Why do people separate the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations?

Answer 1

Your question points to Catholic vs. Protestant. It points to a divide between those who recognize the authority of the Church (Catholics), and those who don't (protestant). Every non-Catholic Christian denomination you see is Protestant. The reason there are so many is because of disagreements over doctrine/beliefs/personal disputes, and anything else you can think of. They fracture, split into separate churches, and then each claim to have the correct teachings of Christ while putting down the other.

The Catholic Church is the only church founded by Christ. She has faithfully protected, taught, and preserved His teachings for 2,000 years. She is the only church with authority that comes from Christ. Period. This is why anyone looking to become Christian (or looking for the true church) should follow the examples of the early Christians. In the days of the apostles, there was only one Church in existence. If someone wanted to be Christian, they had to go to the Church that Christ set down, and there they would receive the fullness of truth. Looking back into history like this will factually help anyone to better understand the origins of our Faith, and show them the original Church that Jesus gave us.

God bless.

Answer 2

Catholics Christians differ significantly from Protestant Christians in their origins, beliefs, and practices, so there's plenty of good reasons to make a genuine distinction. Catholicism is not a denomination. It is THE Church ... original and authentic ... founded by Jesus Christ ... while he still walked the earth. The bare minimum Catholic standard for Christianity is water baptism, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Many Protestants refuse to go even that far. Unfortunately today, with some 50,000 different Protestant denominations, all professing widely varying doctrines, and all still claiming to be Christian, only God can properly sort things out. We hope.

Answer 3

What did Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformer, state about the Bible? In his "Commentary On St. John," he stated the following: "We are compelled to concede to the Papists that they have the Word of God, that we have received It from them, and that without them we should have no knowledge of It at all." Regardless of what non-Catholic Christians may think or say, according to secular, objective historians, the Catholic Church alone preserved Sacred Scripture throughout the persecution of the Roman Empire and during the Dark Ages. All non-Catholic Christian denominations owe the existence of the Bible to the Catholic Church alone. Why did God choose the Catholic Church to preserve Scripture if It is not His Church

Answer 4

There are so many denominations for several reasons. (1) Each denomination has a slightly different doctrine or emphasis from the others. (2) As people started churches, they simply gave them different names. (3) Denominations are good in that if you attended a Baptist church in one town, and then moved to another town, you could attend a similar Baptist church in the new town. The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther. The Methodists got their name because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with “methods” for spiritual growth. Presbyterians are named for their view on church leadership - the Greek word for elder is "presbyteros." Baptists got their name because they have always emphasized the importance of baptism.



We, as believers, must believe the same on the essentials of the faith, but beyond that there is great latitude in how a Christian should worship, serve, and live his life. This latitude is what causes so many different flavors of Christianity. Diversity is a good thing, but disunity is not. If two churches disagree doctrinally, it is fine that they remain separate. This separation, though, does not lift the responsibility Christians have to love one another (1 John 4:11-12) – and ultimately be united as one in Christ (John 17:21-22).

Answer 5

It's obvious from the responses you're getting that the majority of people who protest the loudest about Catholicism and exclude us from "their" definition of Christianity don't have a clue about what we really believe. I can refute each of the objections that have been posted here, but it would take a long post. If people want more information, they can edit their posts, and I'll be happy to reply.

In some cases, the problem is ignorance (in the sense of not knowing) about Church doctrine. Instead of asking a Catholic who has studied our faith and knows why we believe what we believe, they are content to accept what they've been told by a pastor or teacher.

And in other cases, the reason is pure D-bigotry. The person may have heard the reasons why Catholics are Christians but has willfully chosen to disregard what we've told them. They've made up their minds and refuse to listen out of hatred or prejudice.

Those are the folks that I feel most sorry for. They hate their Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ without cause.

Answer 6

Because the other Christian denominations refuse, for what ever reason, to attend the Catholic Church. In reality, anyone who has gone and seen for themselves, know that there is not much difference (barring the weird sects) .
Oh, and did I mention, that there is a lot of ignorance about the Catholic Church, and it's doctrines?

Answer 7

Because of the unique teachings of the Catholic church. Their teachings differ literally from all other Christian denominations, therefore making them uniquely separate.

Answer 8

God is a unifying power. Mankind, in it's fallen nature, is divisive; so divisive in fact that it has taken Christianity and divided it into 33,000 (and counting) denominations.

Under these circumstances, in my opinion, I do not think it wrong for one to identify him/herself with the denomination they are a part of; Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Evangelical, etc.

I think people take these divisions too far. They come from the understanding that their denomination is one of many, and start to believe their's is the only legit denomination; implying that the other denominations aren't Christian at all.

I started by saying God is a unifying power. Conversely, this means satan is a, no - "the", dividing power.

Divide and conquer, the axiom goes.

Most Christians believe it wrong to forge interdenominational unity at the expense of doctrinal beliefs, but that does not mean we have to fight amongst ourselves. There has been too much of that in the past, and the misguided are using it's propaganda value to further divide Christianity.

Such people do not know as much history as they would like to believe. They are attempting to forge breakdowns in Christian unity. Complete breakdowns have occurred before, and Christianity has suffered a number of civil wars because of it.

Answer 9

Catholic,Protestant, and Mormon churches currently in USA have places to grow into the Lord. The basic difference is the Catholic faith has accepted, I believe it is 7 books, that most Protestant (and probably Mormon) denominations reject. While I was raised in a Protestant congregation, and became a deacon, I believe the Catholics have that piece correct presently.

Answer 10

Because the Catholic church is more different. It is more legalistic and has some apocryphal books in their Catholic Cannon and also they add to the Word of God in their Catacism.

Other denominations are started from Lutheran & don't like apocryphal books. But they have some added things in their Catacism too. Like confess to the confessor as if the confessor is God. Then, the denominations differ about this rule or that rule and some don't accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit & some do. Some add denominational rules. Some are actually lawless saying it is OK to commit idolatry or fornications or adulteries as long as you go to church & give money.

What is sooo important is that Jesus has to be the Rock Foundation of His Church (Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, He Is the Lamb without blemish, that He bore our sins on the cross, that He raised from the dead for us, & he is sitting at the right hand of God.) That we are saved by Grace and not by works. That we must be born again, born of His Spirit, cleansed by His Blood, joint heirs with King Jesus, part of the family of God.