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What does the word "Catholic" mean?

...me 1: The Early Church to the Reformation, Volume One: The original meaning of Catholic Church referred to this episcopal collegiality, as well as with the multiform witness to the gospel in several canonical gospels. … It was the Church “according to the whole,” that is, according to the total witness of all the apostles and all the evangelists. The various Gnostic groups were not “Catholic” because they could not claim this broad foundation. … Only the Church Catholic, the Church “according to the whole,” could lay claim to the entire apostolic witness. (pp.81,82). The other Early uses that appear after Ignatius are in the Martyrdom of...

The Coming of Jesus: Revelation Fulfilled?

...on of the Early Church, and can be see in Jerome’s commentary on Daniel). These also would correlate with John’s revelation about the seven kings as being the line of Roman Emperors.  Rome on seven hills But how does ten horns and seven kings match up, you ask? Daniel 7 gives us a clue here as this vision adds a little detail which Revelation omits, but which history can fill in the gaps. Daniel 7:7 is about one of the beasts (a kingdom) with ten horns which was to come. This is now here in John’s day in the form of the Roman Empire. This is also why we can equate the “beast” of Revelation with a kingdom too, as this is how Daniel’s vision po...

How Polycarp (And Others) Show The Early Use Of The New Testament

...info The Early Church Fathers | Patristics.info The Martyrdom of Polycarp | Patristics.info Polycarp of Smyrna (christian-history.org) Polycarp: An Early Christian Martyr (plough.com) How Polycarp Gives Us Evidence For The Early Use Of The New Testament | Reasons for Jesus The Development of the Canon of the New Testament — Polycarp (ntcanon.org) Polycarp of Smyrna (christian-history.org) Creedal Christians: The Nicene Creed | That Ancient Faith...

The Early Concept of the Trinity: Tracing the Roots

...The doctrine of the Trinity, which asserts the co-equality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has deep roots in the Early Christian writings of the first three centuries. While the full articulation of the Trinity developed over time, culminating at the Council of Nicaea in the fourth century, references to the equality of these three persons can be traced back to influential documents and the teachings of Early Church Fathers in the centuries leading up to this pivotal moment in Church History. Early Church Beliefs and Teachings One of the earliest Christian documents, the Didache, believed to have been written in the late first or Early second century, pro...

American Gun Violence and the Early Church on War and Violence

...ll by the Early Church, as the quotes above point out. We have documented teaching from the first two centuries by those who were taught by the Apostles and who followed in their (and Jesus') instructions, rejecting any and all forms of violence and weapon bearing.  So where did it all go wrong and change?   See more Early Church quotes on war and violence here: rogueminister.wordpress.com/.../quotes-the-Early-Church-on-war-and-violence/ Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.   Further Reading: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/02/las-vegas-shooting-what-we-know-so-far http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/one-mass-shooting-every...

Man-Made Tradition vs Apostolic Tradition

...Quite often in discussions which are about or involve some aspects of Early Church history or practices earlier Christians did, someone will inevitably throw out the "show stopper" that is "it's all just man made tradition" therefore not valid and the discussion is over. It’s as though saying it's "man made", without considering anything other than that they can't find an isolated chapter and verse in the bible which states something explicitly, means they've "won" the debate! Nothing more to see here folks, someone told us it's man made so we can all go home now. Either that, or the mere mention of the word “tradition” and suddenly you’re accused of be...