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{{Christianity}}
{{Christianity}}
The '''Roman Catholic Church''' is the common name of the oldest, largest and most important Christian denomination. It is headed by the [[Pope]] (Supreme Pontiff), currently [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. It is the largest [[Christian]] denomination in the world, with more than 1.3 billion officially baptized adherents, or 17.4 per cent of the world population (In the United States more than 64 million). <ref>[http://www.poligazette.com/2008/03/30/more-muslims-than-roman-catholics/ Poligazette]</ref> The [[Roman]] Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western world. The Roman Catholic faith teaches that the Pope is the successor of [[St. Peter]], the 'rock' ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matt]] 16:18) upon whom Jesus built his church. The term [[Catholic Church]] is, literally, the ''Universal Church'' of [[Jesus Christ]] (from the Greek ''katholikos'', "universal").
The '''Roman Catholic Church''' is the common name of the oldest, largest and most important Christian denomination. It is headed by the [[Pope]] (Supreme Pontiff), currently [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. It is the largest [[Christian]] denomination in the world, with more than 1.3 billion officially baptized adherents, or 17.4 per cent of the world population (In the United States more than 64 million). The Roman Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western world; it asserts that the Pope is the divinely-chosen successor of [[St. Peter]], the 'rock' ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matt]] 16:18) upon whom Jesus built his church.
The Church consists of those Christians who are in full communion with the Pope. It includes "Uniate Catholics" in Eastern Europe who, strictly speaking, are not part of the "Roman" Church.
The term "Catholic Church" is, literally, the ''Universal Church'' of [[Jesus Christ]] (from the Greek ''katholikos'', "universal"). see [[Catholic Church]]
The split between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy dates to the eleventh century. The [[Reformation]] is the split between Catholicism and Protestantism that occurred in the sixteenth century. Two of the principal issues of contention between Catholics and Protestants are ''[[sola scriptura]]'' (the Protestant doctrine that the Bible alone is the final authority for Christians, which denies the authority of the Pope) and ''sola fide'' (the doctrine, popularized by [[Martin Luther]], that faith alone, as opposed to faith expressed in good works, is sufficient for salvation).
==Organization==
The Pope and the the international leadership of the Church are based in [[Vatican City]], an independent tiny country located inside Rome, Italy.
The Catholic Church has a complex hierarchy of clergy, including:
* The Pope
*[[Cardinal]]s
*[[Archbishop]]s
*[[Bishop]]s
*[[Abbot]]s
*[[Monsignor|Monsignori]]
*[[Archpriest]]s
*[[Priest]]s
*[[Deacon]]s
The key roles are played by the Pope and the bishops, and the question of whether national governments should play a major role in nominating bishops to the Pope has been a major issue for centuries. See [[Gallicanism]]
==Teachings==
==Teachings==
The chief teachings of the Catholic church are: God’s objective existence; God’s interest in individual human beings, who can enter into relations with God (through prayer); the Trinity; the divinity of Jesus; the immortality of the [[soul]] of each human being, each one being accountable at death for his or her actions in life, with the award of heaven or hell; the resurrection of the dead; the historicity of the [[Gospels]]; and the divine commission of the church. In addition the Roman Catholic Church stresses that since the members, living and dead, share in each other’s merits, the [[Virgin Mary]] and other saints and the dead in purgatory are never forgotten.<ref> [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ro/RomanCat.html The Columbia Encyclopedia]</ref> The presence of Christ is believed to be present in the Eucharist, the bread and wine is Jesus himself. Another essential belief is the veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary and veneration of the saints.
The chief teachings of the Catholic church are: God’s objective existence; God’s interest in individual human beings, who can enter into relations with God (through prayer); the Trinity; the divinity of Jesus; the immortality of the [[soul]] of each human being, each one being accountable at death for his or her actions in life, with the award of heaven or hell; the resurrection of the dead; the historicity of the [[Gospels]]; and the divine commission of the church. In addition the Roman Catholic Church stresses that since the members, living and dead, share in each other’s merits, the [[Virgin Mary]] and other saints and the dead in purgatory are never forgotten.<ref> [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ro/RomanCat.html The Columbia Encyclopedia]</ref> The presence of Christ is believed to be present in the Eucharist, the bread and wine is Jesus himself. Another essential belief is the veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary and veneration of the saints.