Follow-Ups to Answer from Expert Brenda Martin

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samsonofyork wrote at 2006-12-07 18:41:41
Christianity actually started in 33 A.D. with the apostles.  It is clear in Matthew 16 that Jesus established a church when he said to Peter,"Upon this rock I will build my church." One can debate if the rock is Peter or his statement before affirming Jesus as "Christ" Son of the living God, but it matters not for this point regarding the beginning.  Christianity started with the apostles.  The church was founded upon the apostles and the prophets.  Even the bible establishes this in Eph 2:19-20.  It alwasys surprises me how protestants tend to leave out details so easily found in scritpure.  Christian were first called "Christian" in Antioch as Acts points out.  Another fact that protestants tend to leave out because of their ignorance of the church fathers is this,  Ignatius of Antioch wrote in 110 A.D. in his letter to the Smyreans that the church was "Catholic".  So, it was in Antioch that they were first called christians, and it was in Antioch that the church was first called "Catholic".  Finally, Jesus made a very plain statement to Peter, "the gates of hell shall not prevail againt it (the church)".  I have always wondered why protestants think the church went wrong when the Holy Spirit was promised to guide her into all truth.  

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