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As a Christian ecclesiastical term, Catholic—from the Greek adjective καθολικός, meaning "general" or "universal"[1]—is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows:

~Church, (originally) whole body of Christians; ~, belonging to or in accord with (a) this, (b) the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western, (c) the Latin Church after that separation, (d) the part of the Latin Church that remained under the Roman obedience after the Reformation, (e) any church (as the Anglican) claiming continuity with (b). Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Ecclesiology (from Greek grc ἐκκλησίᾱ ekklēsiā, "congregation church" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English "[2]

Leaving aside the historical meanings indicated under (b) and (c) above, the Oxford English Dictionary thus associates present-day Catholicism with:

(a) "the whole body of Christians". Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The actual extension of Catholicism in this sense varies with the different understandings of what it means to be a Christian.
(d) "the part of the Latin Church that remained under the Roman obedience after the Reformation", i. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time e. the Roman Catholic Church. This definition of Catholicism should be expanded to cover the Eastern particular Churches that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, and that the Church in question sees as no less part of Catholicism than the Latin particular Church. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church.
(e) "any church (as the Anglican) claiming continuity with the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western". Churches that make this claim of continuity include not only those of the Anglican Communion, but, among others, the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, and the Assyrian Church of the East. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi The claim of continuity may be based on Apostolic Succession, especially in conjunction with adherence to the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of Some interpret Catholicism as adherence to the traditional beliefs that Protestant Reformers denied (see, for example, the Oxford Movement). The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought

Contents

History of use of the term

The earliest recorded evidence of the use of the term "Catholic Church" is a letter that Ignatius of Antioch wrote in about 107 to Christians in Smyrna (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8). Saint Ignatius of Antioch (also known as Theophorus) (ca 35-110 was the third Bishop and Patriarch of Antioch and possibly a student of the Apostle John The Letter to the Smyrnaeans (often simply called To the Smyrnaeans) was written by Saint Ignatius of Antioch around AD 110 [3] Saint Ignatius used the term to designate the Christian Church possessing true traditions, excluding heretics, such as those who "confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again" (Smyrnaeans, 7). Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief especially a religion that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) [4] Exhorting Christians to remain closely united with their bishop, he wrote: "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Smyrnaeans 8).

Yet more explicit was the manner in which Cyril of Jerusalem (circa 315–386) used the term "Catholic Church" precisely to distinguish it from other groups that also claimed the title of "Church": "If ever you are sojourning in cities, inquire not simply where the Lord's House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the Church is, but where is the Catholic Church. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (Κύριλλος Α΄ Ἱεροσολύμων was a distinguished theologian of the early Church (ca For this is the peculiar name of this Holy Church, the Mother of us all, which is the spouse of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God. "[5]

Only slightly later, Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430) wrote:

"In the Catholic Church, there are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosom. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep (Jn 21:15–19), down to the present episcopate.
"And so, lastly, does the very name of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house.
"Such then in number and importance are the precious ties belonging to the Christian name which keep a believer in the Catholic Church, as it is right they should . . . With you, where there is none of these things to attract or keep me. . . No one shall move me from the faith which binds my mind with ties so many and so strong to the Christian religion. . . For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church. "
—St. Augustine (354–430): Against the Epistle of Manichaeus called Fundamental, chapter 4: Proofs of the Catholic Faith. [6]

On 27 February 380, by an edict issued in Thessalonica and published in Constantinople, Emperor Theodosius declared Catholic Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, and defined the term "Catholic" in Roman Imperial law as follows:

Theodosian Code XVI. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Events By Place Roman Empire January / February – Emperor Theodosius I is baptized. i. 2:
It is our desire that all the various nations which are subject to our clemency and moderation, should continue the profession of that religion which was delivered to the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter, as it has been preserved by faithful tradition and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus and by Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe in the one Deity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in equal majesty and in a holy Trinity. We authorize the followers of this law to assume the title Catholic Christians; but as for the others, since in our judgment they are foolish madmen, we decree that they shall be branded with the ignominious name of heretics, and shall not presume to give their conventicles the name of churches. They will suffer in the first place the chastisement of divine condemnation and the second the punishment of our authority, in accordance with the will of heaven will decide to inflict. [7]

A contemporary of Augustine, St. Vincent of Lerins, wrote in 434 under the pseudonym Peregrinus a work known as the Commonitoria ("Memoranda"). Saint Vincent of Lérins (in Latin, Vincentius) was a Gallic author of early Christian writings While insisting that, like the human body, Church doctrine develops while truly keeping its identity (sections 54–59, chapter XXIII), he stated: "[I]n the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. For that is truly and in the strictest sense 'Catholic,' which, as the name itself and the reason of the thing declare, comprehends all universally. This rule we shall observe if we follow universality, antiquity, consent. We shall follow universality if we confess that one faith to be true, which the whole Church throughout the world confesses; antiquity, if we in no wise depart from those interpretations which it is manifest were notoriously held by our holy ancestors and fathers; consent, in like manner, if in antiquity itself we adhere to the consentient definitions and determinations of all, or at the least of almost all priests and doctors" (section 6, end of chapter II).

