Changes

The term '''Catholic''' has a number of related meanings:

The term '''Catholic''' has a number of related defined meanings:

# originally it comes from a Greek word meaning universal (''katholika'') - and thus, referred to the non-Jewish or [[gentile]] church as a whole, as opposed to a particular local church. This is the sense in which it is used in the historic creeds ("one holy, catholic and apostolic church") - and in this sense Protestants and Eastern Orthodox consider themselves to be part of the catholic church

# In [[Western civilization|Western societies]] the term has evolved, however, to refer to the [[Roman Catholic Church]] specifically. It also refers to the [[Catholic Church#Different churches|Eastern Catholic]] churches, which form part of the Roman Catholic Church, yet follow Eastern rather than Roman traditions in liturgy and other matters

<br>'''2.''' Originally '''Catholic''' comes from a Greek word meaning universal (''katholika'') - and thus, referred to the non-Jewish or [[gentile]] '''church as a whole, as opposed to a particular local church'''. This is the sense in which it is used in the historic creeds ("one holy, catholic and apostolic church") - and in this sense [[Protestants]], [[Eastern Orthodox]] it also refers to the [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] churches such as the Ukrainian Catholic, and Maronite churches, which form part of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], yet follow [[Catholic ChurchEastern rather than Roman traditions in liturgy and other matters.<ref>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56009/the-rites-of-the-catholic-church</ref>

# it can also be used to refer to [[Independent Catholic churches|splinter groups]] which have broken away from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. It is used in particular to refer to those groups which while breaking away maintain much of the Roman Catholic church's traditions - as opposed to [[Protestant]] churches, which rejected much of the Roman Catholic Church's position when they split from it

# it also refers to a tendency in [[Anglicanism]] ([[Anglo-Catholicism]]), which sees the Anglican church as nearer to the Roman Catholic Church than to Protestantism, and thus adopts many of the Roman Catholic church's tradition. A similar tendency also exists in the [[Lutheran]] churches.

<br>'''4.''' '''Catholic''' can also be used to refer to [[Independent_Catholic_churches | Independent Catholic churches]] which have broken away from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. It is used in particular to refer to those groups which while breaking away maintain much of the Roman Catholic church's traditions - as opposed to [[Protestant]] churches, which rejected much of the Roman Catholic Church's position when they split from it

<br>'''5.''' '''Catholic''' also refers to a tendency in [[Anglicanism]] ([[Anglo-Catholicism]]), which sees the Anglican church as nearer to the Roman Catholic Church than to Protestantism, and thus adopts many of the Roman Catholic church's tradition. A similar tendency also exists in the [[Lutheran]] churches.

 

[[Category:Christianity]]

[[Category:Christianity]]