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{{Christianity}}

{{Christianity}}

The '''Catholic Church''', sometimes known informally as the '''Roman Catholic Church''', is a denomination of [[Christianity]] headquartered in [[Vatican City]]. The Catholic Church teaches the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and worships the God of [[Abraham]]. The Catholic Church has a single leader, the [[pope]], the [[Bishop]] of [[Rome]]. The current pope is [[Pope Francis|Francis]]. Present day governance of the Church is divided hierarchically into dioceses, each overseen by a diocesan bishop, who in turn oversees diocesan priests and deacons on the level of the individual parish.

The '''Catholic Church''', sometimes known informally as the '''Roman Catholic Church''', is the oldest denomination of [[Christianity]] and is headquartered in [[Vatican City]]. The Catholic Church teaches the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and worships the God of [[Abraham]]. The Catholic Church has a single 'visible' leader, the [[pope]], the [[Bishop]] of [[Rome]] and the 'invisible' [[Jesus Christ]]. The current pope is [[Pope Francis|Francis]]. Governance of the Church is divided hierarchically into dioceses, each overseen by a diocesan bishop, who in turn oversees diocesan priests and deacons on the level of the individual parish.

The word "catholic" means "universal." Its use as a name for the Church comes from Nicene-Constantinople Creed of 381, which defines the church as, "one, holy, catholic and apostolic." In the Christological controversy of the fourth century, Catholics opposed the heresy of [[Arianism]].   

The word "catholic" comes from the Greek 'katholikos' meaning "universal", "whole", or "complete". The earliest reference to 'catholic' being used in regards to the Church is from the writings of the [[Early Church Fathers]], notably [[Ignatius of Antioch]] in 100 AD. Ignatius, a disciple of the [[Apostle John]] wrote in his works 'Letter to the Smyrnaeans': "Wherever the Bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the '''Catholic Church'''. It is not lawful to baptize or give communion without the consent of the Bishop. On the other hand, whatever has his approval is pleasing to God. Thus, whatever is done will be safe and valid'. The Nicene-Constantinople Creed brought about by the [[The Ecumenical Councils|Ecumenical Council]] of 381 AD, defines the church as, "one, holy, catholic and apostolic." In the Christological controversy of the fourth century during the [[Council of Nicaea]], Catholics opposed the heresy of [[Arianism]].   

The Church has always been [[pro-life]] and its leadership is mostly [[conservative]], as illustrated by how it "launched a crackdown on the umbrella group that represents most of [[America]]'s 55,000 [[Catholic]] nuns" for "a prevalence of certain radical [[feminist]] themes incompatible with the Catholic [[faith]]."  The Church noted that "the group was not speaking out strongly enough against" [[abortion]].<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-04-18/american-nuns-vatican/54396560/1?csp=hf</ref>

The Church has always been [[pro-life]] and its leadership is mostly [[conservative]], as illustrated by how it "launched a crackdown on the umbrella group that represents most of [[America]]'s 55,000 [[Catholic]] nuns" for "a prevalence of certain radical [[feminist]] themes incompatible with the Catholic [[faith]]."  The Church noted that "the group was not speaking out strongly enough against" [[abortion]].<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-04-18/american-nuns-vatican/54396560/1?csp=hf</ref>

The original Christian community was founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Apostles. The Catholic Church considers itself to be the sole and uninterrupted continuation of the first-century Church. St. [[Paul|Paul the Apostle]] was the most prolific contributor to the [[New Testament]] and the most notable of the Early Christian missionaries. Christians were subjected to persecution, first under [[Nero]] in A.D. 64 and again, more severely, under the emperors [[Domitian]], [[Marcus Aurelius]], [[Decius]], and [[Diocletian]], in the second and third centuries.  

The original Christian community was founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Apostles. The Catholic Church considers itself to be the sole and uninterrupted continuation of the first-century Church. St. [[Paul|Paul the Apostle]] was the most prolific contributor to the [[New Testament]] and the most notable of the Early Christian missionaries. Christians were subjected to persecution, first under [[Nero]] in A.D. 64 and again, more severely, under the emperors [[Domitian]], [[Marcus Aurelius]], [[Decius]], and [[Diocletian]], in the second and third centuries.  

After almost 300 years of persecution against the Church failed to stop the growth of Christianity, the Emperor [[Constantine I]] had a religious experience and, by the [[Edict of Milan]] issued in the early fourth century, legalized Christianity. Going to war with the co-Emperor of the east [[Lucinius]] over his continued persecution of Christians, Constantine won and became sole Emperor. The age of persecution was over, until the inquisitions. Constantine's pagan "Christianity" is better covered in the article [[Reasons the Catholic Church is Unbiblical]].

After almost 300 years of persecution against the Church failed to stop the growth of Christianity, the Emperor [[Constantine I]] had a religious experience and, by the [[Edict of Milan]] issued in the early fourth century, legalized Christianity. Going to war with the co-Emperor of the east [[Lucinius]] over his continued persecution of Christians, Constantine won and became sole Emperor.  

 

There is zero historical evidence that the Roman Emperor [[Constantine]] merged Christianity and Paganism to form Catholicism at the [[Council of Nicaea]]. This is a myth popularised by fiction novel, 'The Da Vinci Code' by author [[Dan Brown]].

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[[Image:Christians.jpg|thumb|450px]]