I am a methodist, how are my beliefs supposedly different than catholics? I know we dont discuss saints.?

Answer 1

I grew up Catholic and am now going to marry a Methodist, so i might be able to answer this for you. Firstly, as all Christians, both believe in Jesus as Lord and savior and the son of God. Both believe in baptism, although Catholics believe in an earlier baptism because it is absolutely necessary to enter heaven. According to Catholic doctrine, only those who have been baptized in the Catholic church go to Heaven, whereas for Methodists, any Christian baptism works (and I believe Methodists do not subscribe to the belief that unbaptized babies do not go to Heaven). For Catholics, communion is a sacred act where the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ, whereas for Methodists, the bread and wine (or juice) are used to serve as a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. Catholic mass is much more ritualized than Methodist service. Catholics place Mary on more of a pedestal and believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. In addition, Catholics believe in Pergatory and are against any form of birth control (at least the Vatican insists upon no birth control). There are many minor differences, but these are the biggest that I can think of.

Answer 2

--Is Catholic--

I was a Methodist before I converted to Catholicism. Methodism really doesn't follow the goals and spiritually of John Wesley, so what Methodist's used to believe is not really what they believe today. Thus there can be some difficulty in saying "Methodists believe XXXXX".

Methodism, as you know comes out of Anglicanism, and it focuses on popular piety. It is also semi-sacramental and semi-hierarchical.

Catholicism is exceptionally broad by comparison, with multiple forms of spiritually and multiple forms of religious worship. However, the faith of all Catholics is the same, and has been the same for 2000 years.

I suggest that you look at
http://www.creeds.net/
to compare and contrast Methodism and Catholicism.

Besides the standard differences between Protestants and Catholics (which you can look up), I would say that the major differences between the two group is in the spiritually, with Catholicism being much much deeper. Catholicism doesn't separate reason from faith and requires the usage of both in the practice of the Catholic religion and its spiritually. Wesley stressed a sort of "blind faith", a trust if you will, but this approach is rejected by Catholicism.

The approach to scripture is also different. Catholicism finds scripture to be an expression of the Church's life, so that it is impossible to separate Scripture from the Church. They are both fundamental aspects of the Church's life. Scripture itself is to be read within the context of the historic life of the Church, and with reason. Scripture is also subjected to the teaching of the Church. For example, Methodists will look at scripture to understand what it is to be "church". Catholics will look at the life of the Church in order to understand what is scripture.

Spiritually, there is also a difference with the understanding of the Holy Spirit. But that can be a bit complex so I will skip it.

Sacramentaly, Catholics believe in the entirety of the sacraments and the theology is sacramental. Sacraments, for Catholics, do not depend on the faith of the one who receives. Rather they depend upon God and the minister of the sacrament following what God has instructed the minister to do. In this way, sacraments are seen as total "free gifts" from God that bring and conform the individual into the life of grace. The Eucharist is understood as being really Christ, not something that is symbolic or spiritual.

Any other questions, feel free to message me.

Answer 3

I believe Protestants only recognize 2 sacraments - baptism and communion, but catholics believe in several more than that (like marriage and confession). Also, Catholics believe in transmorgafication during communion, and protestants don't. The bibles differ a bit too. Protestants don't go to confession, and they don't believe that the only way to God is through their priests, and they also believe that they need to perform good works to get into Heaven. I could be wrong about some of that info, but that was what I heard when I asked the same question.

Answer 4

To be a Catholic requires to suspend disbelief of any kind. Any questions you have about faith are resolved by a priest. The high point of Mass is the Communion at the altar.

Protestants (called Evangelisch in German) have the altar to the side and the sermon is the high point of the service.

There are other difference, which just is splitting hairs but the above two is what they taught me as a youth in Methodism.

The English Medthodist Church was the first religion to raise its voice against slavery.

Answer 5

The bibles are the comparable. some denominations do no longer contain all the books interior the bible. Ethiopians orthodox have an extra e book interior the bible (Enoch). The denominations only furnish distinctive varieties of church centers and function a distinctive hierarchys. Saints are the somewhat dedicated Christians who unfold the understand Christ or died martyrs. The are desperate saints if their bodies dont decompose after loss of life, or some thing supernatural got here approximately whilst they have been complete (st Catherine bled milk). Or there the place somewhat respected for their devotion and works, so as that they are given the call. some priests who've innovative and prescient from God are named saints too.

Answer 6

The core difference between Catholicism and all of the other reformed christian sects involves the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Catholics believe in what is called the trans substantiation, when simple bread and wine transform into the actual body and blood of Christ. This transformation takes place during the celebration of holy mass when an ordained priest asks God, the Father to accept the bread and wine offering and convert them into the actual body and blood of Christ. This changing of bread and wine into Christ,s body and blood repeats for all catholics what Jesus did for his apostles at the last supper.
Baptized catholics may then partake of Christ's body and blood during communion.
Protestants believe that the taking of bread and wine at communion is only symbolic.

Answer 7

Not sure about Methodist beliefs in particular, but most protestants argue about:
Communion vs Eucharist - Did Jesus really MEAN This Is My Body? [lol. One of my hot buttons...]
Leadership of the Pope
The position of Mary and the Saints
Confession to priests.
Sprinkling vs Dunking

Not sure what else.

Answer 8

I don't know that much about Methodists.

However I do know what Catholics believe about saints.

Catholics and many other Christians believe in the Communion of Saints where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints. You, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mother Teresa.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends here on earth to pray for you. Or you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother in heaven to pray for you.

With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 9

Let me try to tell you what Catholics believe. First and foremost is the Holy Eucharist - we believe that Jesus is truly present (body, blood, soul and divinity) in the Eucharist. It is not just a rememberance of Jesus at the Last Supper. When the priest consecrates the bread and wine, it truly becomes Jesus. Secondly, we believe in the Communion of Saints and when we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, each time we are united with all the Saints in Heaven who have gone before us as well as all Catholics at all Masses said all over the world, all in communion with God in Heaven. It is actually Jesus, the high priest, who consecrates the bread and wine at each Mass and the priest on the Altar is standing "in persona Christi". We believe in Mary our Blessed Mother, Mother of Jesus, as our Heavenly Mother. We follow the Bishop of Rome (our Pope) who is Christs representative on earth in the long line of Apostolic Succession and we firmly believe in the Bible as God's Word, but also believe in what we call "Apostolic Tradition"...all those things passed on down through the ages from Jesus time to present that are Not written in the Bible. The Bible is not complete and does not contain all that Jesus taught us, much was passed on through the Apostles by deed and word of mouth and this is what we call "Apostolic Tradition". We believe in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and Jesus told us He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us through all time. Many people do not understand "Papal Infallibility" but we believe in that also. This means that the Pope cannot err in teachings of faith and morals as he is directly guided by the Holy Spirit and is our earthly shepherd. This does not mean the Pope can do or say no wrong in other situations, but as to faith and morals teachings, he is guided by the Holy Spirit, straight from God.

Answer 10

You do not have a priest to go to ask forgiveness of your sins. You go directly to Jesus and ask. My father-in-law was Catholic and I am protestant, can you imagine the lively conversations and I loved him dearly. Also you do not have rosary beads to use to repeat your hail Mary's etc. You simply talk to the Lord Jesus Christ as a person. This is two differences right off the top of my head.