Differences Between Catholics and Protestants

If you have ever wondered about the differences between Catholics and Protestants, this article has more information on the differences between the two Christian religions.

We conducted a survey to find out all the differences there could be between these two churches, and there are many...

The most obvious differences between the Protestant Church and the Catholic Church are in the area of ​​religious worship. However, they go far beyond that. The history, the object of worship, and the hierarchy within the Church are also different. Sometimes the differences are subtle, but sometimes they are blatant.

In this article, you will discover:

And if you want to deepen your knowledge on the difference between the Catholic and Orthodox religion, here is an article that shares more information with you:

• Difference between Catholic and Orthodox religion

Without further ado, let's get to the heart of the matter and discover together the differences between the Catholic and Protestant religions.

The History of the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church

The Catholic Church is most certainly the first true materialization of the Christian religion. For centuries, it imposed itself as the one and only institution that preached the gospel. But due to questionable practices within it, it ended up losing its hegemony. This is how the Reformed churches came into being.

The first Christian communities

The Christians of the first century were mainly the disciples of Jesus and their descendants. They made it their mission to preach the good word wherever they went. They decided to begin their long journey in the Roman world.

It was only from the 2nd and 3rd centuries that we can really speak of a Church. Before that, Christian communities were associated with sects that had emerged from Judaism. On the other hand, we do not know exactly when Christianity was separated from Judaism. However, we do know that all Christians of the time eventually became unified.

The Catholic Church since Constantine

Constantine was the emperor who decided to convert the Roman Empire to Christianity. This decision allowed the Christian religion to gain strength. Indeed, since this event, the vast majority of the Roman population had converted to Christianity. From there, the Catholic churches began to structure themselves. The hierarchy of religious leaders began to take shape. The pope, monks and bishops could now officiate, and their status was officially recognized.

Between the years 800 and 1300, we witness what is commonly known as "the hegemony of the Church in Europe". During this period, the most significant events are:

• The separation of the Eastern and Western Churches;
• The affirmation of the papacy;
• The impacts of the Church on society, culture and morals.

We will not dwell on these events, because they have no bearing on the subject that really interests us.

The Crisis of the Catholic Church

Between 1300 and 1500, the Church faced a major crisis. Indeed, the authority of the Pope began to be increasingly criticized. Furthermore, the West began to show less and less conviction regarding the flourishing of Christianity.

Circumstances (added to a succession of events) gave rise to the idea of ​​the need for reform, which resulted in the birth of the Protestant churches.

The Protestant Reformation

When we talk about Protestant Reformation, the first names that should come to mind are: Martin Luther and John Calvin. The first being at the origin of the Lutheran Church, and the second of the Protestant Church.

The need for religious reform was largely justified by the bad practices within the Church. But to this were added the fallacious doctrines. Indeed, the Church was accused of selling salvation in order to fill its coffers.

All these scandals eventually gave rise to several Reformed churches. Apart from Lutherans and Calvinists, there were also Presbyterians and Anabaptists. In England, the Anglican Church was born.

It is important to note that the Catholic Church was also forced to make changes within itself. This Catholic Reformation was initiated by Pope Paul III in 1545, and is, in a way, a response to Protestantism. This counter-reformation is mainly focused on strengthening the foundations of the Catholic faith.

The foundations of faith

The Gospel

The Protestant faith is based solely on the Word of God. As a result, the Bible is the only reference in this religion. Believers do not engage in any practice that goes beyond the Gospel texts. Moreover, Reformed theology makes sacred texts the main object of study.

As for the Catholic faith, it is also largely based on the Bible. However, other sources corroborate their belief.

The Apocrypha

The apocrypha are texts that are not written in the Bible, but which are said to have been written by the same authors, and therefore to have completed it. Among Catholics, these pseudo-evangelical texts have the same value as the biblical texts themselves. Their faith is partly based on these apocrypha, and it is for this reason that they venerate God in a different way than Protestants.