Divergent interpretations of the term "Catholic"

Many individual Christians and Christian denominations consider themselves "catholic" on the basis, in particular, of Apostolic Succession. List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships They fall into four groups:

  1. The Western and Eastern Churches of the Roman Catholic Church (often referred to simply as "the Catholic Church"). The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop These understand "Catholic" to involve unity with the Bishop of Rome,[8] and hold that "the one Church of Christ . History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and . . subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him, although many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure. Subsistit in (subsists in is a Latin phrase which appears in the eighth paragraph of Lumen Gentium, a landmark document of the Second Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential "[9]
  2. Those others that, like the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Old Catholic, Anglican, and some Lutheran and other denominations, claim unbroken Apostolic Succession from the early Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Some of these identify themselves as the Catholic Church (e. g. the Orthodox Churches), while others see themselves as a constituent part of the Church (e. g. the Old Catholics, Anglicans).
  3. Those who claim to be spiritual descendants of the Apostles but have no discernible institutional descent from the historic Church, and normally do not refer to themselves as catholic. The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e
  4. Those who have acknowledged a break in Apostolic Succession, but have restored it in order to be in full communion with bodies that have maintained the practice. The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common Examples in this category include the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada vis-à-vis their Anglican and Old Catholic counterparts. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC (Eglise Evangelique Lutherienne au Canada is Canada 's largest Lutheran denomination with 182077 baptized members

For some confessions listed under category 2, the self-affirmation refers to the belief in the ultimate unity of the universal church under one God and one Saviour, rather than in one visibly unified institution (as with category 1, above). God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Soteriology is the branch of theology that deals with Salvation. In this usage, catholic is sometimes written with a lower-case "c". The Western Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed, stating "I believe in. The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of . . one holy Catholic church. . . " is thus recited in worship services. Among some denominations in category 3, "Christian" is substituted for "catholic" in order to denote the doctrine that the Christian Church is, at least ideally, undivided. [10][11][12]

Brief organisational history of the Church

According to the theory of Pentarchy, the early Catholic Church came to be organised under the three patriarchs of Rome, Alexandria and Antioch, to which later were added the patriarchs of Constantinople and Jerusalem. Pentarchy is a Greek -derived word meaning "rule by five" Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Bishop of Rome was at that time recognized as first among them, as is stated, for instance, in canon 3 of the First Council of Constantinople (381)—many interpret "first" as meaning here first among equals—and doctrinal or procedural disputes were often referred to Rome, as when, on appeal by St Athanasius against the decision of the Council of Tyre (335), Pope Julius I, who spoke of such appeals as customary, annulled the action of that council and restored Athanasius and Marcellus of Ancyra to their sees. The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. The Second Ecumenical Council the first held in Constantinople was called by Theodosius I in 381 which confirmed the Nicene Creed and dealt with other matters such Primus inter pares ( Latin) or First among equals is a phrase which indicates that a person is the most senior of a group of people Pope The Bishop of Rome was also considered to have the right to convene ecumenical councils. When the Imperial capital moved to Constantinople, Rome's influence was sometimes challenged. Nonetheless, Rome claimed special authority because of its connection to Saint Peter[13] and Saint Paul, who, all agreed, were martyred and buried in Rome, and because the Bishop of Rome saw himself as the successor of Saint Peter. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and

The 431 Council of Ephesus, the Third Ecumenical Council, was chiefly concerned with Nestorianism, which emphasised the distinction between the humanity and divinity of Jesus and taught that, in giving birth to Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary could not be spoken of as giving birth to God. This article covers the Ecumenical council of 431 For the council of 449 see Second Council of Ephesus. This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. Nestorius Nestorius (c  386 &ndashc  451) was a pupil of Theodore of Mopsuestia in Antioch in Syria (modern This Council rejected Nestorianism and affirmed that, as humanity and divinity are inseparable in the one person of Jesus Christ, his mother, the Virgin Mary, is thus Theotokos, God-bearer, Mother of God. Theotokos (Θεοτόκος translit Theotókos) is a title of Mary the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, The first great rupture in the Church followed this Council. Those who refused to accept the Council's ruling were largely Persian and are represented today by the Assyrian Church of the East and related Churches, which, however, do not now hold a "Nestorian" theology. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi They are often called Ancient Oriental Churches.

The next major break was after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of This Council repudiated Eutychian Monophysitism which stated that the divine nature completely subsumed the human nature in Christ. Monophysitism (from the Greek monos meaning 'one alone' and physis meaning 'nature' or Monophysiticism is the Christological position that This Council declared that Christ, though one person, exhibited two natures "without confusion, without change, without division, without separation" and thus is both fully God and fully human. The Alexandrian Church rejected the terms adopted by this Council, and the Christian Churches that follow the tradition of non-acceptance of the Council—they are not Monophysite in doctrine—are referred to as Pre-Chalcedonian or Oriental Orthodox Churches. Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the

The next great rift within Christianity was in the 11th century. Longstanding doctrinal disputes, as well as conflicts between methods of Church government, and the evolution of separate rites and practices, precipitated a split in 1054 that divided the Church, this time between a "West" and an "East". England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, Poland, Bohemia, Slovakia, Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, and Western Europe in general were in the Western camp, and Greece, Romania, Russia and many other Slavic lands, Anatolia, and the Christians in Syria and Egypt who accepted the Council of Chalcedon made up the Eastern camp. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. This division is called the East-West Schism. The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the

The fourth major division in the Church occurred in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation, after which many parts of the Western Church either entirely rejected the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and became known as "Reformed" or "Protestant", or else repudiated Roman papal authority and accepted decisions by the civil ruler in religious matters (e. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. g. , in Anglicanism and parts of the Lutheran Church). Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther

A much less extensive rupture occurred when, after the Roman Catholic Church's First Vatican Council, in which it officially proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility, clusters of Catholics in the Netherlands and in German-speaking countries formed the Old-Catholic (Altkatholische) Church. The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Pastor Aeternus of June 29, 1868. The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in

All of the preceding groups, excluding some Protestants, consider themselves fully and completely Catholic, either as part of the Catholic Church or as the one and only Catholic Church.

