catholic

catholic
catholically, catholicly /keuh thol"ik lee/, adv.catholicalness, catholicness, n.
/kath"euh lik, kath"lik/, adj.
1. broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal.
2. universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all.
3. pertaining to the whole Christian body or church.
[1300-1350; ME < L catholicus < Gk katholikós general, equiv. to kathól(ou) universally (contr. of phrase katà hólou according to the whole; see CATA-, HOLO-) + -ikos -IC]

* * *

(as used in expressions)
Catholic Reformation
Orthodox Catholic Church
Eastern Catholic church
Isabella the Catholic
Louvain Catholic University of
Ferdinand the Catholic Spanish Fernando el Católico

* * *

▪ Christian theology
      (from Greek katholikos, “universal”), the characteristic that, according to ecclesiastical writers since the 2nd century, distinguished the Christian Church at large from local communities or from heretical and schismatic sects. A notable exposition of the term as it had developed during the first three centuries of Christianity was given by St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cyril of Jerusalem, Saint) in his Catecheses (348): the church is called catholic on the ground of its worldwide extension, its doctrinal completeness, its adaptation to the needs of men of every kind, and its moral and spiritual perfection.

      The theory that what has been universally taught or practiced is true was first fully developed by St. Augustine (Augustine, Saint) in his controversy with the Donatists (a North African heretical Christian sect) concerning the nature of the church and its ministry. It received classic expression in a paragraph by St. Vincent of Lérins (Vincent of Lérins, Saint) in his Commonitoria (434), from which is derived the formula: “What all men have at all times and everywhere believed must be regarded as true.” St. Vincent maintained that the true faith was that which the church professed throughout the world in agreement with antiquity and the consensus of distinguished theological opinion in former generations. Thus, the term catholic tended to acquire the sense of orthodox.

      Some confusion in the use of the term has been inevitable, because various groups that have been condemned by the Roman Catholic Church as heretical or schismatic never retreated from their own claim to catholicity. Not only the Roman Catholic Church but also the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, and a variety of national and other churches claim to be members of the holy catholic church, as do most of the major Protestant churches.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Catholic — • The combination the Catholic Church (he katholike ekklesia) is found for the first time in the letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, written about the year 110 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Catholic     Catholic …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Catholic — is an adjective derived from the Greek adjective ] [cite web url=http://www.ilflutheran.org/page11.html publisher=International Lutheran Fellowship title=Nicene Creed accessdate=2007 06 24] The Orthodox Churches share some of the concerns about… …   Wikipedia

  • catholic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) including a wide variety of things: catholic tastes. 2) (Catholic) Roman Catholic. 3) (Catholic) of or including all Christians. ► NOUN (Catholic) ▪ a Roman Catholic …   English terms dictionary

  • Catholic — Cath o*lic, n. 1. A person who accepts the creeds which are received in common by all parts of the orthodox Christian church. [1913 Webster] 2. An adherent of the Roman Catholic church; a Roman Catholic. [1913 Webster] {Old Catholic}, the name… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Catholic — Cath o*lic (k[a^]th [ o]*[i^]k), a. [L. catholicus, Gr. kaqoliko s, universal, general; kata down, wholly + o los whole, probably akin to E. solid: cf. F. catholique.] 1. Universal or general; as, the catholic faith. [1913 Webster] Men of other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • catholic — [kath′ə lik, kath′lik] adj. [ME catholik < L catholicus, universal, general (in LL(Ec) & ML, orthodox, Catholic) < Gr katholikos < kata , down, completely + holos, whole: see HOLO ] 1. of general scope or value; all inclusive; universal… …   English World dictionary

  • Catholic TV — Création 1er janvier 1955 Langue Anglais, Espagnol Pays   …   Wikipédia en Français

  • catholic — is a word of Greek origin meaning ‘universal’ and ‘of universal human interest’, and retains this meaning in English when spelt with a small initial (as in catholic styles, tastes, etc). When spelt with a capital initial it refers to the Roman… …   Modern English usage

  • Catholic — adj connected with the Roman Catholic Church >Catholic n >Catholicism [kəˈθɔlısızəm US kəˈθa: ] n [U] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • catholic — index general, omnibus, prevailing (current), prevalent, rife Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • catholic — (adj.) mid 14c., of the doctrines of the ancient Church, literally universally accepted, from Fr. catholique, from L.L. catholicus universal, general, from Gk. katholikos, from phrase kath holou on the whole, in general, from kata about + gen. of …   Etymology dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”