What are the main differences between Protestantism and Catholicism?

Question

Personally?
I have no idea. I haven't study anything about Protestantism.

I don't care about your opinion of which is correct/false/what have you.
I just want facts.

Sue En,
I am a Catholic. That's not how it works.
And I'm asking about the religious beliefs. Not some sort of propaganda.

Answer 1

There are three main ones:

Protestants: Scripture alone as final authority
Catholics: Scripture and Tradition in equal measures.

Protestants: Two Sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion.
Catholics: Seven Sacraments

Protestants: Holy Communion is a "memorial meal"
Catholics: Eucharist is Christ's Real Presence in the elements.

Answer 2

First, there are a lot of similarities, especially on the most important subjects. Both are sects of Christianity. Both worship only the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Both believe in the necessity of Christ’s death in order to achieve salvation. There are some differences between Catholicism and and Protestant sects, however. Here are the main ones:

1. Saints. Catholics will pray to saints, asking them to intercede on their behalf. Protestants don't do this, and don't really have saints. I believe one reason is they sometimes think of this as worship, naturally forbidden. Also, Catholics believe Mary was born without sin (the "immaculate conception"). Protestants do not.

2. Structure. Catholicism has a hierarchical structure with the pope at the top, then cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, other religious, and laypeople. This is not to say Catholics follow the pope mindlessly or above God, just that he acts as a father and a guide for the Church. Protestants do not have this structure, but rely on small self-governing communities.

3. The Bible. Because Protestants don't have a Church structure the way Catholics do, Protestants often end up paying a lot more attention to the Bible, memorizing passages etc. It seems to them that Catholics ignore the Scriptures and so the word of Christ. Some people even say that Catholics are forbidden from reading the Bible. That's all untrue. One big difference that is true, however, is that Protestants believe that God's will is solely expressed for us in the Bible. Catholics believe it is in the Bible and in the Church.

4. The Eucharist. Catholics say that the Eucharist is the essence of Christ, present with them. They worship Christ in and through the Eucharist. Protestants (generally) think the Eucharist is bread, symbolic of Christ, but not actually Christ.

5. Salvation. Generally, Protestants believe that salvation can only come from accepting Christ as your savior. Essentially, no matter how good a person is on their own, because they're not perfect, they wouldn't be able to make it to heaven if it weren't for Christ's sacrifice. Catholics believe this is true, but that you also have to 'walk the walk, not just talk the talk.' Salvation is based on the acceptance of Christ as savior combined with good works. Also, Catholics believe in Purgatory; most Protestants don't.

Answer 3

I've always understood the difference to be that catholics, when celebrating mass, believe that the Eucharist(communion) is the actual body and blood of Christ as the priest has the power to change it from bread and wine, whereas protestants only believe that communion is used as a symbol/remembrance of Christ's last supper, not the actual thing. And Catholics are Christians, as they too believe in Christ. I would know this because I was raised Catholic. Fyi....I'm an Athiest now but I know Catholicism better than the back of my hand so I thought I would at least clear that up for you.

Answer 4

Basically, Protestantism believe only in the authority of the Bible where Catholics believe in the Bible and Catholic tradition. Catholics acknowledge the authority of the Pope while Protestants reject him because they believe that each person should determine what is correct for themselves based on their interpretation of the Bible.Catholics have a high respect for Mary while Protestants do not.
Catholics believe in the True Presence of Jesus in Communion( meaning it literally become him) and Protestants believe it is a symbolic gesture.

This is a basic overview and there are obviously some differences in the different denominations of protestantism.

Answer 5

Alot, I'd say about 80 percent of what Protestants and Catholics believe is the same. It's the 20% that the Protestants reject. The importance of Mary, sacraments, scripture and tradition, Church authority, etc. I believe as Catholics we should work towards unity as the Catechism states.

Toward unity

820 "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time."277 Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me."278 The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.279

Answer 6

From what I've seen of my coworkers through the years, majority, catholics, they do what they want through the week, then go to confession, and confess their sins, pay penance and everything is ok. They're going to heaven. Also, if a catholic does something heroic or very sacrificial they think they are guaranteed a place in heaven. Nothing could be futher from the truth according to the Bible. The more responibility you have the more you're accountable for. May God have mercy on the priests.

Answer 7

Protestants stayed away from praying to saints, no priesthood and no penance. Pretty much, they did their best to function as Jesus intended the Church to function.

Jesus abolished the "high priesthood", since He is the High Priest. In the New Testament, anyone who has accepted Him is considered a "priest", because we can all come to God - we don't have to confess to a priest to be "absolved" of sin, we can go directly to God Himself, since we bear the Name of Jesus, the One and only High Priest, who stands as an Advocate.

It also says in scripture that "there is one Mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ". So, praying to special saints is not scriptural. As a matter of fact, saints are not as exalted as made to be. The definition of saint is servant or minister. Anyone who loves and serves Jesus is a saint. I don't need beatification - I am a saint.

There are many differences. But, for any church who believes in Jesus, loves Jesus, serves Jesus and knows that He is God, Savior and Lord - whether they are Catholic or Protestant, that level of commonality is shared, despite the stark doctrinal differences.

Answer 8

I am a non denominational Christian. I believe that all religion is man's attempt to control others with rules and doctrines. I believe that Jesus and only Jesus is the head of His church. l believe in the Bible as the written Word of God and I believe that the Bible is God's complete message to us and we do not need any other doctrines or rules because His Word is the final information and instruction to us.

I believe that nothing that we can do can make us acceptable to God for forgiveness of our sins and sin nature. I believe that what Jesus did when He died on the cross is our redemption and nothing else. Jesus alone is my Lord and my Savior. IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS.

Answer 9

Catholicism - divine founder, fullness of truth, fullness of grace, the will of God.

Protestantism - many human founders, partial truth, partial grace, direct violation of the stated will of God "that they all may be one".

And, no, the Catholic Church did not want to "destroy" anyone who believed its own book, which was compiled by Catholic bishops for the sole use of the Catholic Church. Does bigotry have no limits???

Answer 10

Protestantism- Jesus is the son of God, He was born to a virgin, lived as a human, was betrayed, beaten, crucified, died, rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven and now sits on the right hand of God. Because He died and rose from the grave, Jesus intercedes for us with God. We can bring our problems directly to the Son of God and God will hear and deem us clean because of His son.

Catholicism- Jesus is the son of God, He was born to a virgin, lived as a human, was betrayed, beaten, crucified, died, rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven and now sits on the right hand of God. However, they believe that you get intercession through a priest and a priest only. The priest brings it to Christ and thus we are absolved. They also reccommend penance.

I was born and raised a Catholic and am glad for what they provided in me for my moral and basic spiritual growth. I now go to a different church and am finding fulfillment that I craved but was not receiving from the catholic church.