The Roman Catholic Church

Main article: Roman Catholic Church
Ancient statue in the Vatican of Saint Peter
Ancient statue in the Vatican of Saint Peter

For most members of this Church, the terms "Catholic Church" and "Roman Catholic Church" are synonymous. It is the world's largest single religious body,[14] and comprises 23 "particular Churches," or Rites, all of which acknowledge a primacy of jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome and are in full communion with the Holy See and each other. A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic These particular Churches are the one Latin-Rite or Western Church (which uses a number of different liturgical rites, of which the Roman Rite is the best known) and 22 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. Latin liturgical rites used within that area of the Roman Catholic Church where the Latin language once dominated (the Latin Rite or Western Catholic Church The liturgical rite of the Church of Rome is called the Roman Rite. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See Of the latter particular Churches, 14 use the Byzantine liturgical rite. The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite, is the liturgical rite used currently (in various languages [15]

Sui iuris Catholic Churches

Eastern Christianity

Main article: Eastern Orthodox Church
Main article: Oriental Orthodoxy
Main article: Assyrian Church of the East

The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, as well as the Assyrian Church of the East, each consider themselves to be the universal and true Catholic Church. Sui iuris, commonly also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means “of one’s own right” The Alexandrian Rite is officially called the Liturgy of Saint Mark, traditionally regarded as the first bishop of Alexandria The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite Sui juris Particular Church in Full communion with the Pope of Rome rather The Ethiopian Catholic Church is a Metropolitan Sui iuris Eastern Particular Church within the Catholic Church and uses Antiochene Rite designates the family of liturgies originally used in the Patriarchate of Antioch: that of the Apostolic Constitutions; then that of Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac The Syriac Catholic Church, or Syrian Catholic Church is a Christian church in the Levant having The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (also known as Malankara Syrian Catholic Church Malankara Syriac Catholic Church) The Armenian Rite is an independent Liturgy. This rite is used by both the Armenian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. (Refer to List of Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia) The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic church Sui juris within The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite, is the liturgical rite used currently (in various languages Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS The Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church is an autonomous Byzantine Rite Particular Church in communion with Rome, whose members live in Albania The Belarusian Greek Catholic Church (Belaruskaya Hreka-Katalickaya Carkva BHKC) sometimes called in reference to its Byzantine Rite, the Belarusian Byzantine The Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite Sui juris Particular Church of the Catholic Church. The Croatian Byzantine Catholic Church or Croatian Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church Sui iuris of the Byzantine Rite. The Greek Byzantine Catholic Church is a Sui iuris Particular Church within the Catholic Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite The Hungarian Greek Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite Sui juris Particular Church of the Catholic Church that uses Hungarian The Italo-Greek Catholic Church, also known as the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, is a Byzantine Rite Sui juris particular Church The Macedonian Catholic Church, called the Macedonian Byzantine Catholic Church, is a Byzantine Rite Sui juris particular church within the communion Meaning of church name Melkite comes from the Syriac word malko for "imperial" which was originally a Pejorative term for Middle-Eastern The Romanian Church United with Rome Greek-Catholic (Biserica Română Unită cu Roma Greco-Catolică is an Eastern Rite or Greek-Catholic Church ranked as a Major The Russian Catholic Church (Российская греко-католическая церковь is a Byzantine Rite church Sui juris of the The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a Sui iuris (ie self-governing Catholic Church (see Particular Church) which uses the Divine Liturgy of The Slovak Greek Catholic Church, or Slovak Byzantine Catholic Church, is a Byzantine Rite Particular Church of the Catholic Church in Full History Before the Union of Brest See also History of Christianity in Ukraine The Ukrainian Catholic church did not exist as such until the The East Syrian Rite is also known as the Chaldean Rite, Assyrian Rite, or Persian Rite although it originated in Edessa. The Chaldean Catholic Church or the Chaldean Church of Babylon (الكنيسة الكلدانية) is an Eastern particular church of the The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a Chaldean Rite Major Archiepiscopal Church in Full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi Each of the three regards the others—since the divisions at the Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedonia (451)—as heretical and as having thus left the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This article covers the Ecumenical council of 431 For the council of 449 see Second Council of Ephesus. The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of The patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches are autocephalous hierarchs, which roughly means that each is independent of the direct oversight of another bishop, although still subject, according to their distinct traditions, either to the synod of bishops of each one’s jurisdiction, or to a common decision of the patriarchs of their own communion. Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family Autocephaly, in Hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches is the status of a hierarchical church whose A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application They are willing to concede a primacy of honor to the Roman See, but not of authority, nor do they accept its claim to universal and immediate jurisdiction. This is similar to the position taken by the Lutheran World Federation, the Anglican Communion, and the Old Catholic Church. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in

Eastern Christian Churches

Eastern Orthodox Churches (Churches in full communion with the See of Constantinople)

