The Catholic Church, which nowadays considers itself as the full-length mirror (complete manifestation) of Catholicism and even the orthodox Christianity, takes the responsibility of all affairs related to the Catholic Church. The Pope who is at the top of church organization and considers himself as the inheritor of Christian spiritual (theologian) hierarchy, (order) traces back to Saint Peter, the legatee of Jesus, and through him to the Jesus Christ who is the Lord. Using an analytical-descriptive approach, the present paper tries to explain the meaning and nature of Catholic Church and to expound the only meaning among several meanings on which the Catholics rely. First, the meaning and nature of the Church and then the meaning and nature of Catholicism are discussed. It is evident that one can study the Catholic Church and make accurate judgments on it in scientific researches and comparative analyses by having a true understanding of it.
کلیسای کاتولیک که امروزه خود را آیینة تمام نمای مذهب کاتولیک رومی و حتی مسیحیت راستین می داند، با تأسیس نهاد کلیسا، همه امور مربوط به فرقة کاتولیک را برعهده دارد. پاپ، که در رأس تشکیلات کلیسایی قرار دارد و خود را وارث سلسله مراتب روحانی مسیحی می داند، به پطرس وصی عیسی و از طریق او به مسیح که خداست، می رسد. این نوشتار با رویکرد تحلیلی و توصیفی تلاش می کند تا معنا و ماهیت کلیسای کاتولیک را بیان کند و در میان معانی متعدد، معنای مورد اعتماد کاتولیک ها را تبیین نماید. ابتدا به معنا و ماهیت کلیسا و سپس، به معنا و ماهیت کاتولیک اشاره می شود. بدیهی است با درک درست از ماهیت کلیسای کاتولیک، می توان به مطالعه پیرامون آن پرداخت و در تحقیقات علمی و بررسی های تطبیقی داوری درست ارائه داد.
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