(Universal).
Members of the Catholic Church that is “universal”, not only in space and time, but in that it accepts all the dogmas and teachings of Christ. See “Christians.”
They are called “Catholic Epistles” those of John, Peter, James and Jude, because they are universal, they are addressed to the entire Church, like the encyclicals, as opposed to those of Paul, which were addressed to a community, or to a person. See “Epistles.”
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, ABEC
vet, This term is of Greek origin and means “universal”. The true Church of Christ is called Catholic because it extends throughout the world and at all times. The Church of Rome has usurped this title, applying it without reason exclusively to her. “The Catholic Epistles” are five, so called because they were addressed to the Church in general and not to any particular. They are an epistle of Santiago, two of Pedro, one of Juan and one of Judas. The first time that the term catholic applied to the church appears in ecclesiastical literature is in the writings of Saint Ignatius of Antioch (Ep. ad Smyr. 8:2).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
DecEc
A
The word “catholic” (from the Greek kath’holon, “according to the totality”) appears for the first time in Christian literature in >Ignatius of Antioch around 110 AD: “Where Jesus Christ is present, there is the Catholic Church”. Scholars debate whether the word here means “universal” or “true/authentic,” with most leaning toward the former; Just as the bishop presides over the local Church, Jesus Christ presides over the universal Church. The Martyrdom of Polycarp (>Polycarp of Smyrna), written some fifty years later, uses the word in two senses: three times referring to the universal Church, and once referring to the authenticity or fullness of the Church, when describing Polycarp as “bishop of the Catholic Church in Smyrna”. Cyril of Jerusalem (+ 386) further develops the idea: the Church is Catholic because it is spread throughout the world; fully teaches all the doctrines that it is necessary to know; subjects all men to religious obedience; it is a universal remedy for sin, and possesses all sorts of virtues. The two meanings that persist most in the patristic period are that of universality and that of orthodoxy. Furthermore, one of Augustine’s main arguments against the Donatists (>Donatism) was that they were far from universal, since they were confined to North Africa and, instead, the “Eunomians” – followers of the Arian bishop of Cappadocia, Eunomius (+394)—only found in the East. The division of Christ’s garments on Calvary symbolized the expansion of the Church to the four cardinal points. In his writings, between AD 388 and 420, Augustine uses the name catholica 240 times. The Donatists’ reply was naturally to appeal to the other sense of “Catholic,” that of purity of doctrine. The two meanings coexisted for about a millennium, but with the separation of the East, the Latin Church adopted the name “Catholic”, while the East called itself “Orthodox”.
In medieval times, the foundations were laid for a deeper theology of catholicity, to which the dominant expression of the Church as a congregation of the faithful (congregatio fidelium) contributed, which gave rise to a universal conception. Thus, in Saint Thomas Aquinas we find the different elements for a theology of catholicity: the thesis of the grace of Christ as head of the Church; all are one in him and under him, at least potentially. The Church is also universal in three senses: unlike the Donatists, it is found everywhere (cf Rom 1:8), and has three parts: on earth, in heaven and in purgatory; it includes people of all classes (cf Gal 3,28); it extends temporarily from >Abel to the consummation of time. Also because, apart from heretics, the only faith believed by the entire Church is Catholic and manifests itself in universal precepts and in a cult that is celebrated throughout the world.
The two basic meanings of “catholic” are found in Scripture. The disciples of Jesus knew that they had received a universal mission (Mt 28,19; Mk 16,15; He 1,8), even though the mission of Jesus had been largely limited to the Jews of his time (cf. Mt 15.24, 10.6); they diligently preserved the tradition they had received (cf. lCor 15,3; Gal 1,6-8; 1Tim 3,15; Jds 3); they recognized in Christ the pleroma (cf Eph 1,23; 3,19; 4,13; Col 1,19; 2,9; Jn 1,16; >Body of Christ), the fullness of divine grace and the center of the universe. Since we are dealing with catholicity in the Church when we consider diversity in unity, we can see as an expression of catholicity the diversity of ecclesiologies within the unity of the New Testament itself (>New Testament ecclesiologies).
After the geographical expansion of the fifteenth century, another aspect of catholicity appears, which will only be highlighted, however, in the twentieth century; namely, qualitative catholicity, that is, the capacity of the Church to truly incarnate herself in all cultures and in all epochs of history’. After the Reformation, “catholicity” became one of the four >notes of the Church.
