Roman Catholicism
| Tradition's name(s) | Roman Catholicism, Papism, Romanism |
|---|---|
| Main institution(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Denomination | Ecclesialism |
| Christology | Chalecdonian Trinitarianism |
| Soteriology | Various |
| Sacramentology | Transubstantion |
| Biblical Canon | Septuagint primacy |
Roman Catholicism is an Ecclesialist Christian denomination organised in the Roman Catholic Church under the authority of the Pope, an authority which Roman Catholics perceive as infallible.
Roman Catholicism was first seen as a distinct denomination of Christianity following the Great Schism of 1054, which also produced the Eastern Orthodox denomination. It's defining feature following this was its addition of the Filioque to the Nicene Creed, which the vast majority of eastern Churches rejected. It was also defined by it's unwavering loyalty to the Bishop of Rome and over time the Bishop of Rome's place as the earthly head of the entire Church became cemented in Roman Catholic theology.
Over time, this position began to come into question, especially with the immorality of the Pope and the Church's exploitative selling of indulgences. This corruption was brought into question by some Roman Catholics such as Francis of Assisi and later some proto-Protestants such as John Wycliffe and Jan Huss, who also questioned monasticism and the infallibility of the Pope outright.
In 1517, a Roman Catholic Augustinian monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of a Church in Wittenberg, starting a series of events in which Roman Catholics would attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church to bring it in line with the teachings of the Bible. After the excommunication of these reformers in 1521, they continued to preach, causing the Protestant Reformation and the foundation of the Protestant Churches.
The 1545 to 1563 Council of Trent was convened to denounce the Protestant Churches and settle disputes about the canonicity of Scripture. This council would become the foundation of modern Roman Catholic theology.
