councils were convened to deal with heresies and problems within the Church. My feeling is that if nobody had a problem calling the Church “Catholic” then it wouldn’t have been addressed.
Back then calling yourself the Church produces no confusion. They never needed to append “Church” with anything.
 
Pope St. Clement I, A.D. 88-97
Heretical teachers pervert Scripture and try to get into Heaven with a false key, for they have formed their human assemblies later than the Catholic Church.
Saint Pionius, AD 250
I am a Christian and belong to the Catholic Church.
Lactantius, AD 310
It is the Catholic Church alone which retains true worship. This is the fountain of truth, this is the abode of the Faith, this is the temple of God; into which if anyone shall not enter, or from which if anyone shall go out, he is a stranger to the hope of life and eternal salvation.
St. Augustine of Hippo, AD 393
We believe also in the holy Church, that is, the Catholic Church. For heretics violate the faith itself by a false opinion about God; schismatics, however, withdraw from fraternal love by hostile separations, although they believe the same things we do. Consequently, neither heretics nor schismatics belong to the Catholic Church; not heretics, because the Church loves God; and not schismatics, because the Church loves neighbor.
Saint John Chrysostom, AD 407
We know that salvation belongs to the Church alone, and that no one can partake of Christ nor be saved outside the Catholic Church and the Catholic Faith.
Fulgentius of Ruspe, AD 524
Anyone who receives the sacrament of baptism, whether in the Catholic Church or in a heretical or schismatic one, receives the whole sacrament; but salvation, which is the strength of the sacrament, he will not have, if he has had the sacrament outside the Catholic Church
Many, many more official quotes are available. Notice: this is all before the Great Schism.
 
Pope St. Clement I, A.D. 88-97

Saint Pionius, AD 250

Lactantius, AD 310

St. Augustine of Hippo, AD 393

Saint John Chrysostom, AD 407

Fulgentius of Ruspe, AD 524

Many, many more official quotes are available. Notice: this is all before the Great Schism. Things are slightly more complicated regarding the Eastern church in schism known as the “Orthodox” church, which we profess to be “almost in full communion” with the Church.
Note that their context of “catholic church” is different than our context of it. Most will translate their writings with a lower-case “c”.
 
Back then calling yourself the Church produces no confusion. They never needed to append “Church” with anything.
Indeed! 👍

I wonder what took them from “The Way” to “The Church” ? I must look it up! 😃
 
Act 9:31 αιG3588 THE μενG3303 INDEED ουνG3767 THEN εκκλησιαιG1577 ASSEMBLIES καθG2596 THROUGHOUT οληςG3650 WHOLE τηςG3588 THE ιουδαιαςG2449 OF JUDEA καιG2532 AND γαλιλαιαςG1056 GALILEE καιG2532 AND σαμαρειαςG4540 SAMARIA ειχονG2192 [G5707] HAD ειρηνηνG1515 PEACE, οικοδομουμεναιG3618 [G5746] BEING BUILT UP καιG2532 AND πορευομεναιG4198 [G5740] GOING ON τωG3588 IN THE φοβωG5401 FEAR τουG3588 OF THE κυριουG2962 LORD, καιG2532 AND τηG3588 IN THE παρακλησειG3874 COMFORT τουG3588 OF THE αγιουG40 HOLY πνευματοςG4151 SPIRIT επληθυνοντοG4129 [G5712] WERE INCREASED.

G1577
ἐκκλησία
ekklēsia
ek-klay-see’-ah
From a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

G2596
κατά
kata
kat-ah’
A primary particle; (preposition) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case [genitive, dative or accusative] with which it is joined): - about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to, touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, [charita-] bly, concerning, + covered, [dai-] ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from . . . to, godly, in (-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), . . . by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-) on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through (-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-) to (-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where (-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution or intensity.

G3650
ὅλος
holos
hol’-os
A primary word; “whole” or “all”, that is, complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb: - all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.

Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek adjective (katholikos), meaning “universal”.

thefreedictionary.com/catholic

Catholic

[Middle English catholik, universally accepted, from Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, universal, from Greek katholikos, from katholou, in general : kat-, kata-, down, along, according to; see cata- + holou (from neuter genitive of holos, whole; see sol- in Indo-European roots).]

books.google.com/books?id=Jr0WAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA232&lpg=PA232&dq=kata+holos&source=bl&ots=jxfl2h_JjJ&sig=4cQ8soTtaZObBD7aURdWWUW2Tgo&hl=en&ei=lKKTTb-CL5GDtgeMgLVv&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=kata%20holos&f=false

The model etymology

newadvent.org/fathers/0109.htm

St. Ignatius around 106AD

Chapter 8. Let nothing be done without the bishop
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.
 
Was Jesus Catholic?
Certainly -
As already pointed out, “Catholic” from the Greek Means “universal”. Jesus instructed the Apostles to “go and make and make disciples of all nations”…to baptize them and to teach them to follow Him. “All nations”…Can’t get more universal than that.
Was Peter?
Sure - He followed Christ.
Or, was it the Christian Church in the beginning and became "the “Catholic” Church later?
No - it was the Universal Christian Church - or - ROUGHLY in the Greek (pardon my spellings) - katholic kristi ekkleisia…(someone better in Greek - please correct this as needed.
Did Constantine found the Catholic Church?
No - He legalized it…and also encouraged the Early Ecumenical councils…(and when an emperor encourages…he encourages…😉
Was the Orthodox Church originally part of the Catholic church, or vice versa, or were they both considered to be the Christian Church for a time?
Yes they were one Church up until the great Schism…around 1050 AD…Both were and ARE Christian…

Catholic and Orthodox terms started to be applied after the great Schism…and “Roman Catholic” came into use after the Protestant reformation…

Peace
James
 
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