How did the Catholic Church Started? The word catholic means universal. Jesus created one universal church for all of mankind. The Catholic Church was established by Jesus with his words spoken in Matthew 16. Jesus asked his disciples Who do people say that the Son of Man is? The disciples then offered various answers - Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But the question that Jesus then asked was crucial: But who do you say that I am? The answer provided by Simon Peter set in motion the formation of the Catholic Church by Jesus. You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. With this answer, Jesus established the Catholic Church with Simon Peter designated the first Pope. Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Many try to imply that it was Peters faith on which Jesus established the Church. But closer examination of the words of Jesus reveal that the selection was of divine nature. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. His knowledge of Jesus was not the reason for Peters confession to the true identity but it was the fact that it had been revealed to him by God. In the words of Jesus gives Peter his new name - The Rock. A foundation on which his Church will be built. Many separated from the Catholic Church cling to the notion that the Church was built on the faith of Peter and not him as a man as justification for their position. Unfortunately, their understanding is incorrect. The bible is full of references to the need for respect of authority. It is also full of references for the need for unity. In one parable Jesus is explaining how he could not be of Satanic origin (Mark 3:22), How can Satan drive out Satan? In this parable he points out the importance of leadership. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Throughout the scripture we always see - One God, One Son, One Holy Spirit, One Church. The Church today has become a free enterprise operation. If you can access the Internet you can be ordained in some church. The reformation began a splintering of the Church - in so many words, a kingdom divided. It is much easier to understand Peters role of leadership by reading Acts. He is clearly the leader of the Church. One such example, there are others, is Acts 15:6 where Peter addressing the other Apostles clearly states his leadership role: My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth... Around or about 45 AD, Peter went to Rome and from there lead the Catholic Church. As of today, there have been 265 Popes in direct succession to Peter. The position of Pope was established by Christ and the office has been maintained in an apostolic manner since the time of Christ. Although the Church has fragmented since the time of Christ with various leadership centers emerging, the apostolic line of succession in the Church is seated in Rome until this very day. Many throughout time have tried to rationalize away and deny the authority and structure of the Church as established by Jesus. In my heart I know that Catholic Church is the Church established by Jesus and has maintained a clear line of apostolic leadership to this very day. The Church has celebrated the sacraments and worshiped the Lord in essentially the same way since the time of Christ. Every Church suffers occasionally because of the weaknesses of human nature. But I believe that regardless of temporary problems experienced by the Church, abandoning the Catholic Faith is not an option. Jesus was more forgiving and understanding of human nature. When Jesus was arrested Judas had betrayed Him, Peter denied him three times, and the remaining apostles ran away. If Jesus supported and anointed their apostolic role after some of their human failings, I cant imagine abandoning my faith for human shortcomings. After all, your faith is in the Church established by Jesus, not in any person involved in the Church. Of course problems in the Church must be addressed and corrected, but the faith and Church established by Jesus can never be denied. How Did Your Church Begin? 33 A.D. Roman Catholic Church (moved to Rome by Peter after he fled Jerusalem) was founded by God-made-man, Jesus Christ. He said: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it... Feed my lambs; feed My sheep (Matt. 16:18,19; John 21:15,17). He also said: He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who gathers not with me scatters (Matt.12:30). 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 9th Century Marked The First Official Schisms Within The Church 827: Eastern Schism began by Photius of Constantinople. The primary difference in Faith at the heart of the schism was the argument over the addition of the filioque statement (Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, not just the Father) to the creed. This schism eventually healed. 900 1000 1053: Eastern Schism began by Michael Caerularius of Constantinople. The primary argument was the Latin practice of fasting on Saturday and the use of unleavened bread for the Holy Eucharist. Theses two points were more for challenging the authority of the Roman Pontif. This schism eventually healed. 1100 1200 1300 1378: Death of Pope Gregory XI on 27 March, 1378 began the Western Schism. The schism came to an end in 1417. 1400 1472: Present Schism of the Eastern Church begins with the repudiation of the Council of Florence. 1500 1517: Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther, a former priest of the Roman Catholic Church. This marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation 1521: Anabaptist first appeared in Zwickau, in the present kingdom of Saxony. Initially, they were primarily against infant baptism. 1525: Schwenkfeldians were founded by Kaspar of Schwenkfeld, aulic councillor of Duke Frederick of Liegnitz and canon. At first he associated himself with Luther, but later opposed the latter in his Christology, as well as in his conception of the Eucharist, and his doctrine of justification. 1531: The Socinians and other Anti-Trinitarians attacked the fundamental doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. Chief founder of Anti-Trinitarians was Laelius Socinus, teacher of jurisprudence at Siena, and his nephew, Faustus Socinus. 1536: Mennonites founded by Menno Simons, a former Catholic priest and later an Anabaptist elder. They deny infant baptism and the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. 1534: Church of England (Anglicanism) was founded by King Henry VIII when he threw off the authority of the Pope and proclaimed himself the head of the Church in England, because the Pope refused to declare invalid his marriage with Queen Catherine. 1560: The Presbyterian denomination was begun by John Knox who was dissatisfied with Anglicanism. 1600 1608: The Baptist church was launched by John Smyth in Amsterdam, Holland. 1620: The Swiss Mennonites split into Amish or Upland Mennonites and Lowland Mennonites. 1671: Quakers were founded by John George Fox of Drayton in Leicestershire. He favored a visionary spiritualism, and found in the soul of each man a portion of the Divine intelligence. All are allowed to preach, according as the spirit incites them. 1700 1744: The Methodist church was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England. 1774: The Unitarians were founded by Theophilus Lindley in London. 1784: Episcopalian denomination was begun by Samuel Seabury who was dissatisfied with Presbyterianism. 1787: The founder of The Salvation Army is William Booth, who quit the Anglicans, and then the Methodists, and set up his own version of Christianity. 1800 1822: Mormons founded by Joseph Smith, who made his appearance with supposed revelations in 1822. 1872: The Jehovahs Witness Church was developed by Charles Russell. 1879: Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy began the Christian Scientist religion basing it upon an outright denial of Original Sin and its effects. 1896: Ballinger Booth, the son of William Booth, quit The Salvation Army and started his own church. The Seventh-Day Adventists, the Church of Christ, The Church of the Nazarene, or any of the various Pentecostal Churches, etc. are also among the hundreds of new churches founded by men within the past 150 years or so. 1900 2000 Over 33,000 Sects Scattered Outside The One Church Founded By Christ.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:25:27 +0000
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