Do Protestants *really* know their faith better than Catholics do?

Question

I have seen this assertion made by both Protestants and Catholics (!) on Y!A the past few days, and I find it suspicious.

When a Catholic becomes easily confused about his church's teaching regarding Mary, is that really any worse than a Protestant being ignorant of his own church's history?

When a Catholic thinks he is earning his salvation (as opposed to the actual Catholic teaching of *participation* in salvation), is that any worse than a Protestant thinking the sinner's prayer saved him?

When a Protestant has been taught a sales pitch, does that really give him any more genuine knowledge of his faith than a Catholic who feels evangelism is best left to those called to ministry', and so isn't practiced in the art of selling his faith?

Kiwi, you make a good point. I've definitely observed that a lot of Evangelical and Fundamentalist type Protestants use memorization of Bible verses and talking points as a substitute for depth of knowledge. It is a mistake to assume that the ability to quote Bible verses and talk circles around an opponent indicates true knowledge of the faith.

Answer 1

I agree.

The average Protestant probably knows as much about his faith as the average Catholic.

It is the above average Protestants who are seeking out any Catholic and finding the average and sometimes even the below average ones. The "good" stories of the uneducated Catholics are shared and publicized. The stories of educated Catholics who held their own in a conversation or, heaven forbid, found the Protestant a bit unlearned that are not publicized.

Remember, neither Protestants or Catholics are Gnostics who need to know stuff to achieve salvation. It is our relationship with God and what we believe that counts not the amount of stuff that we know. An average Christian (Protestant or Catholic) does not need to be a theologian to be saved.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I don't think so. At least Catholics and Lutherans have catechisms and confirmation classes where they are taught the doctrine and the theology of their denomination. I know independence is strongly pushed in many protestant denominations, resulting in doctrinal differences from church to church, within the same group. Yet, even with classes and a catechism, we are still constantly in a state of learning. Every Lutheran pastor puts a new spin on old stories, teaches me new things about the history of Christianity and Lutheranism, encourages me to read different books and get new perspectives.
Unfortunately, there are those in every denomination who feel that only there way is the right way and that they know it ALL.

It was really sad when in a group of 4 Catholics and 1 Lutheran, I was the only one who could explain the meaning of Ash Wednesday. The response I recieved from the other ladies was "it's a holy day, we have to go". And this is just as true with many of my Lutheran friends. Heavens, I didn't even understand it till about 5 years agao when a pastor at our last church explained it at the beginning of the service! I don't know if I never learned it or if I had just forgotten.

I've been told by some protestants that my baptism isn't valid, and that I'm not really saved. Yet, as you stated, they often feel that saying the "sinner's prayer" saved them.

I think both sides could use some more education, some more understanding. We've recently finished a 3 month study on different Christian denominations and even a few cults. Upon asking my friends about some things that came up during the discussions, I was surprised that they were surprised by some of their own doctrine!

Answer 3

Honestly I think for many of us our knowledge is far short of what it should be. I know when I first came here I was surprised at my own lack of knowledge. I am trying desperately to correct that. Now as to this next part if you tell anyone I said it I will deny it. I think that the Catholic knowledge of the early church is amazing. I wish I knew as much about it. But I am not sure where to even start.

The ones on here who really depress me, and Catholics and Protestants both fit this, are the ones who say I believe that because my church says it is true. You should always be able to defend your beliefs. And someone told me it is this way is not a good defense.

Reading some of the answers on here let me add one of the worst thing is the my denomination is better than your denomination arguments. If you are a Christian that is what is important. Not if you are Catholic or Pentecostal. Christ is important. Denomination is not.

Answer 4

I will say this..... and yes I know I'll probably get hated on.......

but as a general statement, I find that Catholics, Episcopalians, and Lutherans seem to put more time into educating themselves about the roots of their beliefs, the church, etc. The other Protestants (Baptists, mainly) that I've come in contact with personally (not saying they're ALL this way) seem to go on blind faith and just repeat what they've heard Preacher Bill say behind his pul-pit (that's how it sounds when they say it, pul-pit) and I haven't known, well, any of them to research anything farther than that.

Catholics/Episcos/Lutherans on the other hand have books devoted to their faith and belief system. Every one I've ever met, such as Anonymous Lutheran for example, has at least taken time to research his or her church, where it came from, what beliefs they have v. other people's beliefs, etc.

Well, that's my answer, whether it's a good one or not. :-)

Answer 5

I think that there are people within each faith who are better acquainted with their faiths than others within their faiths. People are different all around, and some are more "intellectual" and some are not. But you cannot deny any of them their faiths, can you? I mean, not everyone is a Samson, some people are Davids, Moses', Marys, Marthas, Thomas', Pauls, etc. Some are "simple" in their faiths, some need the underpinnings of theologies, doctrines, dogmas, whatever, to base their faiths on. If only we ALL COULD have such intellectual abilities. But would you deny someone who has autistim or "Downs" to have their faith because they cannot "understand" it on an intellectual basis? I would hope not!

