Catholic Church Same Today As It Was In Early Christianity

In this Round I will attempt to prove the two out of the three arguments I have made about the Catholic Church in my opening challenge: Argument 1: The Catholic Church of Today Professes the Same Faith As It Always Has in the Past. Proof#1: Historically, there is a way to determine exactly what has been professed and believed at any given time. It is by comparing Her 'Creeds' or professions of faith. These Creeds are highly significant from a historical standpoint in that they almost 'spell out' what Catholics were required to believe in when a particular Creed was drawn up. Here are the names and dates of the principle Creeds. Apostles' Creed 2nd century Nicene Creed 325 A.D. Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed 381 A.D. Epiphanian Creed; 4th cent Antipriscillian Creed 4th century Athanasian Creed 5th century Creed of XI Council of Toledo 675 A.D. Leonine Creed 1053 A.D. Tridentine Creed 1564 A.D. When comparing Creeds to each other, it is evident that they are very similar. While certain doctrines are emphasized more in some Creeds than in others, they essentially profess the same doctrine. This fact alone is powerful historical evidence that the Catholic Church of 1900 years ago professed and taught the exact same Faith as She does today. Proof #2: Most of the articles of faith in the Apostles' Creed Catholics profess today are listed within the first century A.D.,in the 7 letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch (died c.107 A.D.). [1] Proof #3: The Earliest Christian writings point to modern day Catholic beliefs: The Real Presence, [2]; rite of Baptism with water [3]; Virgin Mary was a 'virgin undefiled' and 'exempt from sin and corruption' [4] Argument 2: The Catholic Church Has Remained United and Universal In Belief From Its Origin Up to the Present. Proof #1 - Unity: St. Irenaeus, in the second century, singled out a Church where, although its members are scattered throughout the world, she teaches as though she possesses but one mouth': "As I have already observed, the Church... although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also believes these points [of doctrine] just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth. For, although the languages of the world are dissimilar, yet the import of the tradition is one and the same." - 'Against the Heresies" Book I Ch 10.2 Early Christian writers pointed out that the 'Church' which teaches a uniform body of doctrine is: 1) the Church 'whose supreme ruler is known as the Bishop of Rome', and; 2)'the Church which is known as the 'Catholic' Church' [5] Proof #3 -All nations, one belief: The Roman Catholic Church possessed a Universality of place by the 2nd century. She has spread to 'all nations' and has never found language or race to be an obstacle/ barrier to Her spread. Neither has She ever splintered off into many different autonomous groups (like the Eastern Orthodox or the Anglicans, for example), but has remained one in perfect unity under a supreme head. St. Irenaeus enumerates the countries to which the Church has spread in the second century. [6] St. Ignatius of Antioch, in the first century, calls the Church 'Catholic' or 'universal' for the first time. [7] St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c.313-386) and St. Augustine state that the 'Catholic' Church has 'spread throughout the whole world', by the forth and fifth centuries. [8] Has this universal spread of Catholicism continued throughout the world from the 6th century up to the present? Yes! The Church's spread and influence continued to became more and more wide spread than ever beforein history. For example, a Harvard historical scholar points out that in the 11th century: 'religion meant the creed of the Catholic Church which had occupied the position in most of European countries". [9] Catholics believe that Christ Himself implied His Church would be One in unity when He prayed: "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us.."(John 17;21) [1] http://www.ccel.org... [2] St. Ignatius of Antioch, (Letter to the Smyrneans, 6), the Didache (AD. 70,) chapters. 9,14) http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com... [3] Didache 7:1; Justin Martyr, First Apology 61; A.D. 151; Tertullian (The Crown 3:2; A.D.211) [4] Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 100; A.D.155; Hippolytus A.D. 235 [5]'Against the Heresies" Book 2 Ch 3.2;Cyprian Epistola 55 and 76; [6]Against the Heresies; Bk 1 Ch 10.2 [7]Letter of St. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans ch. 8, written about the year 110. "Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be, as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church." [8] Contra Celsum Bk II, 13; Catechesis 18;23 [9] Emerton; 'The Correspondence of Gregory VII':Select Letters From the Regstru