On the Word "Catholic"
Recently I was having a good discussion with a friend who happens to be Protestant, and we got into the question of the meaning of the word "Catholic." He claimed that the word merely means "universal," and that Rome (at some undetermined point in history) hijacked this word and began using it exclusively for Her own purposes. His claim was that the true Church of Christ is "catholic" - small "c" - which means that it encompasses and embraces all Christians who have faith in Jesus Christ.
But is that what the word katholikos has historically meant? Surely it does mean "universal," but is that all the word has ever meant, even when applied in a religious/ecclesiastical context?
From very early on this word not only meant "universal," but became synonymous with the word "orthodox," so that if you wished to attend a doctrinally correct church in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th century, you would ask "where is the nearest Catholic Church?" That is a meaning which we cannot now divorce from the word. The Catholic Church became known as the "Catholic" Church, not only because it was spread world-wide, but because it taught with one voice and one mouth no matter what geographical location it was in; it professed one universal faith, to which all Catholics adhered - not like the situation envisioned by my friend, where Lutherans who believe in infant baptism disagree with Baptists who only practice "believer's baptism," yet both belong to one "universal" church.
I give you the witness of the Church Fathers up to the Council of Nicea (and one quote from after the council).
2nd Century: "... the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith [orthodox] throughout the whole world [universal], as we have already said." (St. Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., Book I, cap. 10, 3)
3rd Century: "Those, then, that adhere to impious words .. inasmuch as they do not make a right but a perverse use of the divine words, neither themselves enter into the kingdom of heaven, nor permit those whom they have deluded to attain the truth ... For that the human assemblies which they held were posterior to the Catholic [orthodox] Church requires not many words to show ... From what has been said, then, it is my opinion that the true Church, that which is really ancient, is one [universal] ... For from the very reason that God is one, and the Lord one, that which is in the highest degree honourable is lauded in consequence of its singleness, being an imitation of the one first principle. In the nature of the One, then, is associated in a joint heritage the one Church, which they strive to cut asunder into many sects. Therefore in substance and idea, in origin, in pre-eminence, we say that the ancient and Catholic [orthodox and universal] Church is alone, collecting as it does into the unity [universal] of the one faith [orthodox] ... those already ordained." (St. Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 7:17)
3rd Century: "... the Church does not depart from Christ; and they are the Church who are a people united to the priest, and the flock which adheres to its pastor. Thus you ought to know that the bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the bishop; and if any one is not with the bishop, he is not in the Church, and those who creep in flatter themselves in vain, not having peace with God's priests, and think that they communicate secretly with some; while the Church, which is Catholic [orthodox] and one [universal], is not cut nor divided, but is indeed connected and bound together by the cement of priests who cohere with one another." (St. Cyprian, Ep. ad Florentius, 66)
4th Century: "Now then let me finish what still remains to be said for the Article [of the Nicene Creed], '[I believe] In one Holy Catholic Church' ... It is called Catholic then because it extends over all the world, from one end of the earth to the other; and because it teaches universally and completely one and all the doctrines which ought to come to men’s knowledge ... and because it brings into subjection to godliness the whole race of mankind ... and because it universally treats and heals the whole class of sins, which are committed by soul or body, and possesses in itself every form of virtue which is named, both in deeds and words, and in every kind of spiritual gifts.
But since the word Ekklesia is applied to different things ... and since one might properly and truly say that there is a Church of evil doers, I mean the meetings of the heretics ... for this cause the Faith has securely delivered to you now the Article, 'And in one Holy Catholic Church,' that you may avoid their wretched meetings, and ever abide with the Holy Catholic [orthodox] Church in which you were regenerated. And if ever you are sojourning in cities, do not inquire simply where the Lord’s House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the Church is, but where is the Catholic [orthodox] Church. For this is the peculiar name of this Holy Church, the mother of us all ... And while the kings of particular nations have bounds set to their authority, the Holy Catholic [universal] Church alone extends her power without limit over the whole world; for God, as it is written, hath made her border peace. But I should need many more hours for my discourse, if I wished to speak of all things which concern her." (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 18:22-27)
But is that what the word katholikos has historically meant? Surely it does mean "universal," but is that all the word has ever meant, even when applied in a religious/ecclesiastical context?
