What differentiates a Catholic from a Protestant ?

Question

Are their temples seperate,do they worship a different God,are there clashes of ideology.........?

Answer 1

There are several very important differences between Catholics and Protestants. While there have been some attempts over the last several years to find common ground between the two groups, the fact is that the differences remain, and they are just as important today as they were at the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Following is brief summary of some of the more important differences.



One of the first major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism is the issue of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the sole source of God’s special revelation to mankind, and as such it teaches us all that is necessary for our salvation from sin. Protestants view the Bible as the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. This belief is commonly referred to as “Sola Scriptura” and is one of the “Five Solas” (sola being Latin for “alone”) that came out of the Protestant Reformation as summaries of some of the important differences between Catholics and Protestants.



While there are many verses in the Bible that establish it’s authority and it’s sufficiency for all matters of faith and practice, one of the clearest is 2 Timothy 3:16 where we see that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Catholics on the other hand reject the doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” and do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They believe that both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition are equally binding upon the Christian. Many Roman Catholics doctrines, such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc. have little or no basis at all in Scripture, but are based solely on Roman Catholic traditions. Essentially the Roman Catholic Church’s denial of “Sola Scriptura” and their insistence that both the Bible and their “Sacred Tradition” are equal in authority undermines the sufficiency, authority and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many of, if not all, the differences between Catholics and Protestants.



Another major but closely related difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is over the office and authority of the Pope. According to Catholicism the Pope is the “Vicar of Christ” (a vicar is a substitute), and takes the place of Jesus as the visible head of the Church. As such he has the ability to speak “ex cathedra” (with authority on matters of faith and practice), and when he does so his teachings are considered infallible and binding upon all Christians. On the other hand, Protestants believe that no human being is infallible, and that Christ alone is the head of the church. Catholics rely on apostolic succession as a way of trying to establishing the Pope’s authority. But Protestants believe that the church’s authority does not come from apostolic succession, but instead is derived from the Word of God. Spiritual power and authority does not rest in the hands of a mere man, but in the very Word of God recorded in Scripture. While Catholicism teaches that only the Catholic Church can properly and correctly interpret the Bible, Protestants believe that the Bible teaches that God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all born again believers, enabling all believers to understand the message of the Bible.



This is clearly seen in passages such as John 14:16-17: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (See also John 14:26 and 1 John 2:27). While Catholicism teaches that only the Roman Catholic Church has the authority and power to interpret the Bible, Protestantism acknowledges the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and that individual Christians can trust the Holy Spirit for guidance in reading and interpreting the Bible for themselves.



A third major difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is how one is saved. Another of the “Five Solas” of the reformation was “Sola Fide” (faith alone), which affirms the biblical doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-10). However, according to Roman Catholicism, man cannot be saved by faith alone in Christ alone. They teach that the Christian must rely on faith plus “meritorious works” in order to be saved. Essential to the Roman Catholic doctrine of salvation are the Seven Sacraments, which are: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, anointing of the sick, Holy Orders, and matrimony. Protestants believe that on the basis of faith in Christ alone, believers are justified by God as all their sins are paid for by Christ on the cross and His righteousness is imputed to them. Catholics on the other hand believe that Christ’s righteousness is imparted to the believer by “grace through faith,” but in itself is not sufficient to justify the believer. The believer must “supplement” the righteousness of Christ imparted to him with meritorious works.



Catholics and Protestants also disagree on what it means to be justified before God. To the Catholic, justification involves being made righteous and holy. They believe that faith in Christ is only the beginning of salvation, and that the individual must build upon that with good works because “man has to merit God’s grace of justification and eternal salvation.” Of course this view of justification contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture in passages such as Romans 4:1-12; Titus 3:3-7, as well as many others. On the other hand, Protestants distinguish between the one time act of justification (when we are declared righteous and holy by God based on our faith in Christ’s atonement on the cross), and sanctification (the ongoing process of being made righteous that continues throughout our lives on earth.) While Protestants recognize that works are important, they believe they are the result or fruit of salvation, but never the means to it. Catholics blend justification and sanctification together into one ongoing process, which leads to confusion about how one is saved.



