THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
"Wherever the bishop appears, let the congregation be there
also. Just as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It
is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would
look upon the Lord Himself, standing, as he does, before the Lord. As therefore
the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united to Him, neither by
Himself nor by the apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and
presbyters. Be ye subject to the bishop as to the Lord, for 'he watches for
your souls, as one that shall give account to God.' In like manner, let all
reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as
Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrin
of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church. See
that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the
presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the
institution of God. He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who
does anything without the knowledge of the bishop, does [in reality] serve the
devil. Give ye heed to the bishop, that God also may give heed to you. Be ye
subject to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons.” St. Ignatius of Antioch
"The church of God that sojourns at Smyrna, to the church of God
sojourning in
Philomelium - and to all of the congregations of the holy and Catholic Church
in every place." St. Polycarp
("The Martyrdom Of St. Polycarp," c. 135 A.D.)
"Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of our souls, the Governor of our bodies, and the Shepherd of the Catholic Church throughout the world." St. Polycarp ("The Martyrdom Of St. Polycarp," c. 135 A.D.)
"The house of God is one, and there can be no salvation to anyone
except in the church." St. Cyprian of Carthage
"There is no salvation outside of the church." St. Cyprian of Carthage
"The Catholic church is one." St. Victorinus ("Against Arius," c. 280 A.D.)
"It is called Catholic then because it extends over all the world,
from one end of the Earth to the other; and because it teaches universally and
completely one end and all the doctrines which ought to come to men's
knowledge, concerning things both visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly;
and because it brings into subjection to godliness and the whole race of
mankind, governors and governed, learned and unlearned; and because it
universally treats and heals the whole class of sins, which are committed by
soul and body, and possesses in itself every form of virtue which is named,
both in deeds and words, and in every kind of spiritual gifts." St. Cyril of Jerusalem
"Let us note that the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, was preached by the Apostles, and was preserved by the Fathers. On this was the Church founded; and if anyone departs from this, he neither is nor any longer ought to be called a Christian." St. Athanasius ("Four Letters to Serapion of Thmuisc," c. 360 A.D.)
CHURCH
BELIEFS & ISSUES
|
|
|
|
WHAT THE
EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED
|
|
|
|
||
Biblical quotations on this web site are
either from the King James Version or the Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible.
©1997-2006 Chris Tesch. This Web
site first loaded on July 10, 1997.
Domain name - www.catholic-defense.com
secured
Written
permission is needed to copy any portion of this web site. All rights
reserved.