Expert: Rick Jackson - 12/17/2006

Question
Dear Mr. Jackson,

What's a catholic christian? I thought catholics were catholics and christians were christians. Also do these two religions believe in the same god/jesus?
Thanks in advance:)

                     Sincerely,
                   Karina Cortez

Answer
The short answer:  Yes, Catholics are Christians.  Many, including me, use the term "Catholic Christian" to confirm which of the thousands of divisions of Christianity we belong to.

And here's a bit more if you care to bear with me a bit:  

Here is a bit of history that I hope you will find helpful.
In apostolic times, the Christians were simply called Christians and Christ's Church was called "The Church".

About the year 110, Ignatius (an early Church leader) wrote "...even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [katholike (catholic)] Church."

This word caught on - and The Church became commonly called the catholic Church.  Note that it is a descriptive word, not a Name.

This remained true for many hundred years.

Around 1100, when the Church split East and West, the Western Church continued to be called the catholic Church, and the Eastern was called the Orthodox Church.

This remained true for another few hundred years until the Reformaton - and the subsequent splintering into the thousands of groups we have today.

Today "catholic" has a big "C" because it is now the "name" of the Christians who call the Bishop of Rome their leader.

Despite all of this, of course there is but ONE Church.  Christians are ones who recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, as we do.

We can call that one church "Christ's Church", "The Church" or even the "Catholic (since catholic simply means "universal") Church"...but since we know that most Protestants would not accept calling it the Catholic Church, we will typically call it one of the other two...and refer to ourselves as Catholic Christians.

FYI, we also believe the Bible to be inspired by God and without error.

We Catholics make a practice of stating each Sunday a summary of what we believe:

   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

   And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

   Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

   And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

   And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

I hope you'll pardon me that I rambled on :)

Merry and Blessed Christmas, Karina!

Rick.