RE: The dudes who created the Creed understood it to be the Faith of the Catholic Church. The term Roman Catholic identifies the particular jurisdiction of a particular bishop.
But that IN NO WAY MEANS THAT THE CHURCH OF ROME HAS JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER THE BISHOPS OF THE OTHER CHURCHES.
Each churches were independently led by their own Bishop who were charged to be faithful to the gospel.
There was NO POPE.
While later Roman bishops would claim such authority, resulting in the development of the papacy, at the time of the Council of Nicea, no Christian looked to one individual, or church, as the final authority.
This is important because often we hear it alleged that the Trinity, or the Nicene definition of the deity of Christ, is a “Roman Catholic” concept “forced” on the church by the pope. The simple fact of the matter is, when the bishops gathered at Nicea they did not acknowledge the bishop of Rome as anything more than the leader of the most influential church in the West.
While the creed of the council was its central achievement, it was not the only thing that the bishops accomplished during their meeting. Twenty canons were presented dealing with various disciplinary issues within the church. Of most interest to us today was the sixth, which read as follows:
“Let the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges.” (Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series II, XIV:15)
RE: And homosexual men may prefer to be ‘married’. Liberals prefer Obama. So?
Your analogy between the corruption of the word “marriage” by militant gays and the alleged corruption of the word “catholic” is a false one. MINE is the correct understanding of the word. Yours is the LATER INNOVATION.
RE: The term Catholic Church is specific, to be sure. It means the Church descended from the Apostles, not any particular concoctions of men over the millennia.
PRECISELY. Therefore it should not solely be owned and appropriated by ROME.
It is a good term that is understood to refer to all who are confessing that Jesus Christ himself is the church’s one foundation, that all who truly trust in him as Savior and Lord are by God’s grace members of this church ( Not only Roman Catholics).
RE: I understand the Church to be what Jesus indicated that it is. And that only includes those who believe in the teachings of the Church, as handed down from the Apostles.
And who are these people but those who believe and obey SCRIPTURES. For it is in the SCRIPTURES where we find the teachings of Christ and the apostles. I see no reason why non-Catholics who obey scriptures should be excluded from the church of Jesus Christ.
RE: Then diverging one’s self from the Catholic Church does not seem to conform to your thesis, does it?
Again who is diverging from the catholic Church? Only those who refuse to believe in Jesus and those who refuse to obey His teachings are the ones who are diverging. You have not shown that non Roman Catholics fir that description at all.
RE: Certainly. One is either Catholic or one is not.
Yes, and I don’t think you get to decide that.
But that IN NO WAY MEANS THAT THE CHURCH OF ROME HAS JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER THE BISHOPS OF THE OTHER CHURCHES.
Each churches were independently led by their own Bishop who were charged to be faithful to the gospel.
The example of Paul shows that while he was a bishop in his own right, he still reported to the central authority.
There was NO POPE.
The patriarch of the Latin branch earned the first amongst equals status by being true to the Faith in the first millennium while the Orthodox were not quite, shall we say, orthodox.
While later Roman bishops would claim such authority, resulting in the development of the papacy, at the time of the Council of Nicea, no Christian looked to one individual, or church, as the final authority.
That's not what Paul says. He says that the Church is the foundation and pillar of truth. He further goes on to say that it is only what the Church teaches that is right and correct.
This is important because often we hear it alleged that the Trinity, or the Nicene definition of the deity of Christ, is a “Roman Catholic” concept “forced” on the church by the pope. The simple fact of the matter is, when the bishops gathered at Nicea they did not acknowledge the bishop of Rome as anything more than the leader of the most influential church in the West.
We who? I am Roman Catholic. I do not consider my Orthodox brethren to be any less Catholic than I am. The pope is the first among equals, nothing more.
RE: And homosexual men may prefer to be ‘married’. Liberals prefer Obama. So?
Your analogy between the corruption of the word “marriage” by militant gays and the alleged corruption of the word “catholic” is a false one. MINE is the correct understanding of the word. Yours is the LATER INNOVATION.
Negative. The term Catholic was used as early as the first century by Irenaeus.
RE: I understand the Church to be what Jesus indicated that it is. And that only includes those who believe in the teachings of the Church, as handed down from the Apostles.
And who are these people but those who believe and obey SCRIPTURES. For it is in the SCRIPTURES where we find the teachings of Christ and the apostles. I see no reason why non-Catholics who obey scriptures should be excluded from the church of Jesus Christ.
Take it up with Jesus. I do not reason why when it comes to Him.
RE: Then diverging one’s self from the Catholic Church does not seem to conform to your thesis, does it?
Again who is diverging from the catholic Church? Only those who refuse to believe in Jesus and those who refuse to obey His teachings are the ones who are diverging. You have not shown that non Roman Catholics fir that description at all.
By refusing to follow the teaching authority of the Church (remember to shake the dust from your sandals), those who do not follow the Church are not of the Faith. And again, it is not just the Latin branch, but all Catholics.
RE: Certainly. One is either Catholic or one is not.
Yes, and I don’t think you get to decide that.
Thankfully, only the Judge of All gets to decide that.