what is the difference between a catholic and christian?

Question

can anyone tell me the major differences?

Answer 1

What type of Christianity are you talking about. Because the Lutherans differ from the Calvinists who differ from the Baptists who differ from the Methodists who differ from the Pentecostals and so on and so on. The one main thing all of those have in common is that they all derived from the Catholic Church in some way, shape, or form. They are all reformed religions. If they believe the Catholic church to be false how can it's split offs be correct? If a tree is dead does it produce live branches?
Some differences are
They don't believe the Pope to be Holy or infallible
They don't believe in a proper lineage of priesthood authority even though that's what the Bible teaches
They all differ when it comes to baptism (how to do it, if at all and how old must the person be)
The list goes on.
All I know is that God is not the author of such confusion... Man is.

Answer 2

There is some common ground, but also major differences.

1. Authority - Protestants believe the Bible is the final authority, catholics claim the Bible, tradition and the hierarchy.

2. Salvation by grace alone or the sufficiency of grace. Protestants believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. Catholics believe that grace started the process, but justification is not sure or complete until death, hence the need for purgatory, last rites, confession, the mass, etc..

3. The priesthood of all believers - Protestants believe in the priesthood of all believers, catholics believe it is a special office.

4. Papal infallibility - Protestants do not recognize this, we believe all men are sinners in need of a savior and no human is infallible in what they say.

5. Mary - Protestants believe she bore the child Jesus, was a sinner, needed a savior, had other children and died. Catholics would disagree on most of these points.

Answer 3

A Christian is one who knows and adheres to the teachings of Jesus Christ. A Catholic is one who adheres to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church that uses some scriptures from the bible, ignoring others, but also adheres to teachings of men that often contradict scripture from the bible..a thing in opposition to scripture."Do not add or take away."..and " Do not go beyond that which is written." Accurate knowledge of the scriptures is absolutely necessary so as to be able to discern the true requirements of God.

Answer 4

There is no difference, since Catholics are Christians; were the first Christians; were the only Christians for 1,500 years after Christ; and are the only Christians Christ ever intended to exist. What you are looking for is the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

Catholicism is simply Christianity pure and complete, the embodiment of the stated will of God, "that they all may be one". Protestantism (which of course is not one church but thousands of unauthorized, mutually conflicting manmade churches) is a human institution whose existence is in direct violation of the stated will of God. Catholicism is the fullness of Christian truth, as revealed by its founder, Jesus Christ, the only Church founded by Him and the only Church He ever intended to exist. Protestantism is a mix of some Christian truth, retained from their Catholic roots, and various traditions of men that originated with their many human founders. Just which truths are taught and which are rejected depends of course on just which denomination you look at, since they each define truth differently. Catholic teaching fully conforms to the teaching of the Bible, which you would expect since the Catholic Church produced the Bible for its own use. Protestant teaching does not conform to the Bible on m any different points. This is obvious because the teaching of each Protestant denomination conflicts with the teaching of the others, and truth cannot conflict with truth. Much Protestant teaching is therefore objectively false, and false teaching cannot conform to the Bible. This situation is due largely to the unbiblical human tradition of sola scripture, by which Protestants reject the God-given authority of the Church Christ founded, and make their own interpretations of the Bible their only authority. One would expect doctrinal chaos to result from such an approach, and that plainly has been the result. The teaching of the Catholic Church has been constant and pure for 2,000 years, with no separation into squabbling denominational churches. You would expect this to be so since Christ Himself told the leaders of the early Catholic Church, "whatsoever you bind upon earth is bound in heaven"; "the Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth"; "He who hears you hears Me". God is faithful to His promises. In short, Catholics believe everything that all Christians on earth believed from the time of Christ until a few hundred years ago, because all Christians on earth were Catholic until a few hundred years ago. Just as Christ said it should be.

Answer 5

Nothing. Catholics are Christians. The first Christians.

Answer 6

Christian is the broad term. Catholics are Christian, as are protestants, etc.

Answer 7

Catholics are Christians.

Christians are people that believe Jesus was the Christ. Catholics are a specific sect (group) of Christians. Some other sects are Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists...You get the idea.

If you want more specific info on catholics, feel free to email me.

Answer 8

Catholics ARE Christian.
Protestantism branched From Catholicism. Ever hear of Martin Luther? (Not Martin Luther King Jr.) Look it up. Jesus' Apostle Paul was our first Pope. Jesus founded the Church, He told Paul that "Upon this Rock, you will build My Church." The Rock, of course being Himself~ the Lord Our God.

Answer 9

Catholics ARE Christians!

Answer 10

I agree with Brother Michael.