What's the difference between a Catholic and a Christian?

Answer 1

Through the study of Scripture and the Church Fathers, we see that, not only is the Catholic faith biblical, Catholicism is Bible Christianity par excellence.

Because the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the divinely-revealed, written Word of God, Catholics venerate the Scriptures as they venerate the Lord's body. But Catholics do not believe that God has given us His divine Revelation in Christ exclusively through Scripture. Catholics also believe that God's Revelation comes to us through the Apostolic Tradition and teaching authority of the Church.

What Church? Scripture reveals this Church to be the one Jesus Christ built upon the rock of Saint Peter (Matt. 16:18). By giving Peter the keys of authority (Matt. 16:19), Jesus appointed Peter as the chief steward over His earthly kingdom (cf. Isaiah. 22:19-22). Jesus also charged Peter to be the source of strength for the rest of the apostles (Luke 22:32) and the earthly shepherd of Jesus' flock (John 21:15-17). Jesus further gave Peter, and the apostles and elders in union with him, the power to bind and loose in heaven what they bound and loosed on earth. (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). This teaching authority did not die with Peter and the apostles, but was transferred to future bishops through the laying on of hands (e.g., Acts 1:20; 6:6; 13:3; 8:18; 9:17; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:6).

By virtue of this divinely-appointed authority, the Catholic Church determined the canon of Scripture (what books belong in the Bible) at the end of the fourth century. We therefore believe in the Scriptures on the authority of the Catholic Church. After all, nothing in Scripture tells us what Scriptures are inspired, what books belong in the Bible, or that Scripture is the final authority on questions concerning the Christian faith. Instead, the Bible says that the Church, not the Scriptures, is the pinnacle and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15) and the final arbiter on questions of the Christian faith (Matt. 18:17). It is through the teaching authority and Apostolic Tradition (2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6; 1 Cor. 11:2) of this Church, who is guided by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,26; 16:13), that we know of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, and the manifold wisdom of God. (cf. Ephesians 3:10).

Answer 2

The Protestant Churches teach Scripture, with no traditions added to it.
The Bible teaches that Scripture alone is the supreme and infallible authority for the church and the individual believer. This is not to say that creeds and tradition are unimportant, but the Bible alone is our final authority. Creeds and tradition are man made.
Jesus said, "Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). He said "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matthew 5:18). He said, "It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law" (Luke 16:17).
Jesus used Scripture as the final court of appeal in every matter under dispute. He said to some Pharisees, "You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down" (Mark 7:13). To the Sadducee's He said, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God". (Mat 22:29). To the devil, Jesus consistently responded, "It is written..." (Mat 4:4-10). So following Jesus' lead, the Scriptures alone are our supreme and final authority.
The Protestants broke from the Catholic church because they did not agree with the traditions that were being held as the authority, rather than God's word the Bible.

Answer 3

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.

A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

!) A catholic prays to Mary
2) A Catholic believes that the priest brings the actual body of Christ down from heaven and they eat it. They worship the wafer believing that it is Jesus.
3)Catholics believe that peter was the rock of the church when Jesus is the rock that the church is built on.
4) Catholics believe that the priest can forgive them of their sins, Christians believe that only Jesus can forgive us.
5) Christians believe that the Bible is the final authority, Catholics believe that books written by their church are equivalent to the bible as truth and law.
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Answer 5

Catholic is an adherent of the specific religion of Roman or Eastern Catholicism, christian refers to a panoply of religions based on monotheism, the Trinity, and the Bible as divine relevation.

Answer 6

The origin of Christianity is the Catholic Church, some groups broke away from the Catholic Church but still believed in the Divinity of Jesus, so they are still considered Christians, even though they are no longer Catholic.

Peace!

Answer 7

I can give you many. Jesus is the MAIN difference. They preach a different Jesus than the majority of Christian Believers . They dont believe Jesus is needed for salvation and Heaven, at least some do. They also said the scriptures taken literally were dangerous.

Many Christian denominations also preach a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Holy Scriptures !!

Apostates .

Answer 8

A catholic believes in many saints and a christian believes in the almighity GOD

Answer 9

You can't compare a Catholic to a Christian. Catholic is a Christian.

Answer 10

in general, the catholic church professes many beliefs and teachings that are not biblically supported, such as:
requiring a human intersessor (priest) to talk to God and having a priest forgive sins; those are things only Jesus, as God, can do....so the church in fact is denying the diety of Jesus Christ.
the Bible says Jesus is the only intersessor between humans and God.
teaching that there is a place called purgatory.
there is no mention of such a place in the Bible.
there are catholics who are Christians but not many.
Christians belief Jesus Christ is God and that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.