Roman Catholicism: A Worldview and a System

Roman Catholicism is a complex reality. A global view of Catholicism must take into account its doctrine, culture, and its institutions. It is a religious worldview which has been promoted throughout history by the ecclesiastical institution whose center is in Rome. Although there is considerable diversity in its forms of expression, Catholicism is a basically unitary reality with discernible underlying tenets. Any analysis which does not take into account the fact that Catholicism is a system will fall prey to a superficial and fragmented understanding of the phenomenon. This short talk compares and contrasts systemic vs. atomistic approaches to Roman Catholicism and demonstrate the need for an evangelical assessment to grasp the basic contours of this worldview and its system.