Traditions

Traditions are also one of the great pillars of Catholicism. Unlike the so-called reformed religion, the Catholic confession attaches particular importance to traditions, which can sometimes date back several generations.

The object of veneration

The Holy Trinity

Both Catholics and Protestants worship the Holy Trinity. For both faiths, the supreme God is God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Catholic and Protestant believers worship and pray to each of these entities.

The Christian faith is largely centered on Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, it is said that he came to earth to guide humanity to salvation. For Protestants, only the Holy Trinity should be the object of veneration. But for Catholics, salvation and absolution of sins can also be obtained in other ways.

The Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart is a concept specific to the Catholic religion. Believers can pray to it and ask for its blessing. Among Protestants, this concept has no place because it is not mentioned in the Bible.

The Virgin Mary

As the mother of God, the Virgin Mary is a particularly privileged woman. For Protestants, her role ends there. But for Catholics, this title would give her divine powers. As a result, she would be able to grant grace to believers who pray to her. The Catholic Church is very particular about the status and role of the Holy Virgin. Even today, she holds a preponderant place in the Catholic faith in general.

The Saints

For Catholics, it is possible that ordinary people will eventually be granted the title of saint. Believers will then be able to ask for mercy from them, and pray to them.

The hierarchy of the Church

The pastorate

Reformed churches are usually led by a religious leader called a "Pastor." This person is considered a mere human being who acts as a servant of God. He does not have the power to absolve sins, and does not need to take a vow of chastity.

The Pope, the Bishops and the Monks

The Catholic Church has a well-defined hierarchy. The Pope is, in a way, the supreme leader, and the bishops and monks are his subordinates. These titles allow them to absolve sins. But in return, they will have to take a vow of chastity.

The cult

Among Catholics

Catholic religious services are usually quite long because of the prayers that are addressed to the various protagonists mentioned above. However, the ceremony is largely focused on the Holy Trinity. The sign of the cross is a gesture specific to the Catholic religion. It generally concludes all prayers.

Among the Protestants

For Protestants, a religious service must always be centered solely on the Holy Trinity. Throughout the ceremony, believers successively invoke God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. But worship generally sticks to these three figures.

Mixed religions

It is quite possible for Catholic believers and Protestant believers to unite in the same prayer. This practice is commonly called "mixed worship". In this type of ceremony, only the foundations of the Christian faith in general are applied.

The Authority of Writing

One of the major differences between the Catholicism and Protestantism is concerned with the argument for the sufficiency and power of Scripture . Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of the Creator's special revelation to mankind. Therefore, it teaches us all what is necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants consider the Bible to be the standard by which all Christian behavior should be measured. This ideology is commonly called "Sola Scriptura". It is one of the " five sola " that were invented by the Protestant Reformation . They were invented to summarize some important differences between Catholics and Protestants.

There are many verses in the Bible that establish His power and sufficiency for all matters of belief and practical. Two of the clearest are 16 and 17 of 2 Timothy 3: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. This, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished for every good work.

The rejection of the doctrine of Sola Scriptura

On the other hand, Catholics reject the ideology of "sola Scriptura" and do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They think that the Bible and the sacred tradition Roman Catholicism are both binding on Christians. Many Roman Catholic ideologies, such as purgatory, prayer to the saints, adoration or veneration of the Virgin, etc.

The Roman Catholic Church's rejection of "sola Scriptura" and its insistence that the Bible and its "Sacred Tradition" are of equal power. They undermine the sufficiency, power, and completeness of the Bible. The way we view Scripture is at the root of many dissimilarities , if not all, between Catholics and Protestants .

The refusal of the Sola fide

A third fundamental difference between Catholicism and Protestantism concerns the manner in which one is saved. Another of the "five solas" of the Reformation was " sola fide " (by faith alone). It affirms the biblical ideology of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, and because of Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-10). However, according to Roman Catholicism, man cannot be saved by faith in Jesus alone.