Other Churches of Eastern Orthodox tradition

Oriental Orthodox Churches

The Assyrian Church of the East

Anglican and other churches

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Saints in Anglicanism

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Within Western Christianity, the churches of the Anglican Communion, the Old Catholics, the Liberal Catholic Church, the Aglipayans (Philippine Independent Church), the Polish National Catholic Church of America, and many Independent Catholic Churches, which emerged directly or indirectly from and have beliefs and practices largely similar to Latin Rite Catholicism, regard themselves as "Catholic" without full communion with the Bishop of Rome, whose claimed status and authority they generally reject. History Early history Christianity in Byzantium existed from the time of the Twelve Apostles, but it was in the year 330 that the Roman Emperor The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquarted in New York City is an Eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Structure and organization Along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland the Orthodox Church of Finland has a special position in Finnish law The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese is a Diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with about 75 parishes in the United States and Canada History The Church traces its origins to the Christian community founded in Antioch by the Apostles St The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (often referred to in North America simply as the Antiochian Archdiocese) is the sole jurisdiction of the The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem ( Greek: Patriarcheîon Hierosolýmōn, Arabic كنيسة الروم الأرثوذكس في القدس See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей ru Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey The Japanese Orthodox Church (日本ハリストス正教会 is an autonomous Name For the purpose of distinguishing the two Orthodox Churches the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is often referred to in public as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate Christianity in ancient and feudal Georgia According to tradition when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel to the nations of the world the Apostle The Serbian Orthodox Church ( Serbian: Српска Православна Црква / Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva; СПЦ / SPC) or the The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric (Православна Охридска Архиепископија Pravoslavna Ohridska Arhiepiskopija) is an autonomous Eastern The Romanian Orthodox Church ( Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is a Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Българска православна църква Bălgarska pravoslavna cărkva) is an Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church The ancient Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Kýprou) is one of the fourteen or fifteen independent (' autocephalous The Church of Greece ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Helládos, ekliˈsia tis eˈlaðos is one of the fifteen Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania ( Albanian: Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë) is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern History The establishment of the church was undertaken after the Treaty of Riga left large amount of territory previously under the Russian Empire, as part The Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church ( Czechoslovak Orthodox Church up to 1993 in Czech Pravoslavná církev, in Slovak Pravoslávna cirkev The Orthodox Church in America ( OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church in North America. Greek Old Calendarists ( Greek: Παλαιοημερολογίτες Paleoimerologites) are groups that separated from the Orthodox Church of Greece History Origins After the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire, the Emperor Basil II acknowledged the autocephalous status of the Bulgarian The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the The British Orthodox Church is a small Oriental Orthodox jurisdiction canonically part of the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church is an Oriental Orthodox church. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (in transliterated Amharic: Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan) is an Oriental The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church is the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala, India. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (also known as the Malankara Orthodox Church, Orthodox Church of the East, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East, The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East with members spread throughout the world The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the The Lambeth Conferences are decennial assemblies of Bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Communion Primates' Meetings are regular meetings of the Anglican Primates, i The Anglican Consultative Council or ACC is one of the four "Instruments of Communion" of the Anglican Communion. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Thomas Cromwell 1st Earl of Essex (c 1485 &ndash 28 July 1540) was an English statesman who served as King Henry VIII 's chief minister Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. Archbishop William Laud (7 October 1573 - 10 January 1645 was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645 The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and used throughout the Anglican Communion. " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative Broad Church is a term referring to Latitudinarian Churchmanship in the Church of England, in particular and Anglicanism, in general The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the Anglican doctrine (also called Episcopalian doctrine in some countries is the body of Christian teachings used to guide the religious and moral practices of Anglicans See also Holy Orders The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. In keeping with its prevailing self-identity as a Via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, Anglican sacramental theology expresses In a Catholic sense the term "saint" refers to any person in Heaven&mdashhowever since the 10th century the title "Saint" is only given to persons who have been officially See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in The Liberal Catholic Church (LCC is a form of Christianity open to Theosophical ideas and even Reincarnation. The Philippine Independent Church, officially the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI, is a Christian denomination of the Catholic tradition The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic Independent Catholic Churches are Christian denominations (or congregations) which claim apostolic succession The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, a division of the People's Republic of China's Religious Affairs Bureau exercising state supervision over mainland China's Catholics, holds a similar position. The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association ( Chinese: 中国天主教爱国会 Pinyin: Zhōngguó Tiānzhǔjiào Àiguó Huì) abbreviated Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES

Anglicanism

Introductory works on Anglicanism (such as Sykes' and Booty's The Study of Anglicanism, pp. 219 ff. ) typically refer to the character of the Anglican tradition as "Catholic and Reformed", which is in keeping with the understanding of the Church articulated in the Elizabethan Settlement and in the works of the earliest standard Anglican divines such as Richard Hooker and Lancelot Andrewes. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement was Elizabeth I ’s response to the religious divisions created over the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Lancelot Andrewes (1555 – 25 September 1626) was an English clergyman and scholar who held high positions in the Church of England during the reigns Yet different strains in Anglicanism, dating back to its earliest formation, have emphasized either the Protestant, Catholic, or "Reformed Catholic" nature of the tradition.

Anglican theology and ecclesiology has thus come to be typically expressed in three distinct, yet sometimes overlapping manifestations: Anglo-Catholicism (or "high church"), "Evangelicalism" (or "low church"), and Latitudinarianism (or "broad church"), whose beliefs and practices fall somewhere between the two. The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative Latitudinarian was initially a pejorative term applied to a group of 17th-century English Theologians who believed in conforming to official Church of England Broad Church is a term referring to Latitudinarian Churchmanship in the Church of England, in particular and Anglicanism, in general Though all elements within the Anglican Communion recite the same creeds, Evangelical Anglicans regard the word catholic in the ideal sense given above. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches In contrast, Anglo-Catholics regard the communion as a component of the whole Catholic Church, in spiritual and historical union with the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and several Eastern Churches. Broad Church Anglicans tend to maintain a mediating view, or consider the matter one of adiaphora. Adiaphoron (plural adiaphora from the Greek αδιάφορα "indifferent things" was a concept used in Stoic philosophy to indicate things

The catholic nature of the Anglican tradition is expressed doctrinally, ecumenically (chiefly through organisations such as the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission), ecclesiologically (through its episcopal governance and maintenance of the historical episcopate), and in liturgy and piety. The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC is an organization which seeks to make ecumenical progress between the Catholic Church and Anglican Communion Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek The episcopate is the collective body of all Bishops of a church Anglo-Catholics (and some Broad Church Anglicans) maintain credence in the Seven Sacraments, practice Marian devotion, recite the rosary and the angelus, practice Eucharistic adoration, and seek the intercession of saints. This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "rose garden" or "garland of roses" is a popular traditional Roman Catholic devotion. The Angelus ( Latin for Angel) is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. Eucharistic adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic Church and in some Anglican churches in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to and adored A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity In terms of liturgy, Anglo-Catholic (and some Broad Church) Anglicans use candles, incense, and sanctus bells in the Eucharist, which is often referred to by the Latin-derived word "Mass", and celebrate it facing the altar and tabernacle using a priest, deacon, and subdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church and in some churches of the Anglican Communion, an altar bell is a small bell placed on the credence or in some other convenient A Tabernacle is the fixed locked box in which in some Christian churches the Eucharist is "reserved" (stored Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions Subdeacon (or sub-deacon is a title used in various branches of Christianity. Anglicans believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Real Presence is the term various Christian traditions use to express their belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was

