I know this seems silly, and I understand when to capitalize Catholic and when not to, but in eliminate duplicate uses of "church" in the same sentence, I wanted to switch "Catholic Church" to "Catholic Faith", but wasn't sure how to do it. According to most sources, you shouldn't, but searching for references, the uses are about 50%, including many religious online organizations.
Catholic is a Pronoun and faith is a plain noun, so I'd write it as Catholic faith.
That's what I was assuming, as it's similar to "Catholic partioner" or "Catholic clergymen", but when I tried searching, most of the religious sites kept using "Catholic Faith". But since your answer makes the most sense, I'll use the mixed-case until someone tells me differently.
Thanks.
someone tells me differently
differently ....
:)
Seriously, though, it's in the context as to whether or not you capitalize faith.
'I'm simply studying the Catholic faith, along with Christian faith, Judaism, and Hinduism.'
'How dare you question my Catholic Faith! The Catholic Faith should be inviolate!'
It's one of those things of both words together can become an actual title, requiring them both to be capitalized.
It's one of those things of both words together can become an actual title, requiring them both to be capitalized.
Like White House
'How dare you question my Catholic Faith! The Catholic Faith should be inviolate!'
It's one of those things of both words together can become an actual title, requiring them both to be capitalized.
Drat! So, I'll have to revert the change I made and capitalize the entire phrase, since "Catholic Faith" serves as a substitute for "Catholic Church".
since "Catholic Faith" serves as a substitute for "Catholic Church".
Personally, I interpret Catholic Church to mean the organization that practices the beliefs that comprise the Catholic Faith. So the two phrases are not interchangeable.
How dare you question my Catholic Faith!
If your wife, named Faith, is a mad cat-woman, it should be catholic Faith ;-)
AJ
If your wife, named Faith, is a mad cat-woman, it should be catholic Faith ;-)
Technically, "catholic" literally means "common", as in "everyday". So if Faith isn't particularly renowned, she would in fact be a catholic Faith.
@REP
Personally, I interpret Catholic Church to mean the organization that practices the beliefs that comprise the Catholic Faith. So the two phrases are not interchangeable.
I was responding to my original post, where I'd replaced "Catholic Church" with "Catholic Faith" to eliminate having two references to "church" in the same sentence. So, while there are distinctions between the two, it was germaine to the discussion.
In your OP, this post, and the post I commented on, it sounds like you consider the two phrases to be interchangeable (i.e., mean the same thing)
In your OP, this post, and the post I commented on, it sounds like you consider the two phrases to be interchangeable (i.e., mean the same thing)
That is how I phrased it, but it wasn't my intent. It merely highlighted why I selected the term, to eliminate a duplication of "religion" in the close proximity. So, it was only in relation to that particular sentence that there's a rouge similarity between the two.
Technically, "catholic" literally means "common", as in "everyday"
No, its literal meaning is more akin to all-encompassing or all-embracing, which makes the religious meaning rather ironic.
So, 'all in good Faith' would imply she was liberal with her sexual favours.
AJ
There's a difference between a proper noun and a pronoun.
But yes, it should be "Catholic faith".
eta: And anyway, "Catholic" is an adjective.
Catholic is a Pronoun
Akshully, "Catholic" in the sense that the OP is using it, is an adjective. Neither adjectives nor pronouns -- as such --are usually capitalized.
Akshully, "Catholic" in the sense that the OP is using it, is an adjective. Neither adjectives nor pronouns -- as such --are usually capitalized.
Except "Catholic" is a religion and religions are proper nouns. And "Catholic Church" is a proper noun like "White House" is a proper noun.
I don't know about "faith." I wouldn't think so.
CW,
I was just a wondering about this. What time frame are you talking about, and in how wide a context are you talking about?
It does make a difference as what most people call the Catholic Church today is the Roman Catholic Church in order to differentiate it from the Orthodox Churches and the Protestant Churches. Go back to before the split off of the first Protestant Churches and you have what they used to call the Holy Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.
..................
Also, checking shows that the the faith is often referred to Catholicism and not Catholic faith.
Then you have:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_(term)
quote
Roman Catholic is a term sometimes used to differentiate members of the Catholic Church in full communion with the pope in Rome from other Christians who also self-identify as "Catholic".
end quote
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_(term)
quote
The word Catholic (usually written with uppercase C in English when referring to religious matters; derived via Late Latin catholicus, from the Greek adjective καθολικός (katholikos), meaning "universal")[3][4] comes from the Greek phrase καθόλου (katholou), meaning "on the whole", "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words κατά meaning "about" and ὅλος meaning "whole".[5][6] The first use of "Catholic" was by the church father Saint Ignatius of Antioch in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans (circa 110 AD).[7] In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages.
The word in English can mean either "of the Catholic faith" or "relating to the historic doctrine and practice of the Western Church".[note 1][8] "Catholicos", the title used for the head of some churches in Eastern Christian traditions, is derived from the same linguistic origin.
The term has been incorporated into the name of the largest Christian communion, the Catholic Church (also called the Roman Catholic Church). All of the three main branches of Christianity in the East (Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and Church of the East) had always identified themselves as Catholic in accordance with Apostolic traditions and the Nicene Creed. Anglicans, Lutherans, and some Methodists also believe that their churches are "Catholic" in the sense that they too are in continuity with the original universal church founded by the Apostles. However, each church defines the scope of the "Catholic Church" differently. For instance, the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox churches, and Church of the East, each maintain that their own denomination is identical with the original universal church, from which all other denominations broke away.
Distinguishing beliefs of Catholicity, the beliefs of most Christians who call themselves "Catholic", include the episcopal polity, that bishops are considered the highest order of ministers within the Christian religion,[10] as well as the Nicene Creed of AD 381. In particular, along with unity, sanctity, and apostolicity, catholicity is considered one of Four Marks of the Church,[11] found in the line of the Nicene Creed: "I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church."
end quote
To simplify Ernest's accurate, but lengthy post, if you are talking about the Roman Catholic faith, you should capitalize. If you are using the term "catholic," as an adjective like in the Nicene Creed (to mean universal or collective), then it would be lower case.
