Is Rome the Original Church?
It is a misunderstanding to say the Roman Catholic Church uniquely descends from the apostolic church and is the original church from which all others come. Protestants and Roman Catholics often misunderstand and misrepresent the nature and history of the Church.
There is one "catholic" (universal) Church on earth, sometimes more, sometimes less visible, always subject to mixture and error, manifesting itself in divers nations and eras. It is possible for particular churches to degenerate and to become no churches of Christ (‘synagogues of Satan’), although they may contain genuine believers. God promises there will always be a valid church, a remnant, on earth to worship Him and do His will against which the gates of hell will not prevail.
The church of the first generation was not perfect, but had its conflicts and problems, even in the New Testament era; just read the New Testament, especially the Acts of the Apostles.
In the early post-apostolic and patristic church (from the completion of the New Testament to the mid 700's AD) persecution kept it pure. The pastors, or bishops, of important cities, especially where the church was founded by an apostle, took on a leadership role against heresy.
The bishop of Rome had a prominence, but not the supremacy he claimed in the middle ages. The bishop of Rome took on increased authority in the power vacuum left by the fall of the western Roman Empire. However, much autonomy existed for national churches. The ancient Celtic church of the missionary bishop Patrick was not under Roman church authority. Not until the late 7th century, with the power of the Anglo-Saxon kings, was the Celtic church brought under the authority of Rome by the massacre of Celtic Christian leaders. Patrick was no Roman Catholic!
A major challenge to Roman supremacy came in 1054, when the bishops of the Eastern churches rejected the claims of the bishop of Rome. The Eastern and Western churches were divided, with the Roman bishop still claiming supreme authority in the West. The Eastern churches go back to the fist century and have an equal claim to antiquity. These are the predecessors Eastern Orthodox churches of today.
Many present doctrines and practices associated with the Roman church were articulated in the medieval period. The veneration of Mary and the saints, adoration of images, prayer for the dead, belief in baptismal regeneration and that sacraments had power in and of themselves, belief in purgatory and limbo, man made feasts and holy days, the mass and exaggerated power for the ecclesiastical hierarchy were all present. These and other man made abuses of doctrine, worship and practice polluted the church. These doctrines and practices often associated with Rome were not officially recognized, just condoned. The Roman Catholic Church did not exist as it does today.
The Protestant churches did not branch off from Rome. First the Eastern and Western churches divided. Then Rome and the various national Protestant churches divided from the Western church in the 1500's.
Luther, Calvin, Knox and other Reformers made no claim of starting a new church. They saw a continuity with the apostolic church; but said continuity must be faithful to the doctrine of the apostles as found in the Bible, not determined by claims to unscriptural authority. The Protestant churches of Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Hungary, Scotland and England were a continuation of the national churches in those lands purified in doctrine, worship and government. One could claim the Church of Scotland was a revival of the ancient Celtic church, now freed of Roman domination.
The Roman Catholic Church in its present form began at the Council of Trent in the 1560's. At that council, the unofficial pre-reformation doctrines became official church teaching. The constitution of the Roman church was reorganized, and the authority of the bishop of Rome made clear. The doctrines of transubstantiation and veneration of the saints became and prayer for the dead became official.
Protestant, Orthodox and Roman churches may claim continuity with the apostolic church. Protestant denominations today are no less part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ than the Eastern Orthodox or Roman churches. The closer a church is to the teachings of Jesus Christ, as found in the Bible, the more legitimate its claim to be the historic and genuine church. The church has authority as far as they root that authority in the Scriptures. Those faithful to the apostolic teachings of the Bible are ‘apostolic’ churches.
Protestants do not claim to be the only expression of the church. Most recognize there are true believers, even in apostate groups. Most recognize there is one catholic (universal) Church of Jesus Christ on earth, existing in various imperfect manifestations. The existence of so many Protestant denominations in America is a scandal. However, unity must be in the truth of the Bible, not in some lowest common denominator compromise.
In looking for a church, we should find the congregation and denomination which most nearly teaches and does all that Jesus commanded, that is most committed to the truth of the Bible, that finds its authority for all it teaches and practices- doctrine, government, discipline or worship- in Scriptures alone, and is willing to be guided and corrected (reformed) by Scripture as the voice of her Lord.
This defines a faithful, catholic and apostolic church of Jesus Christ. Faithful Reformed Churches may make this claim as well as any, better than most, certainly more than apostate Rome.
