st ignatius catholic church

St. Ignatius of Antioch was the first to call us such long before until then there was no need to call ourselves anything but the Church as there was only one Church that all Christians belonged to.

Hello,

It all depends on your definition of the Catholic church with regards to spirituality or politics. As you see in the Book of the Apocalypse, Revelations, there were at least 7 and probably many more Christian Churches. Remember Paul also quarreled with Peter as to what Jewish vestiges should be left in Christianity etc.

In Nicea, Constantine gathered all the church leaders from the Empire to come and hammer out some sort of agreement to bring cohesion and unity to the church with respect to the agreed theology. You get the Nician Creed and also buildings in Rome given to the Church for administration. I think this situation makes many say the Roman Catholic church began as a corporate entity here.

Of course there is still the spiritual concept of, thou art Peter and upon this rock you shall build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail etc. Still there are those early divisions from region to region which call into question the one church... at least in practicality.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

2009-02-16 18:41:05 by Jesus, I trust in You!

One of the most beautiful Catholic churches on the west coast is St. Ignatius in the city of San Francisco. This video captures the beauty of the ...

"But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."
- 1 Tim 3:15

Jesus tells us that when we disagree we are to take our dispute to THE Church (Matt. 18:17). He didn't say A Church.

Jesus founded only one Church (Matt. 16: 18-19) that was to preach the gospel to all nations (Mark 28:19).

"The Church" began being called "The Catholic Church" as early as the year 110 A.D. by a Bishop and martyr of the early Church who had received instruction directly from at least one or two of the orgininal 12 Apostles.

"...Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there, just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8:1-2, AD 107

Saint Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch, the first place that the term "Christian" began being used to describe followers of Christ. He was killed for his faith in Christ.

It's because the bible was written by the church. Think about it.

2007-03-20 20:21:12 by Life

Price: $14.95

St. Ignatius of Antioch, apostolic Father and bishop. He was a disciple of St. John, along with St. Polycarp. Theodoret, the Church historian says he was consecrated bishop by St. Peter, who was at first bishop of Antioch before going to Rome. Ignatius was martyred in Rome under Emperor Trajan's rule. It was during the journey to Rome that he wrote his famous letters that contain invaluble information about the early Church. He was the first to use the term "Catholic" to describe the Church.

We must remember that Constantine did not actually become a Christian until he was an old man on his death bed. That was when he was baptised and professed that Jesus is Lord. During his life he did not surrender to Christ. He simply changed the law so that is was no longer illegal to be Christian. Which was quite prudent of him given that Christianity was steadily groaning and might have turned into an ugly rebellion against him.

The situation of the early Church in Rome was not unlike modern day China. Christians were being thrown to the lions, torn limb from limb.

They were under great persecution. This was inhibiting Jesus' command to proclaim the Good News from the housetops.

Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops. I tell you my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more. (Lk 12:3-4)

This Scripture passage was not only a command, it was a prophesy of things to come, and it did not come to pass until Constantine made Christianity "legal." It's pretty hard to proclaim the Good News from a housetop if someone comes along and arrests you and kills you when you preach! It is clear that the persecution of Christians in the Roman empire was not what Jesus wanted and that it had to change. Constantine was the fulfillment of prophecy (Lk 12:3-4).

After the crucifixion, the apostles passed to the Early Church Fathers, the Faith. Later Emperors and Monarchs accepted the Creed; their subjects followed. That's how it started.

...By around 120 [AD], key features of Christianity had taken shape-an organized priesthood... (pg 349, The Romans From Village to Empire, Oxford University Press)

Constantine did not invent Catholicism, he simply recognized it and let people legally be Christian. Christians were having "Catholic" Masses long before this "legalization" of Christianity. Three hundred years before Constantine, Christians believed in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, honoured Mary, had elaborate ceremonies, believed in Purgatory, respected the Church hierarchy, baptized babies, recognized Peter as the Rock, built the Church upon him with successors and followed a rich tradition of Christianity. That was the Christianity of the early days of Christianity and that is the Catholic Church of today. Catholic means "universal." A timeline of the Catholic Church from 1-500 A.D. is here.

Constantine's legalization of Christianity ended the public and state oppression of Christianity that forced people to gather in homes.

Church buildings began in the latter half of the second century during lulls in persecution, long before Constantine. They became widespread after the Enactment of Milan in 313 AD when it finally became possible for the Church to emerge completely from the underground.

