Catholic Church vs Protestant Church
The distinctions between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church can often be found by examining the practices and beliefs of each church. Both Catholic and Protestant are religions with the largest number of followers worldwide. Both believe in Jesus and His crucifixion for our sins. Many differences exist between both religions, causing confusion as to who is telling the truth. At the end of the day, it is difficult to say which one is telling the truth because both religions have strong faith and facts to support their belief. Over the years, both religions have tried to find common ground, but both have strong faith and belief that one could not change the other.
Key Takeaways
- The main difference between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church is that the Catholic Church believes in tradition and doctrines, while the Protestant Church does not.
- Catholics believe in purgatory, praying to saints, and worship of Mary, whereas Protestants do not.
- Both churches believe in the word of God through the Bible, but the Protestant Church believes that only the Bible has the authority, while the Catholic Church also believes in the authority of its tradition.
More about the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church has had a rich and colorful history that has lasted for decades. The apostles and Christian converts have traveled across the world to spread the word of God and, in doing so, spread Catholicism. The religion spread quickly and its main belief is that the church was founded by Jesus Christ. The church has had many struggles during the early days of Christianity and was lessened accordingly during the legalization of the church by Emperor Constantine I. The Catholic Church believes that Sunday was the first day of worship, hence, Sunday until today is considered the first day of the week. Because early Christianity was loosely organized, it resulted in different interpretations of the word of God.
When it comes to authority, the Catholic Church believes in the word of God through the Bible and its tradition. They believe many of the doctrines of the Catholic Church to be as equally binding as the word of God. The Catholics believe in purgatory, praying to saints, adoration, and worship of Mary, the mother of Christ. Although almost all of those practices have no significant basis in the Bible, the Catholics believe that both the Bible and traditions play an essential role in the salvation of mankind.
More about the Protestant Church
The Protestant Church began in the late 1500s. They were initially part of the Catholic Church when they decided to separate from the church. The separation was caused by differences in beliefs and interpretations. They believed that the church was doing something wrong with their practices and teachings. They protested against the doings of the church and believed that the only source of wisdom is the Bible, not tradition and historical individuals. This group of protestors built their own church and taught with ways they thought were right and truthful.
When it comes to authority, the Protestants believe that only the Bible has the authority or what they call “Sola Scriptura.” They believe that the word of God alone should be the only source of our faith, and that traditions are inconsequential. They do not worship the Virgin Mary, for she is simply the physical mother of Christ. The Protestants believe that there are books in the Catholic Bible that are not blessed by God to become His word. Therefore, they should be removed.
What is the difference between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church?
- Both the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church believe in the word of God through the Bible.
- The main difference is the Catholic Church believes in tradition and doctrines, whereas the Protestant Church does not believe in those.
- Catholics believe in purgatory, praying to saints, and the worship of Mary. Protestants do not believe in those, and for them, Mary is only the physical mother of Jesus.
- The Protestant Church also believes that some books in the Catholic Bible are not blessed by God. Hence, those books are removed from the Protestant Bible.
- In the Catholic Church, women cannot become priests but can be nuns. In the Protestant Church, women are not allowed to be part of the clergy, but they can teach and work in other areas.
- Holy days for the Catholic Church are Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Saints’ Feast Days. Holy days for the Protestant Church are Christmas and Easter.
- The Catholic Church believes in all prophets that are in the books from the Holy Bible. The Protestant Church has the same belief. However, in addition, the Protestant Church considers Muhammad to be a false prophet.
There have been many heated discussions between both religious groups. There are more differences that can be cited as both fight for what they believe is right and true. The bottom line here is your faith. Regardless of which religious group you are affiliated with, it all boils down to your personal faith. Whether you believe in a supreme being or a real person who was sacrificed on the cross for our salvation, your faith should stand firm.
