Replies

We've done this one a gazillion times too. Ignatius didn't NEED to have a proper name for it. It still leaves open whether one could say: There was an entity which later took as a "proper name" an attribute of itself.

My child didn't have a name until she was born. That doesn't mean she didn't exist until she was born. That's how I'd approach the issue.

And the whole "proper name" thing is weird when it comes to us Calflicks. I'm actually a member of "The Church of Richmond, Virginia". Yes, I have a hard time with that too .... :-)

Well you've done it, I'm completely confused by your post.

I hope you are doing well after your surgery. I also hope the Vicodin isn't causing you, or me, confusion. :-)

No, Ignatius didn't need to have a proper name for it and he certainly didn't call it the Catholic Church. That was my only point.

I used to be a member of a Church called "The First Religious Society". Since it was a Unitarian Church calling it "Religious" might have been a stretch. :-)

Once again, I hope you are doing well.

Well you've done it, I'm completely confused by your post.

well, all RIGHTY then! ;-)

I also hope the Vicodin isn't causing you, or me, confusion. :-)

I refuse to let some drug take credit for my confusion. I achieved this through my own efforts.

If you start with the premise that there is ONE Church "really" (and visibly) then for us Roaming Calflicks to call ourselves such and to adopt some such name as a designator is just an accomodation to the worlds persistent delusion that there is more than one Church.

In fact the whole use of "designators" has a different purpose. "A" church is named after its city. It's what I would think of as the Church IN Richmond, and we know it's "THE" church because it's in communion with THE Church in Rome. Designators like "Catholic" or "Byzantine" are used to deal with the painful facts of schism and offical estrangement.

In the universe where the notion of numerous "denominations" is one reality lying athwart the reality of the "True" "invisible" church whose only members are already saved, denominational names have to do with a doctrine or polity (or history of schism): "Episcopal" ,"Berean", "Baptist", "Lutheran". But our "name" is differently intended.

Is that ANY clearer? I confess that myve the vicodin and sleeplessness are finally kicking in. I hope somebody can say it mo' better.