The three aspects of catholicity normally admitted are assumed in Vatican II, but within a theology of >communion. In LG 13 we find a global vision of catholicity: the idea, so dear to orthodox theologians among others, that the source of catholicity is the Trinity; the universality of races, nations and cultures; the unity in the diversity of the members of the Church and of the local Churches in the face of the Church as a whole; catholicity as something that encompasses all humanity. This final reference to all men leads to the consideration of the different categories of people precisely in their relationship with the Church: the Catholic faithful (LG 14); the other Christians (LG 15); those who are not Christians (LG 16). The final point of the chapter considers the role of evangelization, “so that the whole world may be integrated into the people of God, the body of the Lord and the temple of the Holy Spirit” (LG 17).
Since Vatican II there has been a remarkable interest in >inculturation. The contribution of Vatican II can be summed up in these words: “The Church neither destroys nor rejects, but carefully and respectfully considers, benevolently examines, recognizes, conserves, fosters, cultivates, develops, purifies, heals, strengthens, elevates, introduces into Christian life, and sometimes even into the liturgy, bringing to perfection in Christ everything that is not inextricably linked to superstition and error, everything that is good, just, holy, lovable and beautiful, whether be in the minds and hearts of people, whether in their spiritual heritage, in their abilities, resources, temporal and spiritual goods, socio-cultural values, customs, cultures, ascetic and contemplative traditions, arts, doctrines and forms of behavior of people , peoples and religions. Note well: even religions! Because all of this (“precious religious and human elements”, GS 92) is a preparation for the gospel, a guide to the true God, a secret form of God’s presence, a hidden seed of the Word, reflections of the truth that enlightens every man” 18.
The full understanding of the Catholica calls for a truly universalist spirit, open to all that is good, excluding no one and no value. Just as the different languages sowed confusion among the people (cf Gen 11,1-9); so also on Pentecost the Holy Spirit led people of different languages and cultures to a new unity (cf Heb 2:1-11). The multiplicity of voices has to find its unity; freedom, however, must not prejudice the truth. But every new set of problems facing the Church is an invitation to go deeper into catholicity; indeed, those who respond to the critical questions of our time will increasingly tend to be the laity and the dispossessed, and not just professional theologians and church pastors.
A developed catholicity will have to be modeled after the all-encompassing Trinitarian love in the cross and resurrection of Christ. If the Mystery is to be lived outwards, there is no room for lethal uniformity: on the contrary, a Catholic life will be necessary, that is, one of unity in diversity. First of all, there is a universality based on the diversity of the people: the Church was born in diversity (He 2,5-11), but became one in mind and heart (He 4,32). Secondly, there is the unity of heritage: the Church not only has to appropriate the nations, but also the nations have to appropriate the Church. Two striking quotes from Y. Congar will show what we mean: “A writer on missiology has said that the definitive commentary on the gospels cannot be written until China, Japan and India have become Christian.” He then quotes C. Journet: “The expansion of the Church reveals the Church to itself.” A similar idea can be found in B. Kloppenburg: “As long as the Church does not become truly Brazilian, Brazilians will not belong to the Church.” Third, there is unity in diversity in the life and government of the Church: the different states, the different ministries, offices and charisms make manifest the diversity of the Church, which must be kept in healthy tension with the call to the unit.
We have been using the word “catholicity”, which is basically quite abstract, even when it refers to very concrete situations and aspects of the life of the Church. “Catholicism” is more concrete, although currently very ambiguous. We can speak of Catholicism even when the norms of adherence to the Church are extremely imprecise or when, as in situations of liberation and of base ecclesial communities, there is great sensitivity to the values and needs of the people, although not always the institutional. We can speak of “popular Catholicism” if we maintain the original meaning of the adjective, namely, belonging to the people. The entire scope of Christian popular religiosity can be destructive of full unity in faith and in the sacraments, and can also be a manifestation of the life of a people who intensely live their Christian commitment. What is particular, what is proper to a people or a region, can be a cause of division if it is not open to the broader values of the entire Catholica.
In the ecumenical movement there are descriptions of the Churches that classify them into “Catholic” and “Protestant” types, a distinction that has its roots in the eighteenth century, which reappeared in the meeting…