The Catholic Church and the Catholic Faith - A Protestant Definition
The Trinitarian Creeds are usually known as the Ecumenical Creeds. These are not the whole of the Catholic Faith, but are only a part of it. The writings of the Early Church make it clear that "Catholic" is a broader term than merely "Trinitarian".
The Catholic Church is the Church as a whole as opposed to a part, and include all those who profess all that which is essential to salvation (the Catholic Faith), i.e. the fundamentals, together with their children.
The Roman Anti-Christ is broken off from the olive tree because of unbelief, as were the Rabbinical Jews (Romans 11).
"katholikos" comes from two Greek words: kata or kath (meaning “through” or “throughout”) and holos (meaning “whole”). Thus the Catholic Faith is that held “throughout-the-whole” of the Visible Church.
See https://lucashatt.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/what-does-holy-catholic-church-mean/ as he quotes Turretin.
Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 25 'Of the Church':
"1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
"2. The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
"3. Unto this catholic visible church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth, by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto.
"4. This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.
"5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will.
"6. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof."
See also the Belgic Confession Article 27, the Heidelberg Catechism Q. 54 and the (Anglican) Thirty-nine Articles of Religion Art. 19.
The Catholic Church is the Church as a whole as opposed to a part, and include all those who profess all that which is essential to salvation (the Catholic Faith), i.e. the fundamentals, together with their children.
The Roman Anti-Christ is broken off from the olive tree because of unbelief, as were the Rabbinical Jews (Romans 11).
"katholikos" comes from two Greek words: kata or kath (meaning “through” or “throughout”) and holos (meaning “whole”). Thus the Catholic Faith is that held “throughout-the-whole” of the Visible Church.
See https://lucashatt.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/what-does-holy-catholic-church-mean/ as he quotes Turretin.
Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 25 'Of the Church':
"1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
"2. The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
"3. Unto this catholic visible church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth, by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto.
"4. This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.
"5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will.
"6. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof."
See also the Belgic Confession Article 27, the Heidelberg Catechism Q. 54 and the (Anglican) Thirty-nine Articles of Religion Art. 19.
posted by Timothy Davis | 5:17 pm
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