Since I'm not a biblical scholar, you can go to Catholic answers.com and get it all, chapter and verse.
The first 300 years of Christianity was Catholicism. That is just history.
There was no New Testament collated yet as the Catholic Church bishops didn't start that process until a council was called (by the Bishop of Rome, a.k.a., the pope), until 380 A.D. The final 27 documents of the "New Testament" rolled out in 420 A.D. There were, apparently, many documents around to verify, many false. Simon Magnus, the "other Simon," was an evil force (false prophet predicted in John). This is all history, cool, just plain history. One can just read about it EVEN on Google; it's not mystical or fabricated, just early Church history.
St. Ignatius (Bishop of Antioch from 70-108 A.D.) was on his way to martyrdom in Rome and wrote letters to the infant churches of Christiandom. His letter to the people of Symrna ended with: "Where there is Jesus there is also the Catholic Church." It's not in the Bible, it's simply history.
The first bishop of Jerusalem was Peter. He was then the first bishop of Antioch, then the first bishop of Rome. The second bishop of Rome was Linus, the third was Clement.
All the bishops of Rome, popes, are historical. It is an unbroken line and all the popes are listed (yes, engraved in granite) at the entrance to St. Peter's. The current pope is number 265 in the unbroken line from Jesus' first choice of the shepherd to follow him. Historical, cool, not in Scripture. There IS more to Christianity besides ONE book.
Apostolic Tradition was started by Jesus, as He appointed His Twelve. These 12 men weren't to be the only and last if Jesus' Church was to go on through all time. He left His Church in the care of His chosen Twelve. That is Scriptural and historical.
My "religion," as you call it, DID "come up" with unbiblical traditions because Jesus' Church had to continue. Popes, bishops, priests, elders, liturgies, etc., had to be established. Jesus gave Peter the authority to "bind and loose" on earth and in heaven, as He gave them authority to forgive/retain sins.
Also, if there weren't any of those Apostolic tradtions, unbibilical started by the authorized Apostles, your Protestant Reformer ancestors would have had nothing to protest.
1500 years of history washed away by ONE angry Catholic priest, Luther. He undid the work of His Savior with his mighty pen. Is sure worked, didn't it? Luther's wonderful work scattered Christianity so now there are 20,000-30,000 different "protesting" versions of dissident Catholicism.
Jesus wanted ONE unified Church and He had it for 1500 years until angry Luther and his mighty pen. I'm sure you are proud of him and his wonderful work of scattering.
There is STILL one Catholic Church of 1 billion Catholics--and now, thanks to Luther 1 billion Protestants muddling around the world in their 20,000-30,000 DIFFERENT versions of Jesus' one original Catholic Church.
New and different versions emerge every year as Protestants are allowed to interprest the Bible HOWEVER they want, any chapter and verse: NO unity, no authority, no one to shepherd them. They are sheep without a shepherd. THAT is biblical. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, left Peter and His Apostles to carry on and Luther ditched the entire organization. How proud you must be of YOUR religous ancestor...NOT St. Peter, but Martin Luther.
Luther ISN'T biblical either but you follow HIS lead, his traditions and his authority. You chose Luther over Peter.
I'll stick with Jesus' appointed "rock" and Jesus' unbroken line of shepherds, biblical, New Testament. You stick with unbiblical Luther and his tradition of 20-30,000 DIFFERENT versions of Jesus' original Church.
Jesus will sort it all out anyway and I wish YOU and all Christians, Catholic and non-Catholic, the PEACE and JOY of Easter.
His is risen. Allelujah!
That's Catholic's version of Catholic history...That's not church history...
Polycarp was among the first of the church fathers and he never mentioned a word about your religion...
The final 27 documents of the "New Testament" rolled out in 420 A.D.
400 years after Jesus died and rose again your religion determines which gospels and epistles the disciples wrote and preached??? 400 years???
I don't think God is that incompetent that he has to wait for your religion for 400 years to determine what He inspired to be written and preached...
Simon Magnus, the "other Simon," was an evil force (false prophet predicted in John).
Yes, Simon 'Peter' Magnus was a religious leader at the same time the apostle Peter is alleged to have been there, without any biblical evidence, of course...
St. Ignatius (Bishop of Antioch from 70-108 A.D.) was on his way to martyrdom in Rome and wrote letters to the infant churches of Christiandom. His letter to the people of Symrna ended with: "Where there is Jesus there is also the Catholic Church." It's not in the Bible, it's simply history.
And because it's Catholic history it's true??? Anyone who will do even a little research will find out that much of the work attributed to Ignatius has been found to be forged...Not real...Therefore, anything attributed to Ignatius must be questioned...Even his actual existence...
The first bishop of Jerusalem was Peter.
James was clearly the first bishop of Jerusalem, even according to your own religion...
He was then the first bishop of Antioch, then the first bishop of Rome.
Outrageous...Paul was clearly the fist bishop of Antioch...
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
You guys constantly pervert the scriptures and whine because we reject your Catholic history because it's perverts the scripture...
There IS more to Christianity besides ONE book.
Nope...You're wrong...There is just the one book...There are a lot of commentaries written about the book, good and bad; Catholic commentaries as well...
Luther ISN'T biblical either but you follow HIS lead, his traditions and his authority.
Let's see...Your religion says Peter was the first bishop of Rome...Your religion says Paul never saw Jesus...But the bible says your religion is lying...So I'll stick with your religion anyway....HaHaHa...
Nope, not me...I'll stick with the Holy words of God...