The growth of Anglo-Catholicism is strongly associated with the Oxford Movement of the nineteenth century. The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought Two of its leading lights, John Henry Newman and Henry Edward Manning, both priests, ended up joining the Roman Catholic Church, becoming cardinals. Family John Henry Newman was born in London and was the eldest son of John Newman (d Henry Edward Manning ( July 15, 1808 - January 14, 1892) was an English Roman Catholic Archbishop and Cardinal A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Others, like John Keble, Edward Bouverie Pusey, and Charles Gore became influential figures in the Anglican Church. John Keble ( 25 April 1792 – 29 March 1866) was an English churchman one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement, Edward Bouverie Pusey ( 22 August 1800 - 16 September, 1882) was an English churchman and Regius Professor of Hebrew Charles Gore (born 1853 in Wimbledon; died January 17 (though usually commemorated on January 23) 1932 was an English divine and Anglican The current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is a patron of the Anglican organisation, Affirming Catholicism, a liberal movement within catholic Anglicanism. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Rowan Douglas Williams, PC, DD, DCL, FBA, (born 14 June 1950 in Swansea, Wales) is an Anglican Affirming Catholicism is a movement operating in several provinces of the Anglican Communion, most notably in the UK, Ireland, the United States Conservative catholic groups also exist within the tradition, such as Forward in Faith. Forward in Faith (FiF is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion.

Provinces of the Anglican Communion

As in Orthodoxy, all thirty-eight provinces of the Anglican Communion are independent, each with its own primate and governing structure. Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches These provinces may take the form of national churches (such as in Canada, Uganda, or Japan) or a collection of nations (such as the West Indies, Central Africa, or Southeast Asia). Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad All are in union with the see of Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the They are:

In addition, there are six extra-provincial churches, five of which are under the metropolitical authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Church of Australia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania (renamed The Church of Bangladesh is a church of the Anglican Communion in Bangladesh. The Anglican Church of Burundi is a member Church in the Anglican Communion, located in East Africa between Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya The Anglican Church of Canada is the sole Canadian representative of the Anglican Communion. The Church of the Province of Central Africa is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 15 Dioceses in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia The Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central America is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 5 sees in Central America. The Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo is a province of the Anglican Communion. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui ( Abbr: SKH) also known as Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal, is the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and Macau The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean is a province of the Anglican Communion. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. The Nippon Sei Ko Kai ( Japanese: 日本聖公会 Nippon Seikōkai, "Japanese Holy Catholic Church" abbreviated as NSKK, or the Anglican The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East is a province of the Anglican Communion stretching from Iran in the east to Algeria in The Anglican Church of Kenya is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 29 Dioceses. The Anglican Church of Korea is the province of the Anglican Communion in North and South Korea. The Church of the Province of Melanesia is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 8 dioceses The Anglican Church of Mexico (La Iglesia Anglicana de México is the Anglican province in Mexico, and includes 5 Dioceses. The Church of the Province of Myanmar in Asia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican Church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest Province in the Anglican Communion, as measured The Church of North India (CNI the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India is a United church established on 29 November 1970 by The Church of Pakistan is a united church in Pakistan, which is part of the Anglican Communion and a member church of the World Methodist Council The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea came into existence as a discrete province of the Anglican Communion when the Anglican Province of Papua New Guinea The Episcopal Church in the Philippines is a province of the Anglican Communion and an offshoot of the Episcopal Church. The Church of the Province of Rwanda is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 9 sees in East Africa. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it The Church of the Province of South East Asia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was created in 1996 comprising the four Dioceses of Kuching Sabah The Church of South India ( Abbreviation: CSI) is a union of many Protestant Denominations spread throughout South India. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is the Anglican province in the southern part of Africa, including 23 Dioceses in Angola, The Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America (Provincia Anglicana del Cono Sur de América is the Ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that The Episcopal Church of the Sudan is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion in Sudan. The Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT is a member of the Anglican Communion based in Dodoma. The Church of the Province of Uganda (or Church of Uganda) is a member church of the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. The Church of the Province of West Africa is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 15 sees in West Africa, specifically in Gambia The Church in the Province of the West Indies is a member province in the worldwide Anglican Communion. In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or

United States Christian bodies  v • d • e 
United States Interchurch
Anabaptist & Friends
Baptist & Stone-Campbell
Catholic & Anglican
Holiness & Pietist
Lutheran
Methodist
Orthodox
Pentecostal
Presbyterian & Reformed
Other

