Who Founded the Catholic Church?
1. The Early Church as the Ekklesia of Jesus
The New Testament describes the church not as a Roman institution but as the ekklesia—the called-out assembly of God’s people. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter, “On this rock I will build my church,” but this statement speaks of Christ Himself as founder, not of Peter establishing a denomination.
The earliest Christians saw themselves as:
The people of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20).
The eschatological community of God (Acts 2:42–47).
The continuation of true Israel, reconstituted in Christ (Romans 9:6–8).
In this sense, the universal church was founded by Christ, not by Peter or Paul.
2. The Tradition of Peter and Paul in Rome
Later church tradition often claimed that Peter founded the Roman church and served as its first bishop. However, history is more complex.
Paul’s Letter to the Romans shows a thriving Christian community already existing before he arrived (Romans 1:7–15).
Tradition suggests that both Peter and Paul ministered in Rome and were martyred there (around A.D. 64–67).
The church in Rome therefore came to be associated with both apostles, though neither can be called its “founder” in the strict sense.
This dual attribution was more symbolic than historical—designed to give Rome apostolic credibility.
3. The Rise of Bishops and Church Hierarchy
In the first two centuries, churches were led by elders (presbyters) and overseen by bishops in local contexts. Authority was not centralized in Rome. Over time, however, a hierarchical system emerged:
Local leadership – Elders and deacons served congregations (Philippians 1:1).
Regional bishops – Oversight expanded in major cities.
Rome’s prestige – Because Peter and Paul were linked to Rome, its bishop gained symbolic authority.
By the 4th century, after Christianity’s legalization under Constantine, Rome began to assert primacy in the West.
4. The Development of the Papacy
The papacy, as we know it today, was not established by Peter but developed gradually.
3rd Century – Bishops of Rome began appealing to apostolic succession.
4th–5th Centuries – With the decline of the Roman Empire, the bishop of Rome took on political as well as spiritual leadership.
Leo I (440–461) – First articulated papal supremacy clearly, grounding it in the idea of Petrine authority.
Eastern Rejection – The Eastern churches did not accept Rome’s claims, leading eventually to the Great Schism (1054).
Thus, papal primacy was not apostolic in origin but a product of later church history.
5. The Catholic Church and Apostolic Continuity
To ask Who founded the Catholic Church? is also to ask about apostolic continuity. The church is apostolic not because Peter alone founded it, but because it is built on the teaching of all the apostles.
Ephesians 2:20 – “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
Acts 2:42 – The church devoted itself to “the apostles’ teaching.”
Revelation 21:14 – The new Jerusalem has “twelve foundations, and on them the names of the twelve apostles.”
The continuity of teaching, not the authority of one bishop, is what makes the church apostolic and truly catholic.
6. The Gospel and the Catholic Church’s Mission
The gospel reminds us that the church’s foundation is Christ Himself. The Catholic Church’s universality (“catholicity”) comes not from Rome but from the mission of Jesus:
Christ is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18).
The Spirit empowers the mission (Acts 1:8).
The church is universal because the gospel is for all nations (Matthew 28:19).
The Catholic Church as an institution may have developed structures over centuries, but its true foundation is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of God’s Kingdom.
7. The Catholic Church and the Last Days
The New Testament situates the church in the context of the last days. Believers are called to be a kingdom people until Christ returns. The Catholic Church, in its historical form, is part of this unfolding story, but the true catholic (universal) church is defined not by the papacy but by belonging to Christ.
Hebrews 12:23 – speaks of the “assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven.”
Revelation 7:9 – envisions the catholic church gathered from “every nation, tribe, people, and language.”
Revelation 21:2 – describes the church as the bride of Christ, perfected at His return.
The eschatological identity of the church transcends denominational structures.
Conclusion
So, Who founded the Catholic Church? The answer is that no single apostle—Peter included—can be said to have founded it as an institution. The early church began as the ekklesia of Jesus, established by Christ and spread by all the apostles. The Roman Catholic Church as we know it developed gradually through the growth of episcopal authority, the prestige of Rome, and the consolidation of papal power, especially under Leo I.
The Bible points us back to the true foundation: Christ Himself, the cornerstone. The universal (catholic) church is not about the papacy or Rome but about the gospel, the apostles’ teaching, and the mission of Christ’s kingdom to all nations.
Bible Verses About the Church’s Foundation
Matthew 16:18 – “On this rock I will build my church.”
Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship.”
Romans 1:7 – “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”
1 Corinthians 3:11 – “No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 2:20 – “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
Colossians 1:18 – “He is the head of the body, the church.”
1 Timothy 3:15 – “The church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
Hebrews 12:23 – “The assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.”
Revelation 7:9 – “A great multitude… from every nation, tribe, people, and language.”
Revelation 21:14 – “The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles.”