A fourth major difference between Catholics and Protestants has to do with what happens after men die. While both believe that unbelievers will spend eternity in hell, there is significant and important differences as to what happens to believers. From their church traditions and their reliance of non-canonical books, the Catholics have developed the doctrine of purgatory. Purgatory, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, is a “place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” On the other hand, Protestants believe that because we are justified by faith in Christ alone, and that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us – when we die we will go straight to heaven to be in the presence of the Lord (Corinthians 5:6-10 and Philippians 1:23).



Yet even more disturbing about the Catholic doctrine of purgatory is the fact that they believe that man must or even can pay or make satisfaction for his own sins. This along with their misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about how man is justified before God, results in a low view of the sufficiency and efficiency of Christ’s atonement on the cross. Simply put, the Roman Catholic viewpoint on salvation implies that Christ’s atonement on the cross was not sufficient payment for the sins of those who believe in Him, and that even a believer must atone or pay for his own sins, either through acts of penance, or time in purgatory. Yet the Bible teaches over and over again that it is Christ’s death alone that can satisfy or propitiate God’s wrath against sinners (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). Our works of righteousness cannot add to what Christ has already accomplished.



While there are numerous other differences between what Catholics and Protestants believe, these four should be adequate to establish that there are serious differences between the two. In much the same way as the Judiziers (Jews who said that Gentile Christians had to obey the Old Testament law to be saved) that Paul wrote about in Galatians, Catholics, by making works necessary for one to be justified by God, end up with a completely different gospel. The differences between Catholicism and evangelical Protestants are important and significant.

Answer 2

Protestants were originally Catholics who opposed some of the practices and teachings of the Church at that time. Martin Luther and later Protestant theologians made the following contributions to Christianity:

Catholics held that not only scripture but sacred tradition was a source of dogma, including papal and episcopal opinion, writings of church fathers, etc. Protestants came up with the idea that -sola scriptura- only scripture should be the basis of belief.

Protestants cut the number of sacraments from 7 to 2. The Eucharist became Communion, and the difference was important. Catholics believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, that the host (the wafer), literally and really becomes the flesh of Christ when consecrated by the priest, and likewise for the wine as the blood of Christ. Protestants either believe, usually, that the wafer is not physically Christ, but is spiritually Christ, or that the communion is done merely as a memorial to Christ.

Protestants allowed priests of marry, and now allow women to be ministers. Catholics, of course, do not. Catholicism has a rigid hierarchy based on the idea of apostolic succession, while protestant churches are less hierarchical or have no hierarchy whatsoever.

Protestants usually believe that once you are "saved" by Christ, it is eternal. Catholics generally believe that you are "saved" but that you do not automatically become free of all your future sins when you are saved.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. Remember that Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and the sort of new age Christianity exist. There are different kinds of Catholics, Roman, Byzantine, Eastern, etc. There are hundreds of Protestant denominations, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian. What I call new age Christians: Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses. And then some Christians don't really fit in any group, but are strongly related to one or more, such as Anglicans/ Episcopalians.

Hope that helps or gives you some terms to look up in Wikipedia or the like.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church is the original Church that was founded by Jesus, the third divine person of the Holy Trinity.

Jesus is fully God and fully man and one in being with the Father and the Holy Spirit at the same time. This is possible because God can do anything He wants to do.

The Protestants broke away from the original ancient Catholic Christian faith and invented new ways to interpret the Bible.

The Protestants couldn't agree with each other so they keep splitting and splitting endlessly based on each person's private interpretation of Scripture. Interestingly, the Bible condemns private interpretation of Scripture when it is divorced from the authority of the Church.

The authority of the Church was first with Peter, and then the other apostles. Just as today, it is first with the Pope, and then with the other bishops when they are in union with the Pope. The word that describes this Church authority is call the Magisterium.

In Protestantism, there is no real authority, and it's all opinion divorced from the original interpretation of Scripture.

More at this website:

Catholic Answers
http://www.catholic.com/
.

