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Originally Posted by MysticCat81
The point is, if the "RCC was the only real Western Church, just as the Orthodox were the only real Eastern Church," then it is rather inaccurate to say that the RCC "was considered the universal church" prior to the Reformation, don't you think? I'm sure that after the Great Schism, the Ecumenical Patriarch did not consider the Roman Catholic Church to be the universal church prior to the Reformation, anymore than he considers it so now. Universal chuch in the West, okay, but not simply the universal church. (And prior to the Great Schism, I think one would have to say that the universal church consisted of both the Roman Church and the Byzantine churches. But then the Copts, the Syriacs and others might have a beef with that statement.  )
Unless she meant the Holy Sprite.  |
Yes but you have to consider in the frame of mind of Europeans around the Reformation. There WAS no Eastern world as far as they were concerned. Oh there was China.. and some strange stuff that came there, but they were hardly "civiliazation" in the minds of your average European. For Jean Smithe of France, as well as Juan Doe in Spain, etc.. your only option was The Church.