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Roman Catholicism

A New Religious Movement

Romanism: attempts to trace its origins back to the Apostle Peter, though there is no biblical evidence to support their claim, and the historical evidence is sparse, to say the least. Romanist's real history stretches back to the 4th Century, a history that precedes Islam, which emerged in the 6th Century.

The conditions for the emergence of Romanism began around the middle of the 2nd Century, with the creation of Bishoprics, and the drive towards one single Bishop in charge overall. The primary change took place around the 4th Century, following the so-called conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine, and his strategic alliance with the then Bishop of Rome, ensuring that Romanism became the religion of the state and the Empire. The current organisation, as we presently know it, emerged during the 15th Century and has suffered only minor alteration from then until the present Vatican 11. 

This was a significant change in theological perspective that arose in the early 20th Century principally under Pope John Paul the xxiii, and became known as Vatican 11. In essence, it reflected a progressive shift away from the conservative position held since Vatican 1 in the 15 Century. This new liberalism was to become the vehicle to help Rome achieve a closer fellowship with other liberal theological and religious opponents, or alternatives to Romanism.

It also exposed the cracks...  

Within the structure of the 'church', separating various strands of conservatism from those on the more liberal wings, later to separate those who preferred the Latin mass from those now adopting the 'protestant mass'. 

The 'church' was to experience further schism under the 'Renewal Movement' and more recently over homosexual scandal and other forms of abuse, and finally over the inclusion of Anglo-Catholics whose married status is a challenge to Rome's insistence upon celibacy. 

It further signalled...

The Vatican's determination to develop and lead a 'one world global religion', in essence one could say that this attempt is yet another resurgence of a 'Roman Catholic' counter-reformation.