Catholic: Universal Faith and Historical Significance

The term Catholic originates from a Greek word, meaning 'universal.' This reflects Christ’s commission to His disciples to spread the Gospel to all nations (Mt 28:19,20). By the 2nd century, the early Christian Church adopted the name 'Catholic' to emphasize its universal mission and unity in faith.

During the 16th-century Reformation, various groups — later known as Protestants — broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, objecting to doctrinal errors and the centralized authority of the Pope, who resided in Rome, then the political heart of the Western world. Martin Luther was a central figure in this movement, challenging practices such as the sale of indulgences and advocating for salvation by faith alone.

Today, while 'Catholic' historically refers to the universal Church, it commonly denotes the Roman Catholic Church (often abbreviated as RC), which remains under the leadership of the Pope. The broader expression 'Holy Catholic Church' is still used in creeds to signify the global, unified body of Christian believers across denominations.