Catholics teach that to be saved, a Christian must have faith plus " meritorious works ." The seven sacraments are central to the Roman Catholic ideology of salvation. They include baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, the anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage.

Protestants believe that, on the basis of faith in Jesus alone, believers are justified by the Creator. Insofar as all their sins were forgiven by the Savior on the cross and His righteousness was imputed to them. Catholics, on the other hand, believe that the justice of Christ is conferred on the believer by "grace through faith." But that it is not sufficient in itself to justify the believer, who must "complete" by meritorious works the righteousness of the Savior which has been conferred on him.

The interpretation of the Bible in the Catholic and Protestant environment

THE Catholicism teaches that only the Catholic Church can correctly interpret the Bible. Protestants, on the other hand, believe that the Bible teaches that the Lord sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. This in turn enables all of them to understand the message of the Bible. This is clearly seen in passages such as John 14:16-17. I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.

You know him, for he dwells with you, and he will be in you. Although Catholicism teaches that only the Roman Catholic Church has the power and authority to interpret the Bible, Protestantism recognizes the biblical ideology of the priesthood of all believers. Individual Christians can trust the Holy Spirit to guide them in their personal reading and interpretation of the Bible.

Justification before God

Catholics and Protestants also differ on what it means to be justified before the Creator. For Catholics, justification is about being righteous and holy. They believe that belief in Christ is only the beginning of salvation and that the individual must build on it through good works. For "man must earn the divine grace of justification and eternal salvation."

Of course, this view of justification contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture in passages such as Romans 4:1-12, Titus 3:3-7, and many others. In contrast, Protestants distinguish between the one act of justification when we are declared righteous and holy by God . This, on the basis of our belief in the Savior's atonement on the cross.

And sanctification which is the ongoing process by which we are made righteous, which continues throughout our earthly life. While Protestants recognize that works are important, they believe that they are the result or fruit of salvation, but never a means to it. Catholics mix justification and sanctification into one ongoing process, leading to confusion about how one is saved.

The life of man after death

A fourth major distinction between Catholics and Protestants concerns what happens after death. Although they both believe that non-believers will spend eternity in hell. There are quite a few significant and notable differences regarding what happens to believers. Drawing on their ecclesiastical traditions and reliance on non-canonical books, Catholics have developed the ideology of purgatory.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, purgatory is "a place or condition of temporary punishment for those who, having died, are not entirely freed from venial sins." In other words, they have not fully served the satisfaction due to their transgressions. In contrast, Protestants believe that we are justified by faith in the Messiah alone . And because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us when we die, we will go directly to heaven to be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-10 and Philippians 1:23).

The Catholic Doctrine on Purgatory

Catholic ideology of purgatory is made even more troubling by the fact that Catholics believe that man must or even can pay or make satisfaction for his sins. This, together with their misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about how one is justified before the Lord, results in a low regard for the sufficiency and efficacy of the Messiah's atonement on the cross. The Roman Catholic view of salvation implies that the Savior's atonement on the cross was not sufficient payment for the sins of those who believe in Him.

A believer must atone or pay for his sins either through acts of penance or a period of purgatory. Yet the Bible continually teaches that only the death of Jesus can satisfy or propitiate the Creator’s wrath against sinners (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). Our works of righteousness can add nothing to what the Savior has already accomplished.

The authority of the Pope

Roman Catholics believe that the pope is the head of the church worldwide. As the " Vicar of Christ ," the pope serves as the Savior's earthly representative. He acts in his stead to lead the church by determining what is true, right, and appropriate for all Catholics. According to church teaching, the pope is protected from any possibility of error. When speaking on matters of faith and morals.

According to this tradition, the Apostle Peter was ordained as the first "Pope." When Jesus said, "And I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Tradition says that Peter became the Bishop of Rome. Catholics believe that this power still exists today. Protestants, on the other hand, do not believe in a hierarchical structure that culminates in one person who could speak definitively and proclaim the truth without error.

