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The 15 Marks of The Church
Aggie Catholics ^ | 5/13/2010

Posted on 05/13/2010 11:22:06 AM PDT by markomalley

Traditionally, there are 4 "Marks" of the Church. These 4 marks tell us about the character and nature of what the Church is. The Catechism describes them in this way:

811 "This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." These four characteristics, inseparably linked with each other, indicate essential features of the Church and her mission. The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, makes his Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is he who calls her to realize each of these qualities.
So, the four marks are:
Yet, there are more "marks" that St. Robert Bellarmine came up with. He lived from 1542 - 1621 and he was a Cardinal, Bishop, and later made a Doctor of the Church. He lived during the time of many of the Protestant Reformers and thus, he was battling against some of the false understandings of the Church by coming up with these additional "marks".

Here are St. Robert Bellarmine's 15 Marks of the Church:
  1. Catholicity - the Church's name, Catholic, universal, and worldwide, and not confined to any particular nation or people
  2. Antiquity  - in tracing her ancestry directly to Jesus Christ
  3. Duration  - constant duration in lasting substantially unchanged for so many centuries
  4. Extensiveness - extensiveness in the number of her loyal members

  5. Episcopal Succession - episcopal succession of her bishops from the first Apostles at the Last Supper to the present hierarchy
  6. Doctrinal Agreement - doctrinal agreement of her doctrine with the teaching of the ancient Church
  7. Unity - union of her members among themselves and with their visible head the Roman Pontiff;
  8. Holiness - holiness of doctrine in reflecting the sanctity of God
  9. Efficacy - efficacy of doctrine in its power to sanctify believers and inspire t hem to great moral achievement

  10. Holiness of Life - holiness of life of the Church's representative writers and defenders
  11. Glory of Miracles - the glory of miracles worked in the Church and under the Church's auspices
  12. Prophetic - the gift of prophecy found among the Church's saints and spokesmen
  13. Opposition that the Church - the opposition that the Church arouses among those who attack her on the very grounds that Christ was opposed by his enemies
  14. Unhappy End - the unhappy end of those who fight against her

  15. Temporal Peace and Earthly Happiness - the temporal peace and earthly happiness of those who live by the Church's teaching and defend her interests


TOPICS: Catholic
KEYWORDS: catholic
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1 posted on 05/13/2010 11:22:07 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Excellent!


2 posted on 05/13/2010 11:24:11 AM PDT by frogjerk (I believe in unicorns, fairies and pro-life Democrats.)
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To: markomalley

The Marks of the Church:

The Sacraments

The Word of God, rightly divided and preached to the people of God.

- Martin Luther


3 posted on 05/13/2010 11:25:52 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (We were hoping for flying unicorns that crapped skittles. We got nationalized health care.)
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

Excellent!


4 posted on 05/13/2010 11:30:24 AM PDT by Wallop the Cat
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To: markomalley

Any of these marks cover Visible (versus irrational, invisible church of the gazillion sects of Protestants, all disagreeing about everything)?


5 posted on 05/13/2010 11:31:17 AM PDT by Leoni
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel
Pitiful! AND Hollow

1) - What sacraments was Luther talking about?

re: The Word of God, rightly divided

2) - The Bible wasn't divided into chapters and verse till like the 14th century. So I guess that "mark" of Luther's church didn't exist for like 1400 years of Christianity. come to think of it, Luther, nor the false religion that he thought up in his head didn't exist either.

6 posted on 05/13/2010 11:46:22 AM PDT by Leoni
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To: markomalley

I was having trouble finding the part that justifies screwing little boys and covering it up, and then there it was #15.


7 posted on 05/13/2010 12:14:10 PM PDT by dirtymac (Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Calling all Son's of Liberty)
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To: Leoni; papertyger

Here we’re talking about marks of Christ’s Church, and you have to say something negative about Christ-followers who happen not to be Roman Catholic.

