The True Name of the Church and Why I Am Catholic

 

The True Name of the Church and Why I Am Catholic

Throughout history, various Christian denominations and sects have claimed that the true Christian Church must bear a specific name, one supposedly given by God and the Apostles themselves. Groups such as The Restored Church of God assert that unless a church bears the name "Church of God," it is not the true Church. They argue that the absence of this name in churches such as the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Lutheran, or Anglican churches is proof that these are not part of the authentic Christian faith.

However, such a claim oversimplifies the biblical and historical reality of Christianity’s development. While Scripture does contain references to “the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:14), it does not prescribe this as an exclusive or mandatory title for the one, true Church. In fact, the earliest Christians identified themselves and their movement with various names, starting with the Way, and by the second century, they were already using Catholic to describe the universal Church of Christ.

Christianity as "The Way"

In the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus were not initially called "Christians." Instead, they were commonly referred to as followers of The Way. This term is rooted in Jesus’ own words: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The designation emphasized that Jesus was not merely a teacher or prophet but the singular path to salvation.

The phrase The Way appears multiple times in Scripture, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles. Saul (later Paul), before his conversion, sought to persecute those who belonged to The Way: "He asked for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem" (Acts 9:2). Similar references can be found in Acts 19:9, Acts 19:23, and Acts 24:14.

This title reflects the early Christian self-identity before the term Christian was introduced.

The First Use of "Christians"

The first recorded use of the term Christian occurs in Antioch: "And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians’" (Acts 11:26).

The term was likely given by outsiders, possibly as a form of mockery. However, early believers gradually embraced the label, as it identified them as followers of Christ. The term Christian thus became a more common identifier of the faith, though it was not the only one.

The First Mention of "Catholic"

The First Use of "Catholic"

The word Catholic (from the Greek katholikos, meaning "universal" or "according to the whole") was first recorded in use by St. Ignatius of Antioch in the early second century. In his Letter to the Smyrnaeans (c. 107 AD), he wrote:

"Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church." (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:2)

Ignatius’ use of Catholic was significant. He was not inventing a new term but rather using a name already familiar to early Christians. The term distinguished the true Church from the various heretical sects that had begun to emerge. By calling the Church Catholic, Ignatius emphasized its universality, apostolic foundation, and unity under legitimate episcopal authority.

The Biblical Basis for "Catholic"

Though some claim that the word Catholic is absent from Scripture, the concept is clearly present. For instance, Christ commanded the Apostles to make disciples of "all nations" (Matthew 28:19), a clear indication of the Church’s universal mission. Paul also writes: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call" (Ephesians 4:4-6). This unity and universality align perfectly with the meaning of the term Catholic.

Moreover, Jude 3 speaks of "the faith once for all delivered to the saints," reinforcing the idea of a unified, whole body of Christian teaching that is not confined to specific geographic or ethnic groups.

Why the Catholic Church Is the True Church

From the time of Christ, the Church has existed as a visible, hierarchical body, with apostolic succession ensuring continuity in teaching and authority. Jesus built His Church on Peter (Matthew 16:18-19), and the Apostles, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, established churches throughout the world.

By the second century, the term Catholic Church was already in use, signifying the true Church as opposed to heretical groups. The Church Fathers, including St. Irenaeus (Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 3), repeatedly emphasized the necessity of being in communion with the bishops in apostolic succession, particularly the bishop of Rome, the successor of Peter.

Thus, while Christianity was once known as The Way and later became associated with the name Christian, it was under the name Catholic that the Church continued to be recognized and defended against heresies. The claim that the true Church must be called Church of God ignores the historical and biblical evidence supporting Catholic as the proper and divinely inspired name of the Church Christ established.

Conclusion

The evolution from The Way to Christian and then to Catholic reflects the growth and expansion of the early Church. While some groups insist on a specific biblical name such as "Church of God," they ignore the weight of tradition, historical continuity, and theological depth behind the Catholic Church’s claim as the one, true Church of Christ. The Catholic Church is the fulfillment of Christ’s mission on earth, the temporal Kingdom of God, and the only sure path to salvation. This is why I am Catholic