what is the difference from Catholics and Christians?

Question

i am a catholic and i have always thought the christianity was the same thing just useing a different name for the religion.
dont tell me this is a stupid question because i really dont know and i want to know really bad =)

Answer 1

Christian is the term for anyone who believes in Christ. This can include a whole bunch of religions. Catholicism is one of these religions. Catholics have certain laws and customs that they follow whereas other Christians may not. If someone considers themself "Christian" as their religion it just means that they follow Christ. They do not follow rules or customs of a particular religion.

Answer 2

I can only speak in general about what the different denominations believe because not all churches are the same. The reason is because of Protestantism.

The Catholic Church as been around since Christ founded her 2,000 years ago. She has preserved, taught, and protected His teachings from the beginning.

Most Christians - catholic and protestant - have the same basic beliefs: that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, in His life, death and resurrection, repentance and forgiveness of sins, and the hope of eternal life. After this, it's difficult to explain.

Protestantism is a break from the Catholic Church around the year 1500, and includes all non-Catholic Christian churches.

When one tries to understand what Protestants teach, they soon discover that there are as many different beliefs as there are protestants. The reason is that Protestantism fractures every time there is a difference of opinion about belief. This is why we have over 54,000 different protestant denominations. When faced with this daunting number, someone trying to find the true teachings of Christ would feel this is impossible. Ironically, while each denomination is different from the other, they each claim to have Christ's true teachings and each condemn the other. It's crazy.

For the fullness of Christ's teachings and to be part of the Church He originally set down, we must study and live our Catholic Christian faith.

God bless and take care.

Answer 3

Christianity is a religion which has many different forms, or denominations. Roman catholicism, for example, is one denomination. Protestants, are another type of Christianity with innumerable denominations, such as Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. So, if you are Catholic, whether Roman or Orthodox, you are a Christian, just a different type of Christian. Also, I disagree that the Catholic Bible is all that different from any other Christian Bible. All Bibles contain the same basic books, but some denominations choose to include or exclude other books, such as the apocrypha, which are just as old, and can be just as valuable. What all Christians have in common is that they belief that Jesus is the son of God, and that he is our savior. I hope that this answers your question.

Answer 4

Catholics believe that it is the Church's responsibility to interpret scripture; Protestants believe that each individual can interpret scripture personally.

Catholics believe that Communion is the actual flesh and blood of Christ; Protestants believe that it is merely symbolic.

Catholics believe in asking for intercession from the Virgin Mary and the Saints as they are part of the Church in Heaven; Protestants believe that Jesus is our only intercessor and pray to/through him.

The Catholic Bible has 6 additional books in the Old Testament that were removed by Protestant leaders.

Catholics believe that confession/repentance must be made with God and a Priest; Protestants believe that repentance can be made with God alone.


These aren't the only differences, but some of the major ones.

Answer 5

"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 6

The Romans made a government religion in old roman days... in order to subdue the earth... as time went by they made rules that gave them more power... they had this secret book written in Latin thinking no one would get what it said... but then humans got smart and the went about translating this book now called the bible in common languages... so the church kept saying this book is from god... actually the book was from the church alone... but people started to believe the book came from this god... So people started to reason this "book from god" and then started saying well if the book said this then god means that... christianity is what began... but the catholics took offense the christians took offense but the maker of catholicism said if people are going to fight like that... I might as well be god to more... they will never get me... so then now there is the catholics and their government now the pope and SATAN.. because the christians say god don't say that and the god of the catholic church says yes god says that... so the bible keeps changing according to the christians who should have just said this book is lies and the catholic churches god. whom the christians now call god... again some life goes on the bible getting bigger and bigger cause no one seems to understand it.... the book itself says satan is god of earth... from the stand point of the book. and the truth be known.... Satan is the ONLY one calling himself god to all nations. There is some prophecies that include that the blind will see... so in today's world we are trying to explain to the blind that their book does not come from god. And everything that works with it, falls to evil itself..

Answer 7

I have the same problem. Just I tried to give an answer to myself: I can be Christian but I do not indentify myself as a Catholic. Why? Jesus-The-Christ was a Prophet and did what He did, and said what He said. "The Church" is an Institution (made up by humans, with small "h"), and so, subjected to corruption ....

Answer 8

Catholics are one of many types of Christians. It's like different shades of a color. Take red for example; some people like a shade of red that is more purple, others like a more orange red. Most people believe what their parents teach them. Few ever study enough 'different' religions to realize that the real 'differences' in religions are cultural differences. So basically, you are right.

Answer 9

Catholic theology has been created and re written over the centuries where the church has given itself power to change laws and doctrines. Claiming the pope has a direct line to God, etc.

A church power that puts itself about the law of God and in changing God's laws is a dangerous creature.

The Catholic Bible is very different than the Christian Bible, rewriting of the ten commandments, praying to peter, Paul, and Mary, etc. Holy relics and bones, there is a lot of incorrect doctrine that is not in the Bible.

Answer 10

Yes as you know we Catholics are Christians. LOL I even had to defend our faith in a bookstore today. An older gentleman started in on how "all the Catholics he knows started reading their Bibles and became Baptist." Imagine his surprise when I stated I was raised Baptist and became Catholic. I then politely told him I had come to shop not be preached to and that I would frequent another book store. I was not rude. There are of course so many here who believe as such. Odd considering we do not call them non Christians.