Typical. Roman Catholic FReepers hate those who follow Christ, who don’t belong to their particular denomination.

Again, I wonder: Why such antagonism toward Christ-followers? Why such arrogance about your particular expression of Christ’s Church?


8 posted on 05/13/2010 12:27:25 PM PDT by Theo (May Rome decrease and Christ increase.)
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To: Leoni

You’re calling the Christ’s Church a “false religion”? How can you dismiss those who have repented and are following Christ and been adopted into His family? How can you label such Christians members of a “false religion”? Why such animosity toward Christ-followers who look a bit different from you?

Where’s the love, Leoni?

Seriously, why do you need to slam other Christians in order to prop up your own denomination? Who is Christ to you? Your Lord? Your Savior? He’s mine, too, and yet you say that following Christ is a “false religion”? Do you even think before you type?


9 posted on 05/13/2010 12:30:14 PM PDT by Theo (May Rome decrease and Christ increase.)
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To: markomalley

I like the 15 just as much as I like the four!

Too bad that ALL churches cannot brag about these marks or faith!


10 posted on 05/13/2010 5:52:06 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: markomalley
The 15 Marks of The Church [St. Robert Bellarmine]
Catholic Biblical Apologetics: The Marks of the Church, One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
Four Marks of the Church
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic: The Marks of Christ's Church [Ecumenical]
11 posted on 05/13/2010 5:54:00 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Theo
re:You’re calling the Christ’s Church a “false religion”?

You are calling your false church Christ's Church. Only the Catholic Church is Christ's Church. Your church is whatever you interpret from the bible, it really is a church of one, you.

re:How can you label such Christians members of a “false religion”? Why such animosity toward Christ-followers who look a bit different from you?

No animosity at all, on the contrary, I do this out of charity, because I know that if you die outside of the Catholic Church you are going to hell. All religions outside of the Catholic faith are false, ALL, are just gates to perdition.

You are rigth in your accusation, however, if you were talking to a Catholic who erroneously believed that you could be saved in your religion, then there is no point in any Catholic trying to convert you, in other words, if EVERYONE that calls himself a Christian is on the same plane to heaven, and Catholics just think they are in 1st class, I consider it a waste of time to debate about the details of our differences

12 posted on 05/14/2010 7:12:16 PM PDT by Leoni
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To: Theo; markomalley
re:You’re calling the Christ’s Church a “false religion”?

You are calling your false church Christ's Church. Only the Catholic Church is Christ's Church. Your church is whatever you interpret from the bible, it really is a church of one, you.

re:How can you label such Christians members of a “false religion”? Why such animosity toward Christ-followers who look a bit different from you?

No animosity at all, on the contrary, I do this out of charity, because I know that if you die outside of the Catholic Church you are going to hell. All religions outside of the Catholic faith are false, ALL, are just gates to perdition.

You are right in your accusation, however, if you were talking to a Catholic who erroneously believed that you could be saved in your religion, then there is no point in any Catholic trying to convert you, in other words, if EVERYONE that calls himself a Christian is on the same plane to heaven, and Catholics just think they are in 1st class, I consider it a waste of time to debate about the details of our differences

13 posted on 05/14/2010 7:14:30 PM PDT by Leoni
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To: Leoni

So for you, Rome is your savior, not Christ.

I have to say, you defame Jesus.


14 posted on 05/14/2010 9:05:55 PM PDT by Theo (May Rome decrease and Christ increase.)
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To: Theo
re: So for you, Rome is your savior, not Christ. I have to say, you defame Jesus.,/p>

Straw man. No Catholic ever said "Rome is my savior, not Christ".

The Catholic Church is the Church of Christ, the ONLY earthly vehicle instituted by Christ and guided by the Holy Ghost to lead us in truth to salvation.

All other false churches were created by men like 1000+ years after Christ's death. They guide no one in any truth, they are always seeking truth, and never finding it. Each "Protestant" is a church of one, following their own whims, and then using a verse in scripture to comfort themselves (delude themselves).

