The Church’s Shaky Foundation

4 February, 2006. 299 words.

[This is a complete rewrite of something I first wrote on January 11, 2006.]

GK has written that “the Roman Catholic Church is the church that Christ founded.” Being the curious sort, I decided to investigate this claim. First stop: Wikipedia, baby — otherwise known as the inerrant source of all human knowledge (especially regarding U.S. Congressmen).

About the Roman Catholic Church, Wikipedia states: ‘The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ.”’

Seemed pretty straightforward. But… I noted that the RCC itself is making this claim. Further investigation was required.

Unfortunately things got a little more subjective. Turning to the History of the Roman Catholic Church, we find that the Roman Catholic Church didn’t start becoming “Roman” until October 28, 312 AD, when Emperor Constantine won the Battle of Milvian Bridge by fighting under the symbol of Christ. Believing that the god of the Christians helped him win, he ended persecution of Christians. But it was not until November 24, 380 AD that Emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Further, in the history of the Pope, we find that the first Pope to be called a “Pope” was Pope Boniface III, by decree of Emperor Phocas, in 607 AD. (Earlier Bishops of Rome are now called “Popes” just out of courtesy.)

To my generally cynical way of thinking, that’s plenty of evidence to cast doubt on the RCC’s claim that they are the “Church founded by Jesus Christ.” I think it would be more accurate to say that the RCC is “one of the many early churches based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.” The RCC just happened to get a political leg up from the blessing of the mighty Roman Empire.

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