Can the King or Queen of England be a Catholic..
The Act of Settlement 1701, prevents a “papist” (Roman Catholic) from inheriting the English throne.
Under that basis the Queen cannot be a Roman Catholic, however, being a catholic is a different matter. (see below)
Church of England/Anglican
Queen Elizabeth II is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, an Anglican/Episcopalian church.
Roman Catholic Church
The head of the Roman Catholic Church is the Pope.
catholic or Roman Catholic (note Capital letters)
- Protestants, of course, do not equate “catholic” with “Roman Catholic.” The word catholic simply means “general, universal, concerning the whole.” www.christianitytoday.com
- The Catholic religion is the religion of the Catholic Church—i.e., that group of churches in communion with the pope. If a group isn’t in communion with the pope, it isn’t part of the Catholic Church. www.catholic.com
- Firstly it must be emphasised that the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches are not different religions but different denominations of the one religion – Christianity. www.anglican.org.au
1701 Act of Settlement
The Act of Settlement 1701, prevents a “papist” (Roman Catholic) from inheriting the English throne.
Word Definitions: catholic and Catholic
- Definition of ‘catholic’ (with lowercase c): including a wide variety of things; all-embracing; “her tastes are pretty catholic”. Comes from the Latin ‘catholicus” meaning universal or whole.
- Definition of ‘Catholic’ (with uppercase c): was first used to describe the Christian Church in the early 2nd century. The one and only Church of God.
More Reading:
This makes interesting reading: When did the term “Roman Catholic Church” first come into being? (www.catholic.com)
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