Who formed the first church?

Answer 1

There is not one individual who formed the first church. The Christian Church, in its broadest sense, was founded and spread by the Apostles--Jesus' closest followers--with the belief that Jesus was the Christ. Paul was, perhaps, the most influential person in the spread of earliest Christianity, though he had never met Jesus. The earliest Christians, however, did not consider themselves to be a new religion, but rather a fulfillment of Jewish prophecy and a continuation of Jewish religion. The first time there was an official distinction between churches as "denominations" is during the Great Schism in 1054 when the Eastern Church split from the Western Church--the Church in Constantinople versus the Church in Rome. Both of these churches, as well as other traditionalist ones like the Coptic Church in Egypt, claim to be able to trace their church back to a particular Apostle, though this proof seems to be more anecdotal than provable.

Answer 2

Christ never formed a church.

What is not called the Roman-Catholic (catholic means Universal) Church was founded by the apostle Peter after Christ's demise.

Christ (jesus) never wrote anything down. All the writing in the bible is put down many years after the events by other people.

The organization formed by Jesus and the apostles was called "The Way," and then later by devine providence called "Christians." (Acts 9:2; Acts 11:26)

The Catholic Church was formed about 300 years after the death of Jesus and all the apostles by the Roman emperor Constantine.

Answer 3

Jesus Christ did not develop a church in the sense we think of setting up a church/heirarchical based organisation. The closest he came to that was working with his brother James (the Just) in establishing The Jerusalem Church (http://www.churchhistory101.com/century1-p6.php) and to call this church 'Christian' would be to misrepresent it totally. Jesus himself says that he has not come to change Judaism but rather to fulfill the Law - this is the Law of Israel as written in the Old Testament.

The Jerusalem Church was Jewish to the core and believed all the things that Jesus, a good Jew, believed.

The 'Christian' church that we see today was a creation of St Paul and has little to do with Jesus or his message.

Answer 4

No its not

Yes it is. However, the term Catholic did not come into use until about 106 AD. Before that they were simply called Christians It is still the same Church and the term "Catholic" just recognized the universality of the religion.

Answer 5

Yes, the Catholic Church is the original Christian religion. However, the term Catholic did not come into use until the second century. Prior to that they were simply known as Christians. As Christianity spread the term Catholic came into use to signify that the religion was universal and the same everywhere. See the related question below:

Answer 6

A:

The Catholic Church obviously predates the religions of the Reformation, but is not necessarily the first Christian religion. The Catholic Church we know today was formed from the Great Schism of 1054, as was the Greek Orthodox Chruch, so they both have equal claim to antiquity. We do not even know whether the Catholic-Orthodox Church that preceded them was the first Christian Church or whether, for example, some gnostic Christian communities predated it.

Answer:

Yes, The Catholic Church is the early Christian church, founded by the Holy Spirit on the community of disciples gathered by Jesus Christ, and lead by the Apostles, their collaborators, and successors, Catholic is just a description of the Church founded by Our Blessed Savior, it means universal, or according to the whole.

Answer:

The Orthodox Church (Constantinople), the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Alexandria, Antioch), and the Ancient Church of the East (Antioch, Babylon) all share this distinction with the Catholic Church (Rome). Each of these apostolic churches has its origins around at least one of the major patriarchal sees, noted in the parentheses.

Answer:

Yes. If you follow the line of Popes back you will find an unbroken line of succession all the way back to Saint Peter.

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Answer:

Actually, according to the Church, the Catholic Church is the only Church in the world, as it is the only one established by Our Blessed Lord, and containing His mandate, His guarantee, and the Holy Spirit's guidance. Those without a valid priesthood and apostolic succession are referrred to as "ecclesial communities" rather than "churches" by the Second Vatican Council. Although the Orthodox Churches, which separated from the Catholic Church in the 11th century, are true Churches, as they have maintained a valid priesthood.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980 Church: The faithful of the whole world. This broad definition can be understood in various senses all derived from the Scriptures, notably as the community of believers, the kingdom of God, and the Mystical Body of Christ.

As the community of believers, the Church is the assembly (ekklesia) of all who believe in Jesus Christ; or the fellowship (koinoia) of all who are bound together by their common love for the Savior. As the kingdom (basileia), it is the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies about the reign of the Messiah. And as the Mystical Body it is the communion of all those made holy by the grace of Christ. He is their invisible head and they are his visible members. These include the faithful on earth, those in purgatory who are not yet fully purified, and the saints in heaven.

Since the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church has been defined as the union of human beings who are united by the profession of the same Christian faith, and by participation of and in the same sacraments under the direction of their lawful pastors, especially of the one representative of Christ on earth, the Bishop of Rome. Each element in this definition is meant to exclude all others from actual and vital membership in the Catholic Church, namely apostates and heretics who do not profess the same Christian faith, non-Christians who do not receive the same sacraments, and schismatics who are not submissive to the Church's lawful pastors under the Bishop of Rome.

At the Second Vatican Council this concept of the Church was recognized as the objective reality that identifies the fullness of the Roman Catholic Church. But it was qualified subjectively so as to somehow include all who are baptized and profess their faith in Jesus Christ. They are the People of God, whom he has chosen to be his own and on whom he bestows the special graces of his providence. (Etym. Greek kyriakon, church; from kyriakos, belong to the Lord

Answer 7

Yes, the Catholic Church was the first Christian church, founded by Christ during his time on earth. Though many other Christian sects have come and gone over the years, the Catholic Church has remained, strong in Jesus Christ, through the centuries.