Answer 4

the protestatism has difference point of views of the Bible, the catholic church has only one.. it´s Word of God and as well we have the tradition what is the tradition?the tradition are the things are not written in the bible, but they were transmitted in oral way to the apostles, the protestants only accept the Bible, when they forget the new testament was decided for the catholic church, the catholic church decided what book will be in the canon.. the protestants are againts the bible they dont have bishops when the saint paul talks about the bishops and leaders.. they only have pastors without any authority.. the protestants dont accept the Holy Communion.. most of them dont celebrate when jesus said it has to be celebrated until he come back.. the protestants deny mary as the mother of God.. when jesus it's God himself.. Mary it's just a mother for catholicism the mother of the believers.. the protestants follow some doctrines taken from the catholic church.. they believe in the salvation only for the grace.. when saint james say the good acts are necessary for the salvation not just the faith in jesus.. the protestants are not united... they are separate in different churches, some of them dont make difference between old testament and new testament some of them think the saturday it's the holy day and dont eat pig or stuff like that..the protestants believe in miracles very fast.. like those people fall in front of the pastor speaking in languages and believe in the raptor of the church.. it's a thing that's not biblical.. Jesus christ only made one church that's the catholic

Answer 5

There are many different type of Protestants. And different branches of Christianity that consider themselves to be Catholic. The Eastern Orthodox Churches, The Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church all consider themselves to be 'Catholic'. Most worship in a 'church', not a temple. They all worship the same God. There are differences of theology. You can see it here on this form. The biggest clash is between the Roman Catholics who are representing all of the 'Catholics' most of the time here, and the 'born again' Christians who are very vocal, but not well educated on the history, or traditions of the church. Those are the two extreme ends. There are other, Protestant church that are in the middle.

The oldest is the Orthrodox. Roman broke away in 1054, but they say that the East broke away. Then during the Reformation the different Protestant groups broke away from Roman, in the Western church. There are major differences of believe and practice between all Catholics and most Protestants. But all believe that Jesus was God, son of God, died, buried and rose from the dead. The sum of our believe is in the Nicene Creed.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11049a.htm

Answer 6

If you walked into a protestant church, and then a Catholic church, you may not notice the difference. They are similar. They both use similar prayers, such as the Apostolic and Nicean creeds. The protestants tend to historically disagree with Catholic ideology, but in reality, they are now not that different. Our similarities are far greater than our differences. In fact, there is talk about the Anglicans (about 100 million worldwide) rejoining the Catholic Church, which would be wonderful, because then my wife and I would both be Catholic.

Answer 7

"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 8

Protestant definition derives from martin Luther...a a former catholic priest and a variety of kingdoms "protesting" the presence of catholics, disagreeing with their theology etc, the difference is Catholicism represents the original teachings of Jesus Christ uncorrupted and handed down since the first pope...St. Peter, the catholic church meets are criteria that Jesus Christ established. Protestant denominations are in the thousands scattered like dust in the wind and lamenting their differences, no salvation other than catholic church or orthodox church.

Answer 9

Sola Scriptura, or Scripture on my own, which alleges that the Bible – as interpreted by using the guy believer – is the only source of non secular authority and is the Christian’s sole rule of religion or criterion related to what's to be believed. by using this doctrine, that's between the foundational ideals of Protestantism, a Protestant denies that there is the different source of non secular authority or divine Revelation to humanity. The Catholic, on the different hand, holds that the instantaneous or direct rule of religion is the coaching of the Church; the Church in turn takes her coaching from the divine Revelation – the two the written observe, reported as Sacred Scripture, and the oral or unwritten observe, oftentimes occurring as "custom." The coaching authority or "Magisterium" of the Catholic Church (headed by using the Pope), even although no longer itself a source of divine Revelation, although has a God-given undertaking to interpret and teach the two Scripture and custom. Scripture and custom are the sources of Christian doctrine, the Christian’s distant or oblique rule of religion for sure those 2 perspectives on what constitutes the Christian’s rule of religion are antagonistic to a minimum of one yet another, and everyone who truly seeks to stick to Christ might desire to be constructive that he follows the only that is authentic.

Answer 10

Christian Protestant and Catholicism Theologies:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/catholic_protestant.htm
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/catholicism.htm

Eastern Orthodox:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/denominations/orthodoxy.htm

Answer 11

Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism differ on the role of the Pontiff (Pope). For Catholics the Pope (and the Church hierarchy) decides faith and morals. This is the major difference.

Protestantism rejects that need.

Answer: Both believe in the same God, the worship in separate church, and their idealogy differs.