Even we who are "normal" may not have the interest in doing the "book-work" but are perfectly satisfied with allowing others in whom we TRUST to do that part FOR us, and then we will say, "Yes, that is what is right, as we believe in that." Afterall, isn't that what our faith is anyway? God has told us, and we trust and believe... Jesus has told us, and we trust and believe.... Jesus commissioned His disciples, and we are then to trust and believe them, shouldn't we?

Now, I can't understand why Lutherans continue to allow themselves to be categorized as "Protestants." As we were taught in our Confirmation classes ("we Lutherans" that is) Luther did not want to break from the Catholic church, he wanted to REFORM it, to CORRECT it, to put it back "on track." It was only those AFTER him (Calvin, etc) who broke AWAY from the Catholic Church. Didn't we just celebrate "Reformation Day"? Then, shouldn't Lutherans be more precisely described as "Reformed Catholics"???

I realize your question goes into a lot of issues, that brevity does not allow for completeness of response. But I hope that my point covers the gist of what your question asks.


Have a blessed day.

Answer 6

Thank you
When presenting one's own side one tends to put on display the brightest and most informed but many when 'exposing' some differing or opposing group focus on the ignorant ,the violators of the teachings and misguded and misinformed.

For an informed catholic can go to the official teachings,creeds, confessional statements and interpretations of the Catholic Church and an informed LC-MS person can go to the Confessions and Smc. Articles and other prounouncementsof his or her traditions and magisterium(teaching office),but most protestants of the 30,00+ varieties have only their functionally infallible favorite pastors or teachers to go to.

Answer 7

here is what i think:

you don't compare the two. both are different as salt and pepper. the only similarity is that they're both flavourings. ok thats' a terrible metaphor.

they're like a stage play - one is an adaptation of the original work, more drama, exaggeration, and weird things, while the other remains the same without all the fancy schmancy things.

by the way, protestants are not protesting anything, we're called Christians because Christians = followers of Christ and we're doing just that. Catholics are not Christians because they follow Mary and the Saints more than anything else.

so i think you should change your question to "DO Christians *really* know their faith better than Catholics do?" :)

and so to answer your question:
it's not even the same religion between the two. so yes christians know their faith better than catholics do about the christian faith, and the catholics know their faith better than christians do about their catholic faith.

Answer 8

Most Protestants do know their church's history...for they are not as brutal or complicated as the Catholic Church history....I know the Penacostal history, quite well...

As a matter of fact,,if his heart is sincere and he is really seeking God, it can...it is his connection to God...it is a way for a new convert to understand how to reach God..Most don't know how to pray..it is all new to them. So, yes you can be saved through the use of the sinner's prayer...but getting saved and living for God are two separate issues..some get saved and try to return to the pig sty they came from...this is not true repentance,,so just saying the words will not save them...believing them, saves them...

Catholics are not encouraged to read their Bible..the very source of their faith...when you leave your salvation up to others, you usually get a lot of untruth along with the truth...the Bible says to work out your own salvation with much fear and trembling....Preachers and teachers are there to help you, not to be the final authority.

Answer 9

the catholic church has a single clearly defined body of dogma. it is therefore possible for a roman catholic to be either correct or in error when he refers to the beliefs of his church.

there is no corresponding body of dogma for 'the protestant church'. there is not even any corresponding body of dogma for any of the 1001 protestant flavours. there is no book you can go to which will tell you what pentecostals believe definitively; there is no single authority who can answer any question you could ask about congregationalist tenets (the pope and the curia serve this purpose for the catholic church).

so by definition a protestant will know his faith better than a catholic. there is no agreed body of dogma for protestants, so anything a protestant says goes.

the protestant churches both approve and oppose capital punishment; accept abortion and consider it anathema; acknowledge darwin and declare a single literal creation. and a heap of other junk too.

catholics may be wrong (as any catholic who dates protestantism as late as the sixteenth century is most certainly wrong: hus burned in 1415), but at least they know what they are talking about.

a protestant may be right (in fact a protestant has to be right - whatever he says), but it is all blather.

Answer 10

This is the problem with "religion". Religion is man made legalilties, rules, regulations and rituals on how to worship God. I - personally - have chosen to be non denominational. I believe that the only way is to base your belief system and model your life after Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't like religion and all it's trappings. He said, "Follow me". We are to live our lives as a mirror image of Christ and abide by his teachings and commandments of loving God with your whole being and loving others as yourself. It sound simple but it is truly the right path. If every "religious" person dropped their religion and followed Christ only then there wouldn't be so much controversy and disagreements between believers.