Setting the Record Straight: A Catholic Response to Misconceptions by a self-proclaimed Bible Scholar

In today’s online landscape, misinformation about the Catholic Church spreads rapidly. Some argue that the early Church wasn’t Catholic, that the Church Fathers contradicted Catholic teaching, or that Scripture alone—without tradition or apostolic authority—is sufficient. It’s time to set the record straight.

This blog addresses claims from an Anti-Catholic content creator one by one using both Scripture (RSV-2CE) and historical evidence from the early Church.

1. “Jesus Didn’t Establish Roman Catholicism”

Correct—Jesus didn’t use the term “Roman Catholic.” But He did establish a visible Church:

“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18).

This Church was:

• Visible and united

• Led by apostles

• Given authority to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18)

  
  

The word Catholic comes from the Greek katholikos, meaning universal. The earliest known use of the term is from St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 107 AD):

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:2)

The term Roman Catholic gained broader use after the Protestant Reformation to distinguish the Church from newly formed Protestant groups. However, the core elements of Catholicism—sacraments, Eucharist, apostolic succession, Church councils, and sacred Tradition—were all present in the early Church.

2. “Early Church Fathers Rejected a Head Over the Church”

This is misleading. While early Fathers had differing emphases, many explicitly affirmed Rome’s primacy:

• St. Irenaeus (c. 180 AD):

  “It is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church [Rome], on account of its preeminent authority.” (Against Heresies 3.3.2)

• St. Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250 AD):

  “They dare to sail and carry letters to the chair of Peter, and to the principal Church, whence sacerdotal unity has its source.” (Epistle 59)

• St. Augustine (c. 420 AD):

  “Rome has spoken; the matter is finished.” (Sermon 131.10)

Some critics argue that these same Fathers opposed Roman primacy. But let’s clarify:

• St. Cyprian had a dispute with Pope Stephen I regarding baptism but still affirmed the authority of the Roman See (Ep. 59).

• St. Augustine defended papal authority and cited Rome as doctrinally decisive.

• St. John Chrysostom referred to Peter as “the leader of the apostles” (Homily 88 on John).

• Origen, though more allegorical in interpretation, never denied Church hierarchy.

• Tertullian, before falling into Montanism, defended apostolic succession in Prescription Against Heretics.

  
  

In context, these sources affirm—not reject—ecclesial structure and Rome’s role.

3. “There Is No Apostolic Succession in the Bible”

Many argue that since apostles had to be eyewitnesses of Christ (Acts 1:21–22), apostolic succession couldn’t continue. But Scripture reveals otherwise:

📖 Biblical Evidence:

• Acts 1:20–26 – Matthias replaces Judas, showing succession within the Twelve.

• 2 Timothy 2:2 – Paul tells Timothy to entrust teaching to “faithful men… who will be able to teach others also.”

• Titus 1:5 – Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders in every town.

• Acts 14:23 – Paul and Barnabas appoint elders with prayer and fasting.

• 1 Timothy 4:14 / 2 Timothy 1:6 – Timothy receives authority through laying on of hands (ordination).

Note: Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:14) were called apostles despite not being among the original Twelve. Clearly, the role—not just the title—continued.

🏛 Historical Evidence:

• St. Clement of Rome (c. 96 AD):

  “The apostles… appointed the first fruits of their labors… that if they should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministry.” (Letter to the Corinthians 42, 44)

• St. Irenaeus (c. 180 AD):

  “We can enumerate those who were appointed bishops in the churches by the apostles, and their successors down to our time.” (Against Heresies 3.3.1)

• St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD):

  “Follow the bishop, all of you… Let no one do anything concerning the Church apart from the bishop.” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8)

  
  

4. “Canon Law and Church Structure Were Later Additions”

Structure developed organically but its foundation is apostolic:

• Acts 15 – The Council of Jerusalem shows the apostles deliberating and issuing binding decisions.

• Bishops, elders (presbyters), and deacons appear in the New Testament (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1–13).

• Canon Law later formalized these practices into a consistent framework across growing Christian communities.

  
  

5. “The Bible Wasn’t Compiled by Men—Believers Just Knew”

This romantic notion is historically inaccurate.

Early Christians read a wide range of texts—some orthodox, some heretical. There was no defined New Testament for the first 300 years.

📚 Disputed Books:

• Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation

  
  

📚 Popular but Non-Canonical:

• Shepherd of Hermas, Gospel of Thomas, Didache

  
  

To address confusion, the Church—guided by the Holy Spirit—canonized Scripture:

• Council of Rome (382 AD)

• Council of Hippo (393 AD)

• Council of Carthage (397 & 419 AD)

These councils affirmed the 73-book canon, including the Deuterocanonical books, later removed by Protestants.

