Why?

[GenX]

Since the inception of the Catholic Church with Peter as the first Bishop...

Rome rose and declined as a world power

Carthage rose and declined as a world power

Constantinople rose and declined as a world power

The Ming Dynasty rose and declined as a world power

Persia has rose and declined as a world power

The Italian City-States have rose and declined as a world power

The Dutch has rose and declined as a world power

Spain has rose and declined as a world power

Portugal has rose and declined as a world power

France has rose and declined as a world power

Great Britain has rose and declined as a world power

Russia has rose and declined as a world power


Man-made entities, all.



How is it that this supposedly “man-made” institution known as the Catholic Church has survived all this time? What makes it different?

Earthly powers have come and gone during her existence...but she goes nowhere. Still a part of world history today just as she was almost 2,000 year ago. How?

Protestantism was three years old before its first major split. Now there are over 40,000 Protestant denominations.

The Catholic Church had a major split with the Church of the east; but this was not over fundamental doctrine, it was over papal primacy. The West and East churches believe even today in the fundamentals of Catholic faith, which is centered on the Holy Eucharist.

Why has the Catholic Church survived, when everything else around her has come and gone?

[Hans]

Other religions have not come and gone, so I see it as something that's part of religion.

[GenX]

Well, that certainly is a very strong and commendable positive for religion then.

But I think you're missing something, Hans.

Does Buddhism have a central authority like Catholicism? Does Hinduism? Does Shintoism? Does Islam have a central authority that can compare to the Roman Catholic Church?

The answer, obviously, is no.

So that takes our initial question to an even deeper level: how is it the Roman Catholic Church has survived to this day, with all its seeming bureaucracy and central authority? Certainly all the man-made governmental institutions mentioned previously have had much in common with the Roman Catholic Church as far as central authority and bureaucracy is concerned.

Why does the Church still stand, and not only stand but continue to be a major player in world events, while all the other institutions and governments have been set upon the trash heap of history?

[Hans]

I believe Islam is a much bigger player in current world events then the Church is.

[GenX]

Radical Islam is making news. Whole different ballgame.

[Larimar]

Does Buddhism have a central authority like Catholicism? Does Hinduism? Does Shintoism? Does Islam have a central authority that can compare to the Roman Catholic Church?"

what's this a case of ?
My powers better than your power?
My gods better than your god?
my society can make a king outta a pope with golden statues, and yours can't?

Silly really.
You see, if Jesus really was alive today he'd tell the pope to sell all those jewels and gold he has(or tel lthe vatican or whatever that stuffs about) and help the poor and to follow him. Would he not?

Buddhism teaches people to stay away from materials...so is it fair to say they have no central power , or they have no huge institution full of gold and power so God MUST not be on their side?


Rather backwards to me.
An institution is being held up with money, more money, and power...
That's why the Catholic church has survived.
Institutions in society today have less and less to do with spirituality , faith and God. God is not based on money. And so it is done that many eastern religions have no huge temple-and many do not seperate themselves into sects and disagreements on their holy book either. Some do-but many also do not.
They have their temples, they go there to pray and worship God. They are not worried about power , money, or fame.
If this post is to say Catholics are better b.c they have an institution that is fammed and still stands still..this proves nothing at all.

I believe- Many other religions have their central authority on their originals leaders-and teachers. Gurus, Buddha, and their own holy books.

Christians may have a reason to stick to this line of thought also. That the only central authority they should have is their holybook with God's Word-perhaps a spokes person-but a building? an institute? that means what ??


The Bible is to be the final authority in the Christian religion-in my opinion. Just as other religions have their own central authority. Power, money, and fame ...mean nothing. This just means that b.c you don't "know" what their central authorit may be and how they prefer to run things-it means Catholics are winning some race???
This is what your post sounds like..religions under some competition.


It's not.












I respect that you think so highly of an institute-but that is not what's important to God-not in my belief it's not, but to each his own I suppose.