What sources do you have for this proposition? Obviously there was a church before the schism between Catholicism and orthodoxy..is that what you're talking about?
The church is the people who are called out to be followers of Christ. It was started on the day of Pentecost. There were no Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, etc. They were all followers of Christ. Please read the book of Acts in the Bible about the beginning of the church.
Actually the Greek word most bibles translate into 'Church' really means congregation, or a group of people.
The congregation of God, goes back to Abel and has nothing in common with the catholic or the Roman Catholic Church.
After listing several in Heb. chapter 11, Paul continued in:
Heb 12: 1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
The Church started at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles.
The Catholic Church has referred to itself as the ?Catholic Church? at least since 107 AD, when the term appears in the Letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans:
Wherever the bishop appear, there let the multitude be; even as wherever Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church.
All of this was long before the Council of Nicea and the Nicene Creed from 325 A.D. which states, "We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07644a.htm
+ Roman +
The Catholic Church has consistently referred to itself as the ?Catholic Church? at least since 107 AD, when the term appears in the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch
The term "Roman" Catholic is rather recent.
The new Anglican Church in England started using the term ?Roman? in the 1500s as one of many ways of demeaning and demonizing Catholics.
Catholics accepted this late coming adjective without too much protest. Today ?Catholic? and ?Roman Catholic? are interchangeable terms. Both terms are even used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
To add a little more confusion, some apply the term ?Roman Catholic Church? only to the Latin Rite Catholic Church, excluding the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in full communion with the Pope, and are part of the same Church, under the Pope.
The term ?Roman? neither increases nor decreases the faith, hope and love of the Catholic Church.
The ElysiaIAcalled out ones) goes back to Adam and Eve initially, because they were essentially the first to be called by G-d. However leaping forward, we certainly must acknowledge the offering of Abel and others who followed in the footsteps of faith. Hebrews 11 prescribes in its' litany of faith many of that body.