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 | In the primitive Christian movement of the first century CE, there was much animosity between the Jewish Christians (the reform Jewish group organized by Jesus' followers under the leadership of Mark) and the Pauline Christian movement (the Christian churches organized by Paul, largely directed at converting the Pagan Gentiles). Some of this is recorded in the Christian Scriptures' (New Testament's) Book of Acts and in certain of St. Paul's epistles. |
| During the second century CE, many very different Christian-Gnostic sects had formed at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Their beliefs and practices clashed with those of the Pauline Churches. |
| Pauline Christianity grew to become the Roman Empire's established religion -- the Catholic Church -- late in the fourth century CE. The church then attained a near monopoly within the Empire. They persecuted followers of Judaism, blaming them for the execution of Jesus Christ. They wiped out other competing religious voices: Gnostic Christianity, the Mystery Religions, the various other Pagan religions, etc. They forcibly converted, exterminated, or exiled the leaders of these and other faith groups, and appropriated their property. |
| Threats to the Catholic Church in later years were typically resolved through violence. Examples were the extermination of the Cathars, elimination of the Knights Templar, and execution by burning at the stake tens of thousands of Witches and other persons who deviated from the Church's teachings. |
| The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 declared that: "There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved." This is the principle, as expressed in Latin, that "Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus" (Outside the church, there is no salvation)-- as described in a separate essay. |
| The Protestant Revolution led to wars between Catholics and Protestants in western Europe. Exhausted by decades of intra-religious warfare, political leaders sought a means to reduce conflict. Religious tolerance became accepted in some countries -- a new idea whereby individuals were allowed to follow whichever religious and spiritual path that they chose. |
| Fear of the immense power of religion to generate hatred and civil disturbance caused the founders of the United States to separate religious power from the government's authority. The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted in recent years by the U.S. Supreme Court as requiring a wall of separation between church and state. |
| Since the early 20th century, the RCC has promoted unity within Christianity. In 1908, they set aside a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity each year to pray for unity through "the return of heretics and schismatics to the Church of Rome." Unity was to be achieved by having individuals leave their church of origin and join the RCC -- the "the one true Church of Christ." However, in recent decades, the RCC has conducted ecumenical negotiations with various Christian groups (e.g. Anglicans, Evangelical Protestants, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutherans, Mennonites) in order to resolve past disagreements and work towards Christian unity. |
| During the year 2000, the then Cardinal Ratzinger sent a letter to bishops' conferences throughout the world titled "Dominus Iesus." It stated that the Catholic Church is the 'mother' of all Christian churches. He told them to stop referring to the Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches as 'sister' churches." 3 Many non-Catholic denominations were offended by its contents. |
| During 2007-JUL, Pope Benedict XVI issued a document that reiterated the contents of "Dominus Iesus." |
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- "Other churches have defects, Catholics say." The Times News Service, London. 2000-SEP-5
- Joseph Cardinal Retzinger, "Dominus Iesus on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the church," Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. See: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/
- Peggy Polk, "Vatican declares only the Roman Catholic Church brings salvation," Religious News Service. Distributed by pcusaNews mailing list as Note #6183. Issued 2000-SEP-7
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Site navigation: Home > Christianity > Roman Catholic Church > Other churches > here |
Copyright © 2000 to 2007 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Tolerance
Originally written: 2000-SEP-12
Latest update: 2007-JUL-16
Author: B.A. Robinson
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