Protestant churches

There are Catholic groups among the Protestant churches. The Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba (Spanish for Episcopal Church of Cuba) consists of forty-six Parishes and about ten thousand members The Parish of the Falkland Islands - formerly a Diocese of the Church of England Diocese of the Falkland Islands - is an extra-provincial church The Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church ( Igreja Lusitana Católica Apostólica Evangélica) is the Anglican church in Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (La Iglesia Española Reformada Episcopal The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (IERE considers itself to be part of the One Holy Catholic and Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The largest religion in the United States is Christianity, with nearly 78 Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within The largest religion in the United States is Christianity, with nearly 78 National Association of Evangelicals (NAE is an agency dedicated to coordinating cooperative ministry for evangelical denominations of Protestant Christians The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is an association of 35 Christian Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC brings together ten mainline American denominations (including both predominantly white and predominantly The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA is an Eastern Orthodox organization designed to help cooperation among the canonical Orthodox The North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC is an association of some Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the United States and Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren ("Schwarzenauer Neutäufer" organized in 1708 by eight Friends United Meeting (FUM is an association of twenty-six Yearly meetings of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers in North America, Africa The Mennonite Church USA represents the largest group of Mennonite Christians in the United States Amish Mennonites are a church or constituency within Anabaptist Christianity that has broken from the Old Order Amish, yet has resisted absorption into a Mennonite Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. This article is about the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and churches that have a historical and/or theological connection to it (e The Alliance of Baptists is a fellowship of Baptist churches and individuals espousing moderate-to-liberal theological and social stances The American Baptist Association (ABA is an association of independent participating Landmark Baptist churches that carry out missions and indoctrination in good will The American Baptist Churches USA ( ABCUSA) is a group of Baptist Churches within the United States; the denomination maintains headquarters in The Baptist Bible Fellowship International (BBFI is a separatist Fundamentalist organization formed in 1950 by members who separated from the World Baptist Fellowship The Baptist General Conference (BGC is a national evangelical Baptist body with roots in Pietism in Sweden and inroads among evangelical Scandinavian-Americans particularly The Baptist Missionary Association of America (BMAA is a fellowship of autonomous Baptist churches for the purpose of benevolence Christian education and missions The first organization of Conservative Baptists was the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society (CBFMS now called WorldVenture, formed in Chicago Illinois The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC org National Association of Free Will Baptists - a national body of predominantly White Free Will Baptist churches in the United States and Canada The National Primitive Baptist Convention USA is a group of Black Primitive Baptists that has adopted progressive methods and policies not in keeping with the historical and North American Baptist Conference (NABC - initially an association of Baptists in the United States and Canada of German ethnic heritage The Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC) is a United States -based mostly conservative Christian denomination The National Baptist Convention of America Inc (or NBCA) is an African-American Baptist body organized in 1915 as the result of a struggle to keep The National Baptist Convention USA Inc is one of the largest religious organizations among African Americans The convention has over 30000 churches and over 6000000 The National Missionary Baptist Convention of America is an African-American Baptist convention which combined the efforts of Missionary Baptist churches The Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC is a convention of African-American Baptists emphasizing Civil rights and social justice The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America The Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are a part of the Restoration Movement and share historical roots with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ The Churches of Christ discussed The International Churches of Christ (typically abbreviated to ICOC is a body of Autonomous, Non-denominational, religiously conservative culturally innovative Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Old Roman Catholic Church was founded by Arnold Harris Matthew, Old Catholic Church bishop for England, on 29 December 1910. The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic The Holiness movement in Christianity is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the carnal nature of humanity can be cleansed through Faith Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA is an Evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity. The Church of God (Anderson is a non-denominational Holiness movement believing group of Christians with roots in Wesleyan Pietism and also The Church of the Nazarene, often referred to as the Nazarene Church is an International evangelical Christian denomination that began in The Evangelical Covenant Church ( ECC) is an evangelical Christian denomination of more than 750 congregations in the United States and Canada with ministries The Evangelical Free Church of America ( EFCA) is an association of autonomous evangelical Christian congregations The Free Methodist Church, is a denomination of broader Methodism. The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance The Wesleyan Church is an Evangelical Christian Religious denomination in the United States Canada and Australia associated with the Holiness Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS is a North American religious denomination with practice rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christianity Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the " AME Church " is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or AME Zion Church, was officially formed in 1821 but operated for a number years before then The Christian Methodist Epsicopal Church is a historically black denomination within the broader context of Methodism. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (often referred to in North America simply as the Antiochian Archdiocese) is the sole jurisdiction of the The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquarted in New York City is an Eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. The Orthodox Church in America ( OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church in North America. The Serbian Orthodox Church ( Serbian: Српска Православна Црква / Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva; СПЦ / SPC) or the The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations The Church of God (Cleveland is a Pentecostal Christian denomination, with headquarters in Cleveland Tennessee. The Church of God in Christ Incorporated is a Christian church in the Pentecostal tradition The Church of God of Prophecy is a holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel is an evangelical Pentecostal Christian denomination The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC is a Pentecostal Christian body whose history name and theology bear the marks of two major American revival The Pentecostal Church of God (PCG is a trinitarian Pentecostal Christian denomination The Pentecostal Assemblies of The World Inc ( PAW) claims to be the oldest Oneness Pentecostal organization in existence founded in 1906 and formally organized The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI is a multicultural Christian religious organization formed in 1945 by a merger of the Pentecostal Church Incorporated and Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The Christian Reformed Church in North America ( CRCNA or CRC) is a Protestant Christian denomination which follows Reformed Calvinist The Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, colloquially known as the CCCC or 4C's, is a Protestant Christian Denomination The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a moderately large (almost 50000 active members and about 800 congregations theologically moderate Presbyterian body spawned by The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC is an American church body holding to presbyterian governance and Reformed theology expressed in an orthodox The International Council of Community Churches (ICCC is a Christian denomination of ecumenically co-operating mainline Protestants and The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC is an association of about 400 churches providing fellowship for and services to churches from the Congregational The Presbyterian Church (USA or PC (USA is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA is a Protestant denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States The Reformed Church in America (RCA is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination that was formerly a part of the Dutch Reformed The United Church of Christ ( UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination principally in the United States, The Independent Fundamental Churches of America (increasingly known only as IFCA International) is an association of independent Protestant churches located largely The Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA was founded in 1915 as the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America The Plymouth Brethren is a Conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland The Association of Vineyard Churches, also known as the Vineyard Movement, is a Christian organization of over 1500 churches worldwide Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. For example, High Church Lutheranism, developed a movement known as Neo-Lutheranism, and there is a Scoto-Catholic grouping within the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. High Church Lutheranism is the European name for the Lutheran movement that emphasises worship practices and doctrines that are similar to those found within both Roman Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began as a reaction against theological rationalism and Pietism. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. Such groups point to their churches' continuing adherence to the 'Catholic' doctrine of the early Church Councils. The Articles Declaratory of the Constitution of the Church of Scotland of 1921 defines that church legally as 'part of the Holy Catholic or Universal Church'. The Articles Declaratory of the Constitution of the Church of Scotland – often known as the Declaratory Articles - were drawn up early in the 20th century to facilitate the However, the Roman Catholic Church does not accept that these other churches are Catholic, as it views communion with the Bishop of Rome as being an indispensable part of what it means to be Catholic; the maintenance of Apostolic Succession is necessary to be considered a Church.

