Millions of creedal Christians weekly recite their belief in the “holy catholic church.” But capitalization may mean more than linguistic trouble. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta is suing the Catholic Mission: Chapel of Faith for fraud, saying its name—along with its practices of hearing confessions and offering Communion, is fraudulent and misleading. (The denomination hasn’t responded.) The archdiocese says it’s a limited issue and other catholic (meaning universal) and Catholic churches needn’t worry, but the gate may already be open. Jews-week columnist Bradford Pilcher suggests the strategy be taken up against messianic groups like Jews for Jesus.
Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
The archdiocese newspaper covered the suit.
Pilcher’s column is available at Jewsweekweb site.