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It would seem reasonable that the word "catholic," or katholikos as it would have been in Greek, would have been used early on. It was a Greek word meaning "universal, general, etc." and would have fit most Christians' idea of their religion as something, unlike Judaism, not intended for a particular group of people, I would think.
Of more interest is the question of when the word became "Catholic," and in a sense the brand name of one type of Christianity, and when "Roman" became a part of the official name.
It would seem reasonable that the word "catholic," or katholikos as it would have been in Greek, would have been used early on. It was a Greek word meaning "universal, general, etc." and would have fit most Christians' idea of their religion as something, unlike Judaism, not intended for a particular group of people, I would think.
Of more interest is the question of when the word became "Catholic," and in a sense the brand name of one type of Christianity, and when "Roman" became a part of the official name.
Chapter 8 of the Letter to the Smyrnaeans suggests a Catholic Church where the Eucharist is central as well as the Bishop:
Quote:
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.
Protestant often state that the letters of Ignatius are a fabrication of the Church and that early Christianity was not Catholic, but catholic, .
BTW, the official name of the Church is THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
Quote:
How Did the Catholic Church Get Her Name?
by Kenneth D. Whitehead
The Creed which we recite on Sundays and holy days speaks of one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. As everybody knows, however, the Church referred to in this Creed is more commonly called just the Catholic Church. It is not, by the way, properly called the Roman Catholic Church, but simply the Catholic Church.
So the proper name for the universal Church is not the Roman Catholic Church. Far from it. That term caught on mostly in English-speaking countries; it was promoted mostly by Anglicans, supporters of the "branch theory" of the Church, namely, that the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of the creed was supposed to consist of three major branches, the Anglican, the Orthodox and the so-called Roman Catholic.
Chapter 8 of the Letter to the Smyrnaeans suggests a Catholic Church where the Eucharist is central as well as the Bishop:
Protestant often state that the letters of Ignatius are a fabrication of the Church and that early Christianity was not Catholic, but catholic, .
BTW, the official name of the Church is THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
The problems is that "catholic" is a greek word with a meaning as in Universal. Catholic has become the name of a Church, but in the documents you quote it is simply the Greek word universal.
The problems is that "catholic" is a greek word with a meaning as in Universal. Catholic has become the name of a Church, but in the documents you quote it is simply the Greek word universal.
Both Catholic and catholic mean universal. One can call the Catholic Church universal, there is no problem with that.
Both Catholic and catholic mean universal. One can call the Catholic Church universal, there is no problem with that.
No, there is not. But no has attempted to answer the question I asked earlier about this.
When did the present-day RC church begin using the word "catholic" as part of its official name, rather than as a simple descriptive adjective that it is in Greek? There is nothing in Ignatius's letters to indicate that he was using the word as anything other than a general adjective describing the Christian church of his day.
But at some point the church following the Bishop of Rome must have begun to use the word "universal"as the official title of the church as it does now. That was my question.
It should also be pointed out that the Orthodox Catholic Church uses this adjective as part of its official designation as well, and has used "katholikos" to describe itself as far back as I can easily find references. Thus, it would seem to me to have been an attribute of the Christian church that was not, and is not, peculiar to the church that is headed by the Bishop of Rome. It would appear to have been a usage employed across the board in the ancient world, and carried on by the two major branches of Christianity after the religious split between the Latin West and the Greek East.
As for "Roman," it has been used, regardless of the currency given to it by Anglicans, as early as the 8th century, and popes have also used it in the 20th century. But, the subject line of the thread is concerned only with the word "catholic," so perhaps it was inappropriate to bring that up in this discussion.
You can go here to ask. Catholic Answers and to the forum section.
I never hear the priest call us Roman Catholic, all I hear is we are Catholic. In any survey or list of religions all I see is Catholic or Protestant listed, etc. I never see Roman Catholic as opposed to Catholic.
You can go here to ask. Catholic Answers and to the forum section.
I never hear the priest call us Roman Catholic, all I hear is we are Catholic. In any survey or list of religions all I see is Catholic or Protestant listed, etc. I never see Roman Catholic as opposed to Catholic.
I was raised a Roman Catholic, and I can assure you that I frequently heard "Roman Catholic" as well as "Catholic" used by both priests and religious. It was not the slightest bit unusual. It seems there has been a determined move away from the term "Roman Catholic", though even popes have used it from time to time in the 20th century in their official capacities. I think the fact that the word "Roman" creeps into so many descriptions of things related to the church, e.g. Tribunal of the Sacred Roman Rota, etc., that there was an inevitability that the use would become generalized.
I can understand why the church would want to distance itself from the usage - especially nowadays, and certainly don't fault it for doing so. However, that does not change the fact that the term was used by all ranks of clergy up to the Pope himself in the recent past, despite the fact that it is now "religiously incorrect".
Re the Catholic Answers suggestion. I prefer the Catholic Enclyclopedia for an inside explanation, as Catholic Answers is too simplistic and not detailed enough, and - in my opinion - it is more oriented to a somewhat defensive posture about everyday devotional Catholicism. (Understandable, given its beginnings.) My interests are more historical, however.
I was raised a Roman Catholic, and I can assure you that I frequently heard "Roman Catholic" as well as "Catholic" used by both priests and religious. It was not the slightest bit unusual. It seems there has been a determined move away from the term "Roman Catholic", though even popes have used it from time to time in the 20th century in their official capacities. I think the fact that the word "Roman" creeps into so many descriptions of things related to the church, e.g. Tribunal of the Sacred Roman Rota, etc., that there was an inevitability that the use would become generalized.
You are correct the term Roman comes up a lot. I used to describe myself as RCA (Roman Catholic Apostolic), however in reality it is the Catholic Church that follows the Roman rite and we cannot forget that the Holy See is in Rome.
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The Roman Rite is the most widespread of the liturgical rites used in the Catholic Church. It is one of the Latin liturgical rites used in the Western or Latin Church. The Roman Rite has grown and been adapted over the centuries and its Eucharistic liturgy can be divided into three historical stages: the Pre-Tridentine Mass, Tridentine Mass and Mass of Paul VI.
The 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum specifies the circumstances in which priests of the Latin Church may continue to use the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite in the 1962 Roman Missal.
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