CREED; I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH
This phrase has thrown a lot of Protestants for a loop. So I will start with the obvious. What it does NOT mean. First of all, the word “catholic', once you wade through the historical contexts in the dictionary, you find comes from the Greek katholikos from kata in respect of + holos whole. Once we understand that, then it should jump out at us that to attach any other name than Holy to it, is itself a contradiction. How can you have a “Roman” Catholic when one term means “defined by geographical restrictions” i.e. Rome, or in this case under the pope at Rome and the other suggests all embracing or universal?
By the same token how can you have a Protestant saying he believes in the Holy Catholic church and still acting as though if one is not a Protestant, and often of their own denomination, chances are you cannot be a part of the church? In other words to say you are a Christian ought to be to declare you believe in the Catholic Church. Likewise to say that you believe in the Catholic Church is to say that the term Christian ought to be sufficient as a designation, and that you cannot be a Protestant Christian, or an Orthodox Christian, or a Ukrainian Catholic or a Roman Catholic. (The redundant and empty phrase “born again Christian” comes under the same critique. If you are not “born again” you are not a Christian. My dictionary defines born again as “of or relating to a Christian who has made a new or renewed commitment to esp. evangelical faith.” But the Scripture knows of no such divisions within the Body. A Christian, according to the Bible is one who is Born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1: 13)
So, having looked at the “Catholic” part, we should really have looked first at the “Holy to understand what makes this “catholic church” different. Again, a misinformed idea of what constitutes Holy, will also lead to Un-Biblical and therefore unrealistic expectations.
Since Holy or Holiness is an Old Testament concept we need to look there for definition. Again, what it is not, is the first clue. It did not mean perfection. Especially as pertaining to people. While there are Levitical restrictions as to physical wellness or “wholeness” for the Levites allowed to serve, or animals allowed to be offered, the striking thing about people or utensils was that at one point they were “unholy” or “common” and after a washing, or cleansing, or sprinkling, they were designated “holy”. And if they were “polluted” in some way they became “unholy.” So the Holy church does not mean perfect, as in no flaws. It means simply and profoundly “to be set aside for a specific purpose, and in this case that purpose is “to serve the Lord”.
And the word Church, we understand does not refer to a building, but to a people. The people of God.
So to say that “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church,” is to say that I believe in a people set apart for the service of God, and that this people is all encompassing, not recognizing any geographical, racial, social,economic or gender boundaries. In a sense to speak of the “holy catholic church”, is to define the organism. The next phrase, I believe in the “communion of the saints” probably should be the “so what” of the the belief in the holy catholic church. And both declarations come out of the “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, because it is His work that raises up the “catholic church”, makes it holy, (sets it apart) and produces the “communion of saints” among believers of all time and all places.
Do YOU believe in the HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH?
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH
This phrase has thrown a lot of Protestants for a loop. So I will start with the obvious. What it does NOT mean. First of all, the word “catholic', once you wade through the historical contexts in the dictionary, you find comes from the Greek katholikos from kata in respect of + holos whole. Once we understand that, then it should jump out at us that to attach any other name than Holy to it, is itself a contradiction. How can you have a “Roman” Catholic when one term means “defined by geographical restrictions” i.e. Rome, or in this case under the pope at Rome and the other suggests all embracing or universal?
By the same token how can you have a Protestant saying he believes in the Holy Catholic church and still acting as though if one is not a Protestant, and often of their own denomination, chances are you cannot be a part of the church? In other words to say you are a Christian ought to be to declare you believe in the Catholic Church. Likewise to say that you believe in the Catholic Church is to say that the term Christian ought to be sufficient as a designation, and that you cannot be a Protestant Christian, or an Orthodox Christian, or a Ukrainian Catholic or a Roman Catholic. (The redundant and empty phrase “born again Christian” comes under the same critique. If you are not “born again” you are not a Christian. My dictionary defines born again as “of or relating to a Christian who has made a new or renewed commitment to esp. evangelical faith.” But the Scripture knows of no such divisions within the Body. A Christian, according to the Bible is one who is Born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1: 13)
So, having looked at the “Catholic” part, we should really have looked first at the “Holy to understand what makes this “catholic church” different. Again, a misinformed idea of what constitutes Holy, will also lead to Un-Biblical and therefore unrealistic expectations.
Since Holy or Holiness is an Old Testament concept we need to look there for definition. Again, what it is not, is the first clue. It did not mean perfection. Especially as pertaining to people. While there are Levitical restrictions as to physical wellness or “wholeness” for the Levites allowed to serve, or animals allowed to be offered, the striking thing about people or utensils was that at one point they were “unholy” or “common” and after a washing, or cleansing, or sprinkling, they were designated “holy”. And if they were “polluted” in some way they became “unholy.” So the Holy church does not mean perfect, as in no flaws. It means simply and profoundly “to be set aside for a specific purpose, and in this case that purpose is “to serve the Lord”.
And the word Church, we understand does not refer to a building, but to a people. The people of God.
So to say that “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church,” is to say that I believe in a people set apart for the service of God, and that this people is all encompassing, not recognizing any geographical, racial, social,economic or gender boundaries. In a sense to speak of the “holy catholic church”, is to define the organism. The next phrase, I believe in the “communion of the saints” probably should be the “so what” of the the belief in the holy catholic church. And both declarations come out of the “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, because it is His work that raises up the “catholic church”, makes it holy, (sets it apart) and produces the “communion of saints” among believers of all time and all places.
Do YOU believe in the HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH?
posted by Mister A Muses | 2:54 PM
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