© 2006
There is one "catholic" (universal) Church on earth, sometimes more, sometimes less visible, always subject to mixture and error, manifesting itself in divers nations and eras. It is possible for particular churches to degenerate and to become no churches of Christ (‘synagogues of Satan’), although they may contain genuine believers. God promises there will always be a valid church, a remnant, on earth to worship Him and do His will against which the gates of hell will not prevail.
The church of the first generation was not perfect, but had its conflicts and problems, even in the New Testament era; just read the New Testament, especially the Acts of the Apostles.
In the early post-apostolic and patristic church (from the completion of the New Testament to the mid 700's AD) persecution kept it pure. The pastors, or bishops, of important cities, especially where the church was founded by an apostle, took on a leadership role against heresy.
The bishop of Rome had a prominence, but not the supremacy he claimed in the middle ages. The bishop of Rome took on increased authority in the power vacuum left by the fall of the western Roman Empire. However, much autonomy existed for national churches. The ancient Celtic church of the missionary bishop Patrick was not under Roman church authority. Not until the late 7th century, with the power of the Anglo-Saxon kings, was the Celtic church brought under the authority of Rome by the massacre of Celtic Christian leaders. Patrick was no Roman Catholic!
A major challenge to Roman supremacy came in 1054, when the bishops of the Eastern churches rejected the claims of the bishop of Rome. The Eastern and Western churches were divided, with the Roman bishop still claiming supreme authority in the West. The Eastern churches go back to the fist century and have an equal claim to antiquity. These are the predecessors Eastern Orthodox churches of today.
Many present doctrines and practices associated with the Roman church were articulated in the medieval period. The veneration of Mary and the saints, adoration of images, prayer for the dead, belief in baptismal regeneration and that sacraments had power in and of themselves, belief in purgatory and limbo, man made feasts and holy days, the mass and exaggerated power for the ecclesiastical hierarchy were all present. These and other man made abuses of doctrine, worship and practice polluted the church. These doctrines and practices often associated with Rome were not officially recognized, just condoned. The Roman Catholic Church did not exist as it does today.
The Protestant churches did not branch off from Rome. First the Eastern and Western churches divided. Then Rome and the various national Protestant churches divided from the Western church in the 1500's.
Luther, Calvin, Knox and other Reformers made no claim of starting a new church. They saw a continuity with the apostolic church; but said continuity must be faithful to the doctrine of the apostles as found in the Bible, not determined by claims to unscriptural authority. The Protestant churches of Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Hungary, Scotland and England were a continuation of the national churches in those lands purified in doctrine, worship and government. One could claim the Church of Scotland was a revival of the ancient Celtic church, now freed of Roman domination.
The Roman Catholic Church in its present form began at the Council of Trent in the 1560's. At that council, the unofficial pre-reformation doctrines became official church teaching. The constitution of the Roman church was reorganized, and the authority of the bishop of Rome made clear. The doctrines of transubstantiation and veneration of the saints became and prayer for the dead became official.
Protestant, Orthodox and Roman churches may claim continuity with the apostolic church. Protestant denominations today are no less part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ than the Eastern Orthodox or Roman churches. The closer a church is to the teachings of Jesus Christ, as found in the Bible, the more legitimate its claim to be the historic and genuine church. The church has authority as far as they root that authority in the Scriptures. Those faithful to the apostolic teachings of the Bible are ‘apostolic’ churches.
Protestants do not claim to be the only expression of the church. Most recognize there are true believers, even in apostate groups. Most recognize there is one catholic (universal) Church of Jesus Christ on earth, existing in various imperfect manifestations. The existence of so many Protestant denominations in America is a scandal. However, unity must be in the truth of the Bible, not in some lowest common denominator compromise.
In looking for a church, we should find the congregation and denomination which most nearly teaches and does all that Jesus commanded, that is most committed to the truth of the Bible, that finds its authority for all it teaches and practices- doctrine, government, discipline or worship- in Scriptures alone, and is willing to be guided and corrected (reformed) by Scripture as the voice of her Lord.
This defines a faithful, catholic and apostolic church of Jesus Christ. Faithful Reformed Churches may make this claim as well as any, better than most, certainly more than apostate Rome.
© 2006
posted by J. Glenn Ferrell at 1:11 PM
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