Mary, the mother of Jesus for Catholics and Protestants

Mary plays a different role for Catholics than for most Protestants. Because she is the instrument through which God brought his Son into the world. Catholics honor her by giving her the titles "Mother of God" and "Mother of the Church." Catholics consider her an example of belief and holiness. According to tradition, the Virgin was conceived and born without the stain of original sin.

Although the Catholics have a devotion special for the Virgin, they do not adore her and praise her as they do for the Lord and the Incarnate Word. They pray to the Virgin as they pray to the other saints asking for her intercession or mediation for them with her Son, with whom she is in perfect communion. In other words, they ask the Virgin to pray for them.

In the same way that all Christians ask each other to pray for one another. For various reasons, although Protestants have a high conception of the Virgin, they do not have it in the same sense. In general, they do not pray to the Virgin or make her a center of artistic or iconographic work as do the Roman Catholics .

Catholic and Protestant worship

Roman Catholics embrace mystery, hierarchy, ritual, liturgy, structure, and more symbolic actions in their worship. Protestants, on the other hand, have developed a clear and simple worship centered on Scripture. For For Catholics , the center of the Mass is the Eucharist or Holy Communion. For For Protestants , the central moment of worship comes with the sermon, when the minister preaches from the Bible.

It is true that the above is a generalization for the sake of clarity and simplicity. However, a Protestant church service evangelical today might consist almost entirely of modern chants. And on modern instruments in an auditorium with little religious symbolism. But a Catholic service is likely to contain many complex elements. Elaborate and deeply meaningful to the participants.

The role of Church tradition

Most of the variations between Protestants and Roman Catholics are based on a more fundamental distinction : the role of church tradition .
Protestants believe that the central power in matters of belief and practice is found in the Scriptures. While tradition, reason, and experience are important, Protestants tend to think that everything must be compared to the teachings of the Bible and eventually replaced by them.

On the other hand, Roman Catholics adhere to many beliefs and practices that are not explicitly stated in Scripture. These traditions, along with Scripture, constitute a deposit of faith which has been transmitted from the first apostles by the Magisterium of the Church. That is, the pope, the bishops and the councils of the Church. The power is found in the whole of the Bible, reason and tradition. These three factors are seen as complementary and not in tension.

Therefore, Roman Catholics regard certain practices and beliefs—such as: papal infallibility , the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the ideology of Purgatory, priestly celibacy, and the distinction between mortal and venial sins—as important to their belief . While Protestants do not necessarily agree.

Recommendations following the differences between the two religions

Although there are many other distinctions between the beliefs of Catholics and Protestants, these four elements should be sufficient to determine whether there are serious distinctions between the two. Like the Judaizers, Catholics, by doing the works necessary to be justified by God, end up believing in a completely different gospel . The distinctions between Catholicism and evangelical Protestants are striking and significant.

Our prayer is that the Lord will open the eyes of every person reading this article who has put his or her belief or their confidence in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Our hope is that all will understand and believe that their "works of righteousness" cannot justify or sanctify them (Isaiah 64:6). Rather, our prayer is that all will place their belief exclusively in the fact that we are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus."

The Creator predestined him as propitiatory sacrifice by the belief in his blood" (Romans 3:24-25). God saves us "not by righteous works done by us, but by his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus our Savior, that having been justified by his grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7).
While individuals may, of course, have their own specific beliefs, there are five essential differences between Protestants and Catholics.

Come and discover other articles on Christian religions

Now you know all the nuances between Protestants and Catholics. You know that the Catholic Church is the first true Christian Church, but that because of differences of opinion, reformed churches eventually emerged.

If you liked this article, you should know that on our site, you can find other articles on the Christian faith. We also have an excellent article that you might like, it is about the difference between meditation and prayer . Click here , to discover the article.