What Is Catholic Christianity?

When people hear the word Catholic, they often think of the Roman Catholic Church. But the term catholic is much broader and deeper than that. It comes from the Greek katholikos, meaning universal. So what is Catholic Christianity, and how do Lutherans in the LCMS understand and live it?

Catholic Christianity: The Universal Faith

At its core, Catholic Christianity refers to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church–the universal body of believers in Christ across all times and places. This Church confesses the saving truth of the Gospel, grounded in the Holy Scriptures and the ancient ecumenical creeds: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.

Read the LCMS Confession of Faith

When we, as LCMS Lutherans, confess in the Nicene Creed that we believe in “one holy catholic and apostolic Church,” we aren’t talking about Rome we’re talking about the true, universal Church centered on Christ and His Word.

The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod: A Truly Catholic Church

The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) is not a modern innovation or breakaway movement. We are the historic, liturgical, traditional, catholic Church, but cleansed and reformed by the Gospel during the 16th-century Reformation.

Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformers did not try to start a new church. Their goal was to reform the existing Church–to remove false teachings and restore it to the pure doctrine of Christ, as found in the Scriptures and practiced by the early Church.

Learn more about the Lutheran Reformation

Catholic Without the Pope

LCMS Lutherans are catholic, but not Roman Catholic. We:

• Retain the historic liturgy
• Celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
• Confess the ancient creeds
• Uphold Scripture alone as the final authority

We preserve what is truly catholic (universal) while rejecting teachings that contradict the Bible–such as the authority of the Pope, indulgences, purgatory, and the idea of the Mass as a re-sacrifice of Christ.

What About ¦ The Pope? (LCMS Resource)

The Augsburg Confession: Boldly Catholic

The Augsburg Confession–the key confession of the Lutheran Reformation–says in Article I: “Our churches teach that the catholic faith is the true faith.” The Reformers were clear: they did not reject the catholic Church–they sought to preserve and purify it.

Read the Augsburg Confession

LCMS Lutheran Worship: Rooted in Tradition

Visit an LCMS congregation and you’ll find reverent, Christ-centered worship. We follow a liturgical calendar, use hymns rich in theology, and focus our worship on Christ’s presence in Word and Sacrament.

In this way, our worship is not just traditional–it is deeply catholic in the best and truest sense.

Explore LCMS Worship Practices

Why It Matters Today

If you’re seeking a church that’s grounded, not trendy–a church that’s biblically faithful, historically rooted, and spiritually rich–the LCMS offers a powerful and ancient expression of the Christian faith.

We are:

• Catholic (see above) in doctrine and practice
• Evangelical in preaching Christ crucified
• Confessional in holding fast to God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions

Conclusion

What is Catholic Christianity? It’s the universal faith in Jesus Christ, taught by the apostles, preserved through the ages, and rightly practiced where the Gospel is preached purely and the Sacraments are administered rightly.

As LCMS Lutherans, we joyfully confess that we are part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church–cleansed by the Reformation, anchored in Scripture, and sustained by Word and Sacrament.

Looking for a church that’s ancient and alive? You may find it in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

Find an LCMS Congregation Near You