Talk:Catholic Church

Structure of the article

I'd like to start on an article on Roman Catholicism. I've never written an encyclopedia article before, and certainly not on a subject so broad. I suppose it should be mostly historical, as things like dogma, liturgy, theology, etc. are primarily historical (they play out in history), but I imagine this would be unwieldy. I guess I'd like to spearhead a conversation about how the article should be structured.

I'd like to avoid the wikipedia article if I can. Also, I am a Roman Catholic and rounding out a Masters degree in theology from a Catholic university. So I'm rather excited to be working on this article! --Adam P. Verslype 00:50, 14 March 2007 (CDT)

There's an article here on Catholicism already, so there's probably scope to create a large article on the Catholic Church in general, and smaller articles on the Roman church and each of the other 20-odd churches in communion with Rome.

Unfortunately for your intentions, the articles at Wikipedia are actually of pretty good quality, so it's going to be hard to create a good article on the Roman Catholic Church de novo. However, given your qualifications, you're probably better-placed to do so than most. Anthony Argyriou 18:47, 27 March 2007 (CDT)

There are currently 3 articles on this or related topics, to wit: Catholicism, History of the Papacy, and the present article Roman Catholic Church, the latter of which is mainly concerned (at present) with the history of the Roman Catholic Church. I would propose the following:

1. Roman Catholic Church - to be mainly concerned with the present-day beliefs and practices of the Church;
2. History of the Roman Catholic Church - to which most of the content of the present article be moved; and
3. History of the Papacy - concerned with the historical development of the institution of the papacy within the church (this would a hisotry of the papacy, not a history of the popes, and should be distinguishable from the hisotry of the church)

The Catholicism article would then be merged with the present article.

Follows a draft outline of the subject contents related to the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church:

(A) Sturcture and organization

• Apostolic succession
• Papacy
• College of Cardinals
• Episcopate
• Priesthood
• Laity
• Religious communities
• Ecumenical councils

(B) Liturgy and worship

• Sacraments
• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist (and the Mass)
• Penance
• Extreme Unction
• Orders
• Matrimony

(C) Doctrine and beliefs

• Faith
• Church Magisterium
• Tradition and Scripture
• Theology and Devotion

(D) Activities

• Saints
• Education
• Parish

(E) Current issues facing the Church

James F. Perry 10:45, 18 January 2008 (CST)

Points of view

Copying comments placed at Catholicism, as the subject matter to which they refer has been placed here. Aleta Curry 19:18, 8 May 2007 (CDT)

"Catholicism is structured into 22 distinct Churches, all of which are in communion with the Pope."

A. List those 22 churches and show the reference.

B. Last I heard is that everyone including those not in communion with the Pope (in Rome) are in communion with Pavel and he is the Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and the Serbian Patriarch.

C. There is another Pope and he is in Alexandria.

For example:

"the Pope was canonically required to have his ordination approved by the Eastern Roman Emperor until the title was bestowed on Charlemagne in 800."

Source needed. If it is canonical--and I can not remember reading this one--then it is more than likely still canonical since there have only been a few repeals of Canons of the Ecumenical Councils which can not categorically be unilaterally repealed or amended and there were in fact no councils after the 8th century which means this one is referring to a canon that would have been changed when? The 9th century? Which means it would definitley not be Ecumenical. I ran through the canons of the Seventh Council and did not find this. Has any one got an actual reference?

FYI The Pope or the Bishop of Rome actually placed the Crown on Charlemagne's head at that ceremony in Reims and if I remember correctly it was purely a political move that caught Charlemagne by surprise. See for example Will Durant's Version

And this one is just plain wrong:

“With the exception of the Maronite Catholic Church, Catholicism would remain a strictly Western Institution until after the Counter-Reformation.

• The Eastern Orthodox Church has, since its beginning, been Catholic – Universal - and has provided the liturgy in the language of the parishioners and made a point of educating and ordaining the indigenous peoples, unlike the Latin Church.
• The counter-reformation had what effect upon the Eastern Orthodox Church that made it Catholic?

--Thomas Simmons 21:34, 5 May 2007 (CDT) +17 hours

Thomas Simmons has a point, and it's one which needs to be worked out, probably by some sort of decision from On High. There's a pretty good discussion of this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church#Terminology

To answer Thomas's point A: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches#List_of_Eastern_Catholic_Churches

Anthony Argyriou 14:09, 9 May 2007 (CDT)