Constantine did not invent the Church any more than a modern day leader who would legalize Christian practices in China would invent Christianity.

I have never heard this taught from the pulpit and never will. I am evangelical and believe there is some truth in the notion. The problem is it is difficult to put truth into a succinct statement. What happened with Constantine? He married the state religion of Rome with a watered down Christianity and made this the state religion. Before this the concept of transubstantiation did not exist, praying to anyone other than God the Father was considered blasphemy, there was only one mediator [and still is] between God and man, there were no statues in churches, God was the only one anyone would call father (other than their natural father) etc. Over the years some have depended on teachings of men. Evangelicals have gone back to the teachings of Jesus and the bible rather than depending on erroneous teachings and traditions.
some of these are:
1) The just shall live by faith
2) There is one mediator between God and man, Jesus.
3) Don't make graven images.
4) Call no man father.
5) and many others.

2008-09-16 11:21:17 by cashelmara

Price: $14.95

He wrote this in 107AD some say 110AD to the Symrnaeans while being transported to Rome for Martyrdom...............Chapter 7. Let us stand aloof from such heretics
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they 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. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it with respect, that they also might rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that you should keep aloof from such persons, and not to speak of them either in private or in public, but to give heed to the prophets, and above all, to the Gospel, in which the passion [of Christ] has been revealed to us, and the resurrection has been fully proved. But avoid all divisions, as the beginning of evils.

Chapter 8. Let nothing be done without the bishop
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. 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. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.
Annie apparently your saying the early Christians did'nt understand Jesus and his disiples.
David/Chris...I fully expected your two cents but it is a tradition that Ignatius is the Child who sat on the lap of Jesus and he is mentioned in the Epistles under his i guess first name theodorus.

As you can see, it doesn't matter who you quote. If it's not in the Bible, obviously it must be disregarded.

It's a double standard: On one hand, all Christians accept the authority of these men when it comes the canonization of the Bible. Then some Christians turn right around and reject them as apostates when they speak of a teaching that doesn't jive with their particular church.

As for me... I feel it's wrong to just dismiss the early Church Fathers simply because their writings aren't in the Bible. Of course they're not in the Bible; they were written too late! But that doesn't make them any less valuable. These men learned at the feet of Jesus' own Apostles. They give us a glimpse of the early Church that the NT doesn't give. Its history ends in the 60s A.D. What about after that?

I'm not anti-Catholic anymore, but I used to be.

2009-08-08 10:41:18 by LH Catholic By Choice

Ignatius of Antioch (Early Christian Bishop, Martyr, and Catholic Saint)

"Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop or by one whom he ordains [i.e., a presbyter]. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Letter to the Smyrneans 8:2 [A.D. 110]).


The Martyrdom of Polycarp

"And of the elect, he was one indeed, the wonderful martyr Polycarp, who in our days was an apostolic and prophetic teacher, bishop of the Catholic Church in Smyrna. For every word which came forth from his mouth was fulfilled and will be fulfilled" (Martyrdom of Polycarp 16:2 [A.D. 155]).


Tertullian

"Where was [the heretic] Marcion, that shipmaster of Pontus, the zealous student of Stoicism? Where was Valentinus, the disciple of Platonism? For it is evident that those men lived not so long ago—in the reign of Antonius for the most part—and that they at first were believers in the doctrine of the Catholic Church, in the church of Rome under the episcopate of the blessed Eleutherius, until on account of their ever restless curiosity, with which they even infected the brethren, they were more than once expelled" (Demurrer Against the Heretics 30 [A.D. 200]).

List of Early Popes of the Holy Catholic Church

1. St. Peter (32-67)
2. St. Linus (67-76)
3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
4. St. Clement I (88-97)
5. St. Evaristus (97-105)
6. St. Alexander I (105-115)
7. St. Sixtus I (115-125) -- also called Xystus I
8. St. Telesphorus (125-136)
9. St. Hyginus (136-140)
10. St. Pius I (140-155)
11. St. Anicetus (155-166)
12. St. Soter (166-175)
13. St. Eleutherius (175-189)

What "Catholic" Means
http://www.catholic.com/library/What_Cat holic_Means.asp

I didn't have the attention span to read all the details of your question tonight. But yes, the Roman Catholics were the first Christian Church. The Reformed Church came from people who thought Catholicism was too strict, then came other denominations later as churches spread throughout the world.

2006-06-09 21:36:30 by Life