Word Catholic Found in Scripture?

[Milliardo]

According to Fr. Gerry Tapiador, SSL, in his pamphlet “The Roman Catholic Faith and the Bible”, the word Catholic can be found in Scripture. Here’s what he wrote:

In the original Greek text, the last part of Romans 1:8 reads as follows: he pistis humon KATangeletai en HOLO to kosmo… (emphasis his, btw). “He pistis humon” means “your faith”. “Katangeletai” means “is proclaimed/heralded throughout”. It is a compound verb consisting of the preposition “kata” which means “according to” or “through(out)” while “-angeletai” means “is proclaimed”. “En holo to kosmo” means “in the whole world”. Hence, the word “Catholic” is formed from an abbreviation of the whole verse in which we simply combine the preposition “Kata” meaning throughout and the adjective “holos” meaning whole to describe the Roman faith as “proclaimed throughtout the whole world”. We see clearly that the word “Catholic” finds its origin from the original Greek words. This proves that the Roman Catholic faith was already recognized by all the other local churches. Paul himself verifies this fact when he states in Romans 16:16–“All the churches of Christ send you (you in this context naturally refers to the Romans to whom he is writing) greetings”.

What’s your take on this?

 

[Roman_Army]

My take? I say it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t seem to prove anything. It’s something he made up himself. The word “Catholic” comes from Holy tradition, not scripture. We get the word “Church” in scripture. But the adjective of “Catholic” means universal. So it’s: Universal Church. It implies that all of Christ’s churches are united. Otherwise, every parish would be a seperate church.:whacky: Also, imagine going to a protestant and saying: “Where is The Church?” You have to say “Catholic Church,” unless you want to go to a Southern Baptist Church.

**That part in Paul’s letter to the Romans can be interpereted as in saying that all the churches honor you as prime. But, that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. It could be just plainly a warm welcome. **

 

[StCsDavid]

Interesting bit of gymnastics, but I’m inclined to disagree. The need to differentiate the Church as Catholic didn’t happen until several hundred years after its formation. I don’t know for sure, but probably wasn’t until the reformation that folks started distinguishing between the brands of Christianity. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong on this.

 

[Subrosa]

StCsDavid:

Interesting bit of gymnastics, but I’m inclined to disagree. The need to differentiate the Church as Catholic didn’t happen until several hundred years after its formation. I don’t know for sure, but probably wasn’t until the reformation that folks started distinguishing between the brands of Christianity. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong on this.

The church was (and is) known as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church until 1054. At that time a major schism occured which resulted in two major institutions: The Catholic Church, headed by the Bishop of Rome, and the Orthodox Church, whose Patriarch resides in Constantinople, present day Istanbul, Turkey.

No, the word Catholic is not in the Bible. Neither are the words: Bible; New Testament; Old Testament; Trinity and a host of others we use today. They are words of “economy”.

The word “Catholic” comes from the Greek “katholikos” and means “Universal”, refering to the universal church of Christ. i.e. Jesus said “Go forth and baptize all nations” Every Christian is a member of Christ’s church. The phrase “Catholic Church” refers to the church headed by the Bishop of Rome.

To make a small correction, the word “catholic” was in use in the first century and may have it’s origin with the apostles. The combination “the Catholic Church” (he katholike ekklesia) is found for the first time in the letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, written about the year 110.

newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm
newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm

Subrosa

 

[Todd_Easton]

StCsDavid:

Interesting bit of gymnastics, but I’m inclined to disagree. The need to differentiate the Church as Catholic didn’t happen until several hundred years after its formation. I don’t know for sure, but probably wasn’t until the reformation that folks started distinguishing between the brands of Christianity. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong on this.

In his book, Early Christian Doctines, the respected Protestant scholar, J. N. D. Kelly admits, on page 190:
As regards ‘Catholic’, its original meaning was ‘universal’ or ‘general’, and in this sense Justin [Martyr] can speak of ‘the catholic resurrection’. As applied to the Church, its primary significance was to underline its universality as opposed to the local character of the individual congregations. Very quickly, however, in the latter half of the second century * at least, we find it conveying the suggestion that the Catholic is the true Church as distinct from the heretical congregations.
*

 

[NotWorthy]

The oldest known written use of the word “Catholic” meaning universal is by Ignatious in 107 AD in his letter to the Smyrneans.

Notworthy

 

[Todd_Easton]

Milliardo:

According to Fr. Gerry Tapiador, SSL, in his pamphlet “The Roman Catholic Faith and the Bible”, the word Catholic can be found in Scripture. Here’s what he wrote:

In the original Greek text, the last part of Romans 1:8 reads as follows: he pistis humon KATangeletai en HOLO to kosmo… (emphasis his, btw). “He pistis humon” means “your faith”. “Katangeletai” means “is proclaimed/heralded throughout”. It is a compound verb consisting of the preposition “kata” which means “according to” or “through(out)” while “-angeletai” means “is proclaimed”. “En holo to kosmo” means “in the whole world”. Hence, the word “Catholic” is formed from an abbreviation of the whole verse in which we simply combine the preposition “Kata” meaning throughout and the adjective “holos” meaning whole to describe the Roman faith as “proclaimed throughtout the whole world”. We see clearly that the word “Catholic” finds its origin from the original Greek words. This proves that the Roman Catholic faith was already recognized by all the other local churches. Paul himself verifies this fact when he states in Romans 16:16–“All the churches of Christ send you (you in this context naturally refers to the Romans to whom he is writing) greetings”.

What’s your take on this?

I think Acts 9:31 might be more useful because there at least the expression “ekklesia kath olos” or “the Church throughout all” bears some resemblance to the expression “katholikos ekklesia” or “the Catholic Church.”