Roman Catholicism

Table of Contents

Introduction & Top Questions
Early history of Roman Catholicism
- The emergence of Catholic Christianity
- The emergence of Roman Catholicism
  - Internal factors
  - External factors
  - The early medieval papacy
- The church of the early Middle Ages
  - The concept of Christendom
  - A period of decadence
  - Popular Christianity c. 1000
- The church of the High Middle Ages
  - Gregorian Reform
  - The reign of Gregory VII
  - The Investiture Controversy: Gregory VII to Calixtus II
  - The Crusades
  - The papacy at its height: the 12th and 13th centuries
  - The renaissance of the 12th century
  - The apostolic life
  - Religious orders: canons and monks
  - The mendicant orders
  - The rise of heresy
  - Religious life in the 13th century
  - The golden age of Scholasticism
  - The persecuting society
- From the late Middle Ages to the Reformation
  - The “Babylonian Captivity”
  - Late medieval reform: the Great Schism and conciliarism
  - Jan Hus
  - Efforts to heal the East-West Schism
  - Roman Catholicism on the eve of the Reformation
    - The decline of Scholastic theology
    - Expressions of spirituality and folk piety
    - Roman Catholicism and Renaissance humanism
    - Roman Catholicism and the emergence of national consciousness
The age of Reformation and Counter-Reformation
- Roman Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation
- The Roman Catholic Reformation
  - The Council of Trent
  - New religious orders
- The Counter-Reformation
- Post-Reformation conditions
- Developments in France
  - The Gallican problem
  - Jansenism
  - Quietism
- Controversies involving the Jesuits
  - The Chinese rites controversy
  - Suppression of the Jesuits
- Religious life in the 17th and 18th centuries
The church in the modern period
- Catholicism in Revolutionary France
- Napoleon I and the restoration
- Pius IX
- Leo XIII
- The period of the World Wars
- The Second Vatican Council
- Aftermath of the council
- The church in the 21st century
Roman Catholicism outside Europe
- The New World: Spanish and Portuguese empires
  - Colonial period
  - After independence
  - Spanish and French missions in North America
- Roman Catholicism in the United States and Canada
  - United States
  - Canada
- Roman Catholicism in Africa and Asia
  - Missions in Africa
  - Missions in Asia
Structure of the church
- Doctrinal basis
  - The nature of the church
  - Apostolic succession
- The papacy
  - The papal office
  - Ancient and medieval views of papal authority
  - Early-modern and modern views of papal authority
  - Historical conceptions of the relationship of the papacy to the world
  - Contemporary teaching on papal authority
- The offices of the clergy
  - The Roman Curia and the College of Cardinals
  - The college of bishops
  - Ecumenical councils
  - The priesthood and the diaconate
- Religious communities
  - Hermits and monks
  - Mendicant friars and clerks regular
  - Nuns and brothers
- The laity
- Canon law
Beliefs and practices
- Faith
  - Concepts of faith
  - Preambles and motivation of faith
  - Heresy
- Revelation
  - The concept of revelation
  - The content of revelation
- Tradition and Scripture
- The magisterium
  - The concept of teaching authority
  - Organs of teaching authority
  - Object and response
- Major dogmas and doctrines
- Sacraments
  - General characteristics
  - Baptism
  - Confirmation
  - The Eucharist
  - Reconciliation
  - Anointing of the sick
  - Marriage
  - Holy orders
- Liturgy
  - The mass
  - The divine office
  - The liturgical year
- Paraliturgical devotions
  - Eucharistic devotions
  - Cult of the saints
  - Mysticism
- The order of the mass
  - The introductory rites
  - The liturgy of the Word
  - The liturgy of the Eucharist
  - The communion rite
  - The concluding rite
- The role of the church in society
  - Missions
  - Education
  - Charitable activities
  - Church and state relations
  - Economic views and practice
  - The family

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

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Roman Catholicism: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Pope receives cake and glad tidings on the 12th anniversary of his papacy, marked in the hospital • Mar. 13, 2025, 11:52 PM ET (AP)

A weak Pope Francis thanks people for their prayers 'from the bottom of my heart' in audio message • Mar. 6, 2025, 11:04 PM ET (AP)

The pope is in stable condition as the Catholic Church opens the season of Lent • Mar. 5, 2025, 1:10 PM ET (AP)

These nuns advocated for immigrant rights for 40 years — now in their 90s, they’re not slowing down • Mar. 5, 2025, 8:04 AM ET (AP)

Pope stable with no new respiratory crises but will sleep with ventilation mask, Vatican says • Mar. 4, 2025, 8:18 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Roman Catholic Church

Did You Know?

The Advocatus Diaboli ("Devil's Advocate") was an official who would critically examine a canonization candidate's life.
John F. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic to be president of the United States.
In 2014, Porsche rented out the Sistine Chapel for a charity event.
The big bang theory was proposed by a monsignor of the Catholic Church, Georges LeMaitre.
William Tyndale was deemed a heretic for translating the New Testament into modern English.

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Topics

Catholic imagination Eastern rite church Peace of God Old Catholic church Immaculate Conception Truce of God history of Roman Catholicism seven heavenly virtues papacy inquisition Protestantism Apostolic stylite Celtic Church Jesus Baptist biblical literature Bible temple garment novena

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Mary I

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Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary

queen of Scotland

Godfrey Kneller: painting of James II

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king of England, Scotland, and Ireland

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Innocent IV

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Jansen, engraving by Jean Morin

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Pius V

Saint Pius V

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Michael VIII Palaeologus

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Quiz

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