One example: the use of contraceptives, always forbidden from the time of the creation of man, since the 1930's, the use of contraceptives are promoted by all Protestants sects, as almost a requirement. Only one Church stands against it, the Catholic Church. Divorce, abortion for the raped, female priests, and openly homosexual clergy, are all areas where all the Protestant sects have changed their "biblical interpretations"(in one or all cases).ONLY the Catholic Church stands unmoved in these teachings.

Martin Luther wrote 500 years ago:

"In matters of faith, to be sure, each Christian is for himself Pope and Church.” “There will be the greatest confusion. Nobody will allow himself to be led by another man’s doctrine or authority. Everyone will be his own rabbi: hence, the greatest scandals.”

“There are as many sects now and beliefs as there are heads. This fellow has nothing to do with baptism. Another one denies the sacraments. A third believes there is another world between this one and the last day. Some teach that Christ is not God. Some say this, some say that. There is no rustic so rude that if he dreams or fancies anything believes it must be the whisper of the Holy Spirit and that he himself must be a prophet.”

"If the world lasts, it will be necessary, on account of the differing interpretations of Scripture which now exist, that to preserve the unity of faith, we should receive the Catholic councils and decrees and fly to them for refuge."

15 posted on 05/15/2010 7:41:26 AM PDT by Leoni
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: Leoni

You, my pompous FRiend, said, “All other false churches were created by men like 1000+ years after Christ’s death.”

No, my Church traces itself back to Christ Himself. The body of people known as the Roman Catholic Church became apostate, heretical, blasphemous, idolatrous, adulterous, perverted — and as He’s done before, God called His remnant from among it. This remnant looks to Christ as her Savior and Lord, to God as her Father, to the Holy Spirit as her comforter and teacher. This remnant is His Church, the body of believers who’ve been adopted into His family.

Your church may look pretty, and its priests may wear some pretty snazzy clothing, and you may have some old traditions, but without Christ in His preeminent place among you, it is empty. God is not confined to your bureaucracy.

Man, I hate those who divide the Church of Christ, who defame Him by exalting their system above Him.


17 posted on 05/15/2010 8:24:25 AM PDT by Theo (May Rome decrease and Christ increase.)
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To: Theo
re:The body of people known as the Roman Catholic Church became apostate, heretical, blasphemous, idolatrous, adulterous, perverted — and as He’s done before, God called His remnant from among it.

What year exactly did that happen? Anyone can go to any secular encyclopedia and find the history of the Catholic Church, not one mentions your theory. What page is your theory?

18 posted on 05/16/2010 2:50:21 PM PDT by Leoni
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To: Theo
No, my Church traces itself back to Christ Himself.

I have no idea which it is, but unless it is Catholic, I think that it is colouring outside the lines. Or finger painting.

The body of people known as the Roman Catholic Church became apostate, heretical, blasphemous, idolatrous, adulterous, perverted — and as He’s done before, God called His remnant from among it.

I googled it up. Google laughs at this enquiry. As do I.

This remnant looks to Christ as her Savior and Lord, to God as her Father, to the Holy Spirit as her comforter and teacher. This remnant is His Church, the body of believers who’ve been adopted into His family.

This remnant of whom you speak. I assume that you count yourself among them. What pole barn do they currently hang out in?

God is not confined to your bureaucracy. Man, I hate those who divide the Church of Christ, who defame Him by exalting their system above Him.

Check out that mirror, my friend, when you say that.

19 posted on 05/16/2010 3:25:56 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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To: MarkBsnr; Leoni; annalex; Salvation

I propose a truce on this thread: You guys don’t demean the means through which the Lord has saved me and brought me into His family, and I won’t demean the means through which the Lord has saved you and brought you into His family.


20 posted on 05/16/2010 7:06:38 PM PDT by Theo (May Rome decrease and Christ increase.)
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