Non-Denominational Christian Exploring Catholicism

You may sincerely believe:

"I don't follow a denomination. I just follow Jesus and the Bible."

That desire can be admirable.

But it raises a historical question few Christians are encouraged to investigate:

What happened between the Bible and my church?

A Note About This Page

This page is an invitation to investigate, not an accusation against Christians who inherited this tradition. Catholic teaching recognizes baptized Christians who believe in Christ as Christians and acknowledges real gifts of Scripture, faith, grace and Christian life outside full Catholic communion.

The question here is narrower:

If we trace this tradition backward through Christian history, what came before it --- and what might that history ask us to reconsider?

"Non-Denominational" Still Has a History

A congregation may have no denominational name and still inherit theological assumptions.

Its beliefs about:

• Baptism;
• Communion;
• salvation;
• church leadership;
• spiritual gifts;
• end times;
• Bible interpretation;
• worship;

came from somewhere.

No Christian begins history from zero.

Try a Different Experiment

Do not begin by comparing your Sunday service with a Catholic Mass.

Start in AD 100.

Then move forward.

Read Christians who lived before Catholic-versus-Protestant categories existed in their modern form.

Ask:

• What did they call the Church?
• What happened in Baptism?
• What did they believe about the Eucharist?
• Who led local churches?
• How was false doctrine corrected?
• What did Apostolic succession mean?
• How was Christian unity maintained?

Then Ask About the Bible

If your church says the Bible alone is the final authority, ask:

How did Christians know which books belonged in the Bible?

Who Decided Which Books Belong in the Bible? →

Did the Church Exist Before the New Testament Was Complete? →

A Surprising Possibility

Perhaps the choice is not:

Catholic tradition versus pure New Testament Christianity.

Perhaps the historical question is:

Which modern Christian tradition most closely continues the visible, sacramental and Apostolic Christianity already emerging from the New Testament world?

Do not accept the Catholic answer merely because CatholicAgain says so.

Investigate it.

Meet the Early Christians →

What Did They Believe? →

Begin the LOOK BACKWARD Journey →