What’s the difference between Catholic and protestant?

Answer 1

Catholicism was the first truly organised church of the christian faith. Protestants are a splinter off the catholic church because men such as Johannes Calvyn and Martin Luther protested against the corruption of the catholic church at that time. The first protestants, as those today, also believed that making Mary a saint, praying through Mary and the Saints, are blasphemous and wrong. Here's a short list:
Catholics include the apocrypha in their bible, protestants don't. Catholics believe in prayer to saints, protestants don't. Catholics believe that good works have personal merit, protestants believe that good works are the result of divine inspiration and thus have no personal merit. Catholics believe the results of the Fall of Man is corruption and sin; protestants believe the result is total depravity and guilt. Catholics believe that the authority of their faith is both scripture and tradition while Protestants believe in only scripture.
There's many more and all of them are doctrinal differences, not differences of faith itself. They all believe in god, the trinity, the divinity of Jesus, etc.
Hope this helps...
EDIT: I'm sorry to say, but the Anglican church of England is probably 95% the same as the catholic church and the only reason Henry VIII broke with Rome was because he wanted to divorce and marry as he wished. It was NOT because of faith that he did it and would take another 100 years before the Protestant movement truly got off the ground and gained momentum. Elizabeth I is portrayed as being the first protestant monarch of England but even that is not truly confirmed. Of course the wide momentum of the protestant movement led to much persecution by the catholic church and led many protestants to flee Europe, going to the newly established colonies. That is why in most ex-colonies you'll find the Catholic church is not very strong and most of the descendants of the old colonists are Protestant. Except for South America of course, which is 100% Catholic due to the Spanish invasions.

Answer 2

Catholic is said to be the religion founded by Jesus and means "universal". Protestant religions are mostly based on the catholic religion, but with some changes. For example, being allowed to divorce, or having more than one spouse. Some protestant religions are more relaxed and bend the rules of catholicism, and other are more technical and strict. Either way, all catholics and protestants are Christian (meaning they all believe in Christ, not specifically the protestant Christian religion.)

Answer 3

Roman 'Catholicism' depends on what is called 'Tradition'. Tradition is supposedly divine revelation. However, the Romanists also acknowledge the Bible, or Scripture, as divine revelation. They do not make their Tradition into Scripture, though. The reason for this is probably because to do that would get them described as heretical.

From their 'Tradition', Romanists get all of their own teachings, which not only cannot be proved from the Bible, they actually contradict the Bible. All of their distinctive teachings are directed into taking power and initiative from ordinary people and giving it to priests and bishops, who have historically been established and controlled by governments. In other words, 'the Catholic Church' is an interfering, socially unacceptable political cult of right-wing tendencies. Its existence is hardly appropriate in the modern world.

The word 'Protestant' applies to those who protested at the heretical teachings of the Romanist cult and its moral scandals, and who still protest at them today. They say that people have no need of priests, and that everything that God has revealed is in the Bible, and that nothing else can be relied on in spiritual matters. The word 'Protestant' may be due to the acts of protestation, it may come from the Latin 'pro testamentum', meaning 'for the witness' or 'for the pure gospel'.

There is no such word as 'protestant'. Many people today use it uncapitalised, either out of lack of education, or they deliberately use that spelling because they do not like the gospel and wish the political cult of Rome to be regarded as the norm.
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Answer 4

Too complicated to answer. It is a matter of interpretation. Originally, Protestants, from Luther and Calvin etc, were unsatisfied with the Catholic Church and its perceived corruptions, and chose to take a more literal interpretation of the bible, strict adherence to scripture. Catholicism still maintains a lot of what Protestants believe is unnecessary ceremony. Of course, there are variations in doctrines, as noted above.

Answer 5

Originally there was no distinguishable difference except that the King (Henry VIII) was the head of the Church in England as opposed to being governed by Rome.

China, for example, is intolerant of Roman Catholics because of their alliegence to a ruling body outside of the state.

Protestantism obviously developed in a lot of ways and has many factions and manifestations -

The word "Catholic" means "universal" and many Christian denominations who are not Roman Catholic consider themselves "catholic" in that they share core beliefs with the universal Church - So High Anglicans often call themselves Catholic - since they are the Catholic Church of England as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church.............

Answer 6

"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.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

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.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

One starts with 'C' and ends in 'C' whilst the other starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'. The real difference is that the protestants don't honour the virgin mother of Christ. In recent years the protestants have declared that it's not necessary to believe in the virgin birth to be a christian, some advocate homosexual marriage and other strange ideas antithetical to the revealed truths of christianity. They are basically glorified welfare workers, 'more tea vicar', they don't appear to have a serious spiritual agenda. The church of england was started by henry8th when he was refused a divorce by the pope so it's not even a real religion. On the other hand catholics are alsp prone to corruption, they rejected many biblical texts at the council of nicea about 360ad. It was constantine who first embraced christianity more for political expediency than spiritual life. On the whole it appears that catholicism is the original form of organised christianity and protestantism arose as a protest at some of the excesses of the church and it's philosophies like an infallible pope etc. The real spirit of christianity is found in the gospels and the dead sea scrolls whereas modern day churches appear to be more politically motivated than otherwise. Trust your heart, listen to the still small voice that tells you what is right and what is wrong, read the scriptures. It is dangerous to just blindly follow.

Answer 8

Catholics acknowledge Mother Mary in Jesus Christ's life. While Protestants just believe that Mother Mary is just a mother who isn't anything special. Some Protestants do not include some books in the Bible in their own Bible.

Answer 9

catholics accept the authority of the pope.

according to catholic belief jesus in his ministry on earth set up a church to continue his work when he delegated his authority to the apostle peter (matthew 16:18).

catholics believe that the current pope is the direct inheritor of peter's authority, and that christ's main message is the one taught by his church (of course the bible is the most important single aspect of that message).

....

protestantism began in 1420 with jan hus. protestants deny that the pope is christ's representative on earth, and rely only on the bible for christ's message.

so catholics believe jesus left a church; protestants believe that jesus left a book.

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a complicating factor is that many protestants also believe that the king of england is god's representative on earth. when henry viii of england rejected the pope he made himself the vicar of god on earth in the pope's place. some (but not all) protestants still base their teaching on what they call the 'authorised' version of the bible. (also called the 'king james version').

king james i of england made a special translation of the bible which was holy to protestants (who believed that the king of england was god's representative on earth).

no other church believes that anyone would be able to 'authorise' a bible (except god of course).

Answer 10

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the protestant faith may be a splinter from catholicism. If its not I'll be watching your board for the answer. Interesting question, well done.