From very early on this word not only meant "universal," but became synonymous with the word "orthodox," so that if you wished to attend a doctrinally correct church in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th century, you would ask "where is the nearest Catholic Church?" That is a meaning which we cannot now divorce from the word. The Catholic Church became known as the "Catholic" Church, not only because it was spread world-wide, but because it taught with one voice and one mouth no matter what geographical location it was in; it professed one universal faith, to which all Catholics adhered - not like the situation envisioned by my friend, where Lutherans who believe in infant baptism disagree with Baptists who only practice "believer's baptism," yet both belong to one "universal" church.
I give you the witness of the Church Fathers up to the Council of Nicea (and one quote from after the council).
2nd Century: "... the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith [orthodox] throughout the whole world [universal], as we have already said." (St. Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., Book I, cap. 10, 3)
3rd Century: "Those, then, that adhere to impious words .. inasmuch as they do not make a right but a perverse use of the divine words, neither themselves enter into the kingdom of heaven, nor permit those whom they have deluded to attain the truth ... For that the human assemblies which they held were posterior to the Catholic [orthodox] Church requires not many words to show ... From what has been said, then, it is my opinion that the true Church, that which is really ancient, is one [universal] ... For from the very reason that God is one, and the Lord one, that which is in the highest degree honourable is lauded in consequence of its singleness, being an imitation of the one first principle. In the nature of the One, then, is associated in a joint heritage the one Church, which they strive to cut asunder into many sects. Therefore in substance and idea, in origin, in pre-eminence, we say that the ancient and Catholic [orthodox and universal] Church is alone, collecting as it does into the unity [universal] of the one faith [orthodox] ... those already ordained." (St. Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 7:17)
3rd Century: "... the Church does not depart from Christ; and they are the Church who are a people united to the priest, and the flock which adheres to its pastor. Thus you ought to know that the bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the bishop; and if any one is not with the bishop, he is not in the Church, and those who creep in flatter themselves in vain, not having peace with God's priests, and think that they communicate secretly with some; while the Church, which is Catholic [orthodox] and one [universal], is not cut nor divided, but is indeed connected and bound together by the cement of priests who cohere with one another." (St. Cyprian, Ep. ad Florentius, 66)
4th Century: "Now then let me finish what still remains to be said for the Article [of the Nicene Creed], '[I believe] In one Holy Catholic Church' ... It is called Catholic then because it extends over all the world, from one end of the earth to the other; and because it teaches universally and completely one and all the doctrines which ought to come to men’s knowledge ... and because it brings into subjection to godliness the whole race of mankind ... and because it universally treats and heals the whole class of sins, which are committed by soul or body, and possesses in itself every form of virtue which is named, both in deeds and words, and in every kind of spiritual gifts.
But since the word Ekklesia is applied to different things ... and since one might properly and truly say that there is a Church of evil doers, I mean the meetings of the heretics ... for this cause the Faith has securely delivered to you now the Article, 'And in one Holy Catholic Church,' that you may avoid their wretched meetings, and ever abide with the Holy Catholic [orthodox] Church in which you were regenerated. And if ever you are sojourning in cities, do not inquire simply where the Lord’s House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the Church is, but where is the Catholic [orthodox] Church. For this is the peculiar name of this Holy Church, the mother of us all ... And while the kings of particular nations have bounds set to their authority, the Holy Catholic [universal] Church alone extends her power without limit over the whole world; for God, as it is written, hath made her border peace. But I should need many more hours for my discourse, if I wished to speak of all things which concern her." (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 18:22-27)
<< Home