Distinctive beliefs and practices

Because of the divergent interpretations of the word "Catholicism" spoken of above, any listing of beliefs and practices that distinguish Catholicism from other forms of Christianity must be preceded by an indication of the sense employed.

If Catholicism is understood as the Roman Catholic Church understands it, identification of beliefs is relatively easy, though preferred expressions of the beliefs vary, especially between the Latin Church, the Eastern Catholic Churches of Greek tradition, and the other Eastern Catholic Churches. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite, is the liturgical rite used currently (in various languages Liturgical and canonical practices vary between all these particular Churches constituting the Roman Catholic Church. A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop

In the understanding of another Church that identifies Catholicism with itself, such as the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, clear identification of certain beliefs may sometimes be more difficult, because of the lack of a central authority like that of the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand, practices are more uniform, as indicated, for instance, in the single liturgical rite employed, in various languages, within the Eastern Orthodox Church, in contrast to the variety of liturgical rites in the Roman Catholic Church.

In all these cases the beliefs and practices of Catholicism would be identical with the beliefs and practices of the Church in question.

If Catholicism is extended to cover all who consider themselves spiritual descendants of the Apostles, a search for beliefs and practices that distinguish it from other forms of Christianity would be meaningless.

Only if Catholicism is understood in the sense given to the word by those who use it to distinguish their position from a Calvinistic or Puritan form of Protestantism is it meaningful to attempt to draw up a list of common characteristic beliefs and practices of Catholicism. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. In this interpretation, evidently by no means shared by all, Catholicism includes the Roman Catholic Church, the various Churches of Eastern Christianity, the Old Catholic Church, Anglicanism, and at least some of the "independent Catholic Churches".

The beliefs and practices of Catholicism, as thus understood, include:

Sacraments or Sacred Mysteries

Main article: Catholic sacraments
Main article: Sacred Mysteries
Main article: Anglican sacraments

Churches in the Catholic tradition administer seven sacraments or "sacred mysteries": Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The term sacred mysteries generally denotes the area of Supernatural phenomena associated with a Divinity or a religious ideology. In keeping with its prevailing self-identity as a Via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, Anglican sacramental theology expresses A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Penance is repentance of Sins as well as the proper name of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. Throughout history Christians have regarded Marriage as ordained by God for the lifelong union of a Man " In some Catholic churches this number is regarded as a convention only.

In Catholicism, a sacrament is considered to be an efficacious visible sign of God's invisible grace. While the word mystery is used not only of these rites, but also with other meanings with reference to revelations of and about God and to God's mystical interaction with creation, the word sacrament (Latin: a solemn pledge), the usual term in the West, refers specifically to these rites. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active

Baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation, the basis for all the other sacraments. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Churches in the Catholic tradition consider baptism conferred in most Christian denominations "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Matthew 28:19) to be valid, since the effect is produced through the sacrament, independently of the faith of the minister, though not of the minister's intention. This is not necessarily the case in other churches. As stated in the Nicene Creed, Baptism is "for the forgiveness of sins", not only personal sins, but also of original sin, which it remits even in infants who have committed no actual sins. The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man. Expressed positively, forgiveness of sins means bestowal of the sanctifying grace by which the baptized person shares the life of God. The initiate "puts on Christ" (Galatians 3:27), and is "buried with him in baptism . . . also raised with him through faith in the working of God" (Colossians 2:12).

Confirmation or Chrismation is the second sacrament of Christian initiation, the means by which the gift of the Holy Spirit conferred in baptism is "strengthened and deepened" (see, for example, Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1303) by a sealing. Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East In the Western tradition it is usually a separate rite from baptism, bestowed, following a period of education called catechesis, on those who have at least reached the age of discretion (about 7) and sometimes postponed until an age when the person is considered capable of making a mature independent profession of faith. A catechism (ˈkætəkɪzəm κατηχισμός is a summary or exposition of Doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament The age of Reason, also called the age of discretion, is the Age at which Children become capable of Moral responsibility. It is considered to be of a nature distinct from the anointing with chrism (also called myrrh) that is usually part of the rite of baptism and that is not seen as a separate sacrament. Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated In the Eastern tradition it is usually conferred in conjunction with baptism, as its completion, but is sometimes administered separately to converts or those who return to Orthodoxy. Some theologies consider this to be the outward sign of the inner "Baptism of the Holy Spirit," the special gifts (or charismata) of which may remain latent or become manifest over time according to God's will. Its "originating" minister is a validly consecrated bishop; if a priest (a "presbyter") confers the sacrament (as is permitted in some Catholic churches) the link with the higher order is indicated by the use of chrism blessed by a bishop. (In an Eastern Orthodox Church, this is customarily, although not necessarily, done by the primate of the local autocephalous church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Autocephaly, in Hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches is the status of a hierarchical church whose )

The Eucharist is the sacrament (the third of Christian initiation) by which the faithful receive their ultimate "daily bread," or "bread for the journey," by partaking of and in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and being participants in Christ's one eternal sacrifice. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The bread and wine used in the rite are, according to Catholic faith, in the mystical action of the Holy Spirit, transformed to be Christ's Body and Blood—his Real Presence. The Real Presence is the term various Christian traditions use to express their belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was This transformation is interpreted by some as transubstantiation or metousiosis, by others as consubstantiation or Sacramental Union. See also Eucharist (Catholic Church On the related belief that Christ is present in the Eucharist in body blood soul and divinity see Real Presence. Metousiosis is a Greek term () that means literally a change of (essence inner reality Consubstantiation is a theological doctrine that (like Transubstantiation) attempts to describe the nature of the Christian Eucharist in concrete metaphysical Sacramental union ( Latin, unio sacramentalis; German, sakramentliche Einigkeit) is the Lutheran theological Doctrine

