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To: PeevedPatriot
...is the first person known to use the phrase "Catholic Church"

Heck!

We Wesleyans use catholic church, too!

We just don't capitalize it!

97 posted on 11/28/2012 7:51:10 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
We Wesleyans use catholic church, too! We just don't capitalize it!

Indeed. When I was protestant, "catholic church" was contained in our creed too. That's not so uncommon. Use of the original words of a creed isn't the same thing as profession of belief in the concepts those words referred to at the time the creed was formulated.

For example, when I was protestant, my recitation of the creed meant I believed in a universal Christian church, not a catholic church of the type and structure the phrase originally referred to as Polycarp or Ignatius would have used the phrase. Communion of saints meant fellowship with those around me in the pews and in other Christian churches, not the much earlier meaning of the phrase as unity with the mystical body of Christ in heaven.

Yes, I professed belief in the catholic church as a protestant. But no, I wasn't professing beliefs identical to those outlined in the original creed. I was professing belief in concepts altered from their original meaning to put distance between my denomination and the Catholic Church.

Peace be with you.

109 posted on 11/28/2012 1:14:10 PM PST by PeevedPatriot
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To: Elsie
No matter who "coined" the word, it is an adjective meaning:

1. broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal.

2. universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all.

3. pertaining to the whole Christian body or church.

Of course, there were (and are) certain people that feel they alone are entitled to use the word - almost like they copyrighted it. Ignatius meant it to mean the whole body of Christ - the universal church of Jesus Christ throughout the world. So all those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and believe and follow Him are members of the catholic church (universal church) - small 'c' like you said.

138 posted on 11/28/2012 8:17:36 PM PST by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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