Is the Catholic church a continuation of the Roman Empire?
When you read about the Roman Empire in history in particular the practices of it's government it seems like it to me. The Emperor held the title Pontifex Maximus (chief priest of Roman state), and was made a god by the senate after death. Pontifex Maximus is the title of the pope these days isn't it? And people considered particularly holy are made saints these days and prayed to in some cases. I'm not trying to attack Catholicism, just trying to get an idea of where these things come from. The Biblical Saints are all the believers (or saved), and Christ is the head of the Church. And Jesus, when he taught how to pray, only mentions God and not a physical person including himself. Like I said just wondering where these practices come from since not from Jesus (who is the head of the Church).
No it's not an attack just something I've never understood about the way these things came to be since it doesn't clearly seem to be in the Bible. I always thought Jesus was telling Peter the church would be built on the kind of strength and faith Peter had, not specifically Peter.
Yes and the Roman is still pulling its string to all Catholics in the world. For example, when the Pope told his followers not to use birth control, he basically pulled his string attached to all Catholics all over the world.
The office of Pope was established by Jesus Christ when He appointed Peter the leader of His church in 33AD. The Catholic Church is a continuation of Jesus Christ.
"Read "the Two Babylons" and you'll see it. Catholicism is not Christian"
I suggest you research any valid secular source on the legitimacy of Alexander Hislop's "history" of the roman church and empire. It is what it is; anti-catholic rhetoric unsupportable by the facts of history. Steer clear of any such tripe which suggests that the Catholic Church was corrupted by the Roman Empire post-Contantine it will only serve to distort the truth of the matter.
No. When Constantine made the empire Christian, what is now the Catholic Church was the only Christian Church in existence.
At first it was very political. Being the pope or a bishop was more about which king or emperor you kissed up to and less about a calling to minister to God's people. So in that instance, it was an extension of the Roman Empire for a while.
But now, it obviously has nothing to do with Romans except that the administrative building is in the city of Rome.
Chapter four (or five?) of the Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years by Diarmaid MacCulloch, discusses how Christians were accused of building a "shadow" empire. A citizenship that in parallel to Roman citizenship (which itself was restricted) gave privileges and social status.
The facts he discusses would be useful to your line of thinking, although the book is probably not written for the same purposes as your train of thought.
Emperor Constantine established the Roman Church. The Saint Peter link is referred to only in Matthew, Peter being a form of 'Petros' the Greek word for rock /stone. So the whole apostolic succession is based on the idea that Christ spoke Greek which he did not.
"Pontifex Maximus" was the title Constantine adopted as head of the church. There was a separate Bishop of Rome. The Council of Nicaea established the general rules of the church and collated the New Testament chucking out those books that did not support the popular view.
There is still no hard evidence that Peter (Simon Cephos) ever visited Rome but no doubt the Vatican is working on that - when creative minds get ,lots of funding, anything can happen.
Constantine was an odd chap to be establishing a church dedicated to the Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God. Constantine had his own eldest son murdered and had his wife boiled to death. Nice man!
Another responder has said that the Roman Church was the only one at the time. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that this is untrue. When Portuguese sailors landed in Kerala in 1498 they found that Christianity had been established there in 52AD by St Thomas. . There is even some very tenuous evidence that the Druids of Wales were already Christianised when massacred by the Romans. At the time, massacring Christians was common in Roman territories and they did jeopardize the whole colony of Britain to march to Anglesey - the Druids weren't such a threat so other reasons for the killings should be considered. .
As Dogma says, Hisop is considered a very poor source by academics. Reading his views on the Catholic church is like reading Storn Trooper Magazine to learn about the Jews.
Some protestants like him say the Catholic church is a continuation whilst other historians, Noe pagans and atheists blame her for destroying the Roman Empire in fact.
Joxer... I believe your question deals with two entirely opposite things.
The Roman Empire deals with more or less the governing body while rules over people and their property.
Whereas the Roman Catholic Church is the institution which GOD put in place to govern over peoples' spiritual lives, leading them to following HIS teachings, which is delivered through HIS Bride -- The Church.
Although almost everyone has written that there is no connection between the Empire and the Roman Catholic Church, it is actually the opposite.
When the western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, the Roman Catholic Church inherited its institutions, its laws and the form of taxation.
The shape of the churches exact shape of the Roman basilicas, which were of public buildings.
The rites of the functions deriving from the Catholic-Christian pagan rites of ancient Rome, such as the breaking of the bread and drink wine on the altar descends from the animal sacrifice that took place on the altar of the pagan temple.
The pope also called "pontiffs",which was a public office in ancient Rome.
Even today, the pope walks with the typical functions in curved staff inherited from the Romans who in turn inherited from the Etruscans (from which stemmed in part), and still the pope sometimes brings the purple robe that was worn by Roman emperors.
So we can say that, although in different form, the popes are the descendants of the Roman emperors and the Vatican City is the last tiny piece of the Roman Empire.
Is the Catholic church a continuation of the Roman Empire?
