Roman Catholicism
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Roman Catholicism is one of the largest branches of the Christian religion. The main Catholic group is the Roman Catholic Church (so named because it follows the Roman or Latin Rite in its worship). Two groups exist within the Roman Catholic Church, those being mainstream Roman Catholics and traditionalist Roman Catholics.
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History
The Roman Catholic Church, the largest single Christian body, composed of those Christians who acknowledge the supreme authority of the bishop of Rome, the pope, in matters of faith. The word catholic (Greek katholikos) means “universal” and has been used to designate the church since its earliest period, when it was the only Christian church. The Roman Catholic Church regards itself as the only legitimate inheritor, by an unbroken succession of bishops descending from St. Peter to the present time, of the commission and powers conferred by Jesus Christ on the 12 apostles. The church has had a profound influence on the development of European culture and on the introduction of European values into other civilizations. Its total membership in the late 1990s was about 1 billion (about 52 percent of the total number of affiliated Christians, or 16 percent of the world population). The church has its greatest numerical strength in Europe and Latin America but also has a large membership in other parts of the world.
The early Christian church became organized under five patriarchs, the bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome. While Rome could claim an authority descending from St. Peter, Constantinople had become the residence of the Emperor and the Senate. The fact that the bishop of Rome did not recognize the supremacy of the emperor in ecclesiastical matters, led to the split in 1054 which divided the Church into the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East (Greece, Russia and much of the Slavic lands, Anatolia, Syria, Egypt, etc.); this is called the Great Schism. (Conversely, most Eastern Orthodox believe the split arose because the other patriarchs failed to recognize the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in ecclesiastical matters, particularly regarding the addition of the filioque clause to the Nicene Creed.) The next major split of the Catholic Church occurred in the 1500s in the Protestant Reformation, where many of the Protestant (protesting) denominations began.
Traditionalist Catholics and Sedevacantism
A traditionalist Catholic is a Roman Catholic who believes that there should be a restoration of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions, and presentation of Catholic teachings that prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The majority of traditionalist Catholics are Creationists and reject the theistic evolution which is often excepted by some mainstream Catholics and the Vatican II Church. Traditionalist Catholics oppose the many heretical practices of Vatican II and usually regard John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI as heretical antipopes.
Distinctive beliefs and practices
Beliefs
Catholic Churches share certain essential distinctive beliefs and practices (though some Anglicans and Lutherans differ in regard to emphasis and particular pieties):
- Direct and continuous organizational descent from the original church founded by Jesus. Mt 16:18).
- 18: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It is common belief that Jesus was telling Peter that he would build the New Heaven as mentioned in Revelation which God calls his church. Therefore it reads in the common tongue "I tell you Peter, I will build my Church here."
- Belief that the Eucharist is really, truly, and objectively the Body and Blood of Christ, through the Real Presence.
- Possession of the "threefold ordained ministry" of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
- All ministers are ordained by, and subject to, Bishops, who pass down sacramental authority by the "laying-on of hands", having themselves been ordained in a direct line of succession from the Apostles.
- Belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles from which the Scriptures were formed. This teaching is preserved in both written Scripture and in unwritten Tradition, neither being independent of the other.
- A belief in the necessity of sacraments.
- The use of sacred images, candles, vestments and music, and often incense and water, in worship.
- Veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary or Theotokos, and veneration of the saints. (Catholics do not worship Mary, as is often claimed by anti-Catholics.)
- The use of prayer for the dead.
- Requests to the departed saints for intercessory prayers.
Catholic support for Creationism
- Creation and Miracles: Past and Present Most Holy Family Monastery is a Traditionalist Catholic Monastery.
News
- About Creation, Pope Melds Faith With Science With evolution, Pope takes both sides and none at all. The New York Times, April 12, 2007
- Pope Says Evolution Can't Be Proven Pope publishes a new book titled "Creation and Evolution". Las Vegas Sun. April 11, 2007
- Creationism dismissed as 'a kind of paganism' by Vatican's astronomer Vatican says six day creationism is a form of superstitious paganism. The Scotsman. 5 May 2006