St. Augustine stated:

“I would not believe the Gospel had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.” (Against the Letter of Manichaeus)

6. “The Fathers Disagreed—So the Church Can’t Be Right”

Fathers expressed theological insights in diverse ways, but shared essential beliefs:

Core Doctrine	Affirmed by
Primacy of Peter	Augustine, Chrysostom, Cyprian
Real Presence of the Eucharist	Ignatius, Justin Martyr
Apostolic Succession	Clement, Irenaeus
Sacraments	Cyprian, Tertullian, Augustine

Disagreement does not imply chaos—it shows depth. Doctrine developed, it wasn’t invented.

7. “No Consensus on the Eucharist, Canon, or Devotions”

Let’s take each:

Canon of Scripture

• The Deuterocanonical books were part of the Septuagint used by Jesus and the apostles.

• Confirmed at Rome (382), Hippo (393), Carthage (397).

Eucharist

• St. Ignatius (c. 110 AD):

  “They abstain from the Eucharist because they do not confess it is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ.” (Smyrnaeans 7)

• St. Justin Martyr (c. 155 AD):

  “…not as common bread and drink do we receive them… but as the flesh and blood of Jesus…” (First Apology 66)

This is not symbolic—it is sacramental realism.

8. “The Rosary and Traditions Are Later Inventions”

True—the rosary developed in the second millennium. But not everything must be explicitly biblical.

Examples of doctrinal development:

• Trinity – Word not in the Bible, doctrine affirmed at Nicaea (325 AD).

• Bible canon – Finalized in 4th century.

• Sinner’s Prayer, altar calls – Post-Reformation traditions, also not biblical.

  
  

Development ≠ corruption. Protestants, too, practice things that developed later.

9. “Catholics Trust Men Instead of God’s Word”

The Bible itself was written by men. But they were guided by the Holy Spirit.

“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

If you trust Paul’s writings, why not Clement, Ignatius, or Augustine, who were closer to the apostolic age?

10. “Truth Is in the Bible Alone—Not in the Church”

The Bible says otherwise:

“The Church is the pillar and foundation of truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)

The Church came before the New Testament canon and is entrusted with guarding and interpreting it.

11. “Faith Shouldn’t Rely on Men’s Writings”

But all of Scripture is written testimony from men inspired by God. Jesus didn’t write a book. His Church preserved His teachings.

Rejecting the Church Fathers as “mere men” is inconsistent if you accept the authority of Paul, Luke, or Peter—none of whom were Jesus Himself.

Final Reflection

Personal Bible study is beautiful and necessary—but it must be rooted in the Church that Christ Himself founded. No amount of sincere individual study, not even a Master of Divinity, gives anyone the authority to override:

• Centuries of Church councils

• Apostolic succession

• The canon of Scripture

• The living tradition handed down from the apostles

You even admitted in your own video:

“The writings in the early Church are massive. There’s a lot to go through and read. Oftentimes it can be challenging to know if what we have in English is the accurate translation from the Latin or Greek in which they would have written…”

Exactly—and that’s why the Holy Spirit guided the Church, through councils and apostolic authority, to faithfully preserve what is true and inspired. God never intended every believer to individually decipher thousands of ancient texts and translations in isolation. He gave us a living Church to guard the deposit of faith (cf. 1 Timothy 6:20).

You also said:

“As Christians, we don’t derive our faith and practice from what others have written about what God has written… we derive our faith from what God has written.”

That may sound noble, but it is both historically inaccurate and theologically dangerous. The Bible itself was written by men—apostles and disciples—not directly by Jesus. And it wasn’t even universally agreed upon for over three centuries. What you now call “what God has written” came to you through the Church: its bishops, councils, and yes, the very “others” you now reject.

In fact, Scripture itself warns us about people like this—those who misinterpret the Bible and mislead others with false teachings:

“There are some things in [Paul's letters] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.”—2 Peter 3:16

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching… and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.”—2 Timothy 4:3–4

When someone takes Scripture out of context, rejects Church authority, and sets themselves up as the judge over 2,000 years of faithful witness, they fulfill these warnings. They become—perhaps unknowingly—the very type of teacher that Scripture cautions us about.

You may be sincere. But sincerity does not equal truth.

You may have studied theology deeply. You may even hold academic credentials. But no degree gives you the right to cherry-pick quotes, redefine Christianity, or lead others away from the Church Christ established.

As St. Vincent of Lérins beautifully wrote in the 5th century:

“We hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all.”

This is the Catholic faith: apostolic, historic, and Spirit-guided.

If the Catholic Church is not the Church Christ founded, then where was the fullness of truth for the first 1,500 years? Who preserved the Gospel, the canon, and the sacraments?

We don’t follow the Catholic Church instead of Jesus.We follow Jesus through the Church He established—one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

“Hold fast to the traditions you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”—2 Thessalonians 2:15