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To: MHGinTN; Dr. Eckleburg; wmfights; Alamo-Girl; 1000 silverlings; Quix; Gamecock

The Catholic Church didn’t officially come into existence until about 400 AD.

There were a lot of missionary journeys made during the time of the Acts of the Apostles and Thomas is reputed to have gone as far east as India. My understanding is that there was a growing church in North Africa during the early Church years as well, but early church history was never much of an interest of mine (well, any history for that matter).

This is a decent summary of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity

The Catholic Church cannot take responsibility for evangelizing the world.


929 posted on 04/23/2010 11:54:41 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom

I suppose you would chide me if I referred to ‘the catholic and apostolic Church’ as a means to clarify. The Creeds were authored out of the Catholic organization. ... And please, don’t misconstrue what I’ve posted as a blind defense of the Roman Church. But do accept my humble assertion as my heartfelt belief that the Roman Church has been used by God to spread the Gospel.


936 posted on 04/23/2010 12:01:28 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Obots, believing they cannot be deceived, it is impossible to convince them when they are deceived.)
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To: metmom
Thank you for sharing your insights, dear sister in Christ!
938 posted on 04/23/2010 12:04:39 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: metmom

God also used the Roman Empire (political not the Church) to spread the Gospel. His ways are so much further above our ways ...


953 posted on 04/23/2010 12:28:08 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Obots, believing they cannot be deceived, it is impossible to convince them when they are deceived.)
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To: metmom
The Catholic Church didn’t officially come into existence until about 400 AD.

I don't know what you mean 'officially'. About 107 AD, Ignatius of Antioch was arrested and martyred. In a farewell letter, he wrote "Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" (To the Smyrnaeans 8:2). The usage here indicates that it was in common usage, and had come into usage at some point previous to 107 AD. Since letters were infrequent, journeys long, and communication slow, this may have been in common usage for decades. The Catholic Church cannot take responsibility for evangelizing the world.

The world was largely evangelized or in the process by the time the Reformation happened.

988 posted on 04/23/2010 3:57:38 PM PDT by MarkBsnr ( I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
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