Penance (also called Confession and Reconciliation) is the first of the two sacraments of healing. The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e It is also called the sacrament of conversion, of forgiveness, and of absolution. It is the sacrament of spiritual healing of a baptized person from the distancing from God involved in actual sins committed. It involves the penitent's contrition for sin (without which the rite does not have its effect), confession (which in highly exceptional circumstances can take the form of a corporate general confession) to a minister who has the faculty to exercise the power to absolve the penitent,[17] and absolution by the minister. In some traditions (such as the Roman Catholic), the rite involves a fourth element — satisfaction — which is defined as signs of repentance imposed by the minister. In early Christian centuries, the fourth element was quite onerous and generally preceded absolution, but now it usually involves a simple task (in some traditions called a "penance") for the penitent to perform, to make some reparation and as a medicinal means of strengthening against further sinning.

Anointing of the Sick (or Unction) is the second sacrament of healing. Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name In it those who are suffering an illness are anointed by a minister with oil consecrated by a bishop specifically for that purpose. In past centuries, when such a restrictive interpretation was customary, the sacrament came to be known as "Extreme Unction", i. e. "Final Anointing", as it still is among traditionalist Catholics. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical It was then conferred only as one of the "Last Rites". The other "Last Rites" are Penance (if the dying person is physically unable to confess, at least absolution, conditional on the existence of contrition, is given), and the Eucharist, which, when administered to the dying, is known as "Viaticum", a word whose original meaning in Latin was "provision for a journey". Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is that which integrates someone into the Holy Orders of bishops, priests (presbyters), and deacons, the threefold order of "administrators of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1), giving the person the mission to teach, sanctify, and govern. In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. Only a bishop may administer this sacrament, as only a bishop holds the fullness of the Apostolic Ministry. Ordination as a bishop makes one a member of the body that has succeeded to that of the Apostles. Ordination as a priest configures a person to Christ the Head of the Church and the one essential Priest, empowering that person, as the bishops' assistant and vicar, to preside at the celebration of divine worship, and in particular to confect the sacrament of the Eucharist, acting "in persona Christi" (in the person of Christ). Ordination as a deacon configures the person to Christ the Servant of All, placing the deacon at the service of the Church, especially in the fields of the ministry of the Word, service in divine worship, pastoral guidance and charity. Deacons may later be further ordained to the priesthood, but only if they do not have a wife. In some traditions (such as those of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches), while married men may be ordained, ordained men may not marry. In others (such as the Anglican), clerical marriage is permissible. Clerical marriage is the practice of allowing Clergy to marry.

Marriage (or Holy Matrimony) joins a man and a woman (according to the churches doctrines) for mutual help and love (the unitive purpose), consecrating them for their particular mission of building up the Church and the world, and providing grace for accomplishing that mission. Throughout history Christians have regarded Marriage as ordained by God for the lifelong union of a Man Western tradition sees the sacrament as conferred by the canonically expressed mutual consent of the partners in marriage; Eastern and some recent Western theologians not in communion with the see of Rome view the blessing by a priest as constituting the sacramental action.

References

  1. ^ Liddell and Scott The word is associated with the adverb καθόλου (or καθ' ὅλου), meaning "on the whole", "in general", "completely", "entirely" (Liddell and Scott)
  2. ^ The Concise Oxford Dictionary, 7th edition (1982)
  3. ^ The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus
  4. ^ ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
  5. ^ Catechetical Lectures, XVIII, 26
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Extract of English translation from Henry Bettenson, ed. , Documents of the Christian Church (London: Oxford University Press, 1943), p. 31, cited at Medieval Sourcebook: Theodosian Code XVI by Paul Halsall, Fordham University. Retrieved Jan 5, 2007. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The full Latin text of the code is at IMPERATORIS THEODOSIANI CODEX Liber Decimus Sextus (170KB download), archived from George Mason University. Retrieved Jan 5, 2007. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  8. ^ PAPAL AUTHORITY AND THE PRIMACY OF ROME
  9. ^ THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH
  10. ^ Apostles' Creed Lutheran Church
  11. ^ NICENE CREED Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
  12. ^ International Lutheran Fellowship Official website
  13. ^ St Peter is sometimes called "the first pope". However, if "pope" is defined as "successor of St Peter", St. Linus is the first pope. Saint Linus (d ca79 was the first bishop of Rome according to Irenaeus, Jerome, Eusebius The Catholic Church teaches that the college of the bishops has succeeded, in the Church, to the group of the apostles, not that the bishops are apostles; and that, among the bishops, primacy belongs to the Bishop of Rome, as primacy among the apostles belonged to St Peter, not that the pope is on the same level as the Apostle Peter(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 880–881).
  14. ^ Islam, like Christianity, is composed of a number of distinct bodies or denominations, of which the Sunni and Shi'a are the most numerous. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic
  15. ^ Annuario Pontificio, latest (2007) edition, pages 1169–1170 (ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9). The Annuario Pontificio ( Italian for Pontifical Yearbook) is the annual directory of the Holy See.
  16. ^ "And I tell you, you are Peter [Πετρός, meaning "rock"], and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient " (Mt 16:18)
  17. ^ Cf. Code of Canon Law, canons 966 and following

See also

External links

Further reading

Dictionary

Catholicism

-noun

  1. The faiths, practices and doctrines of a Catholic Church, but especially of the Roman Catholic Church
  2. The state or quality of being catholic or universal; catholicity. --Jer. Taylor.
  3. Liberality of sentiment; breadth of view.
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