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What’s the difference between what Protestants believe and what Catholics believe? While both Protestants and Catholics agree on who Jesus is, there are seven key issues which continue to distinguish their beliefs and practices.
Sep 12, 2017 · BLOGS. Protestant and Catholic: What’s the Difference? Kevin DeYoung | September 12, 2017. Ask a serious Protestant today what is the biggest threat to orthodox Christianity today, and he might mention cultural hostilities, the sexual revolution, or nominalism in our churches.
- The Church. Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has softened its stance toward Protestants, calling them "estranged brothers." Nevertheless, to be a part of the church in its fullness one must be immersed in the Roman Catholic system of sacraments, orders, and under the authority of the Pope.
- Scripture. Catholics have a larger biblical canon. In addition to the 66 books in the Protestant Bible, Catholic Bibles include the Apocrypha, with books like Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccebees, Sirach, and Baruch.
- Lord's Supper. Central to the Catholic faith is the Mass (their worship service), and central to the Mass is the celebration of the Eucharist. Catholics believe that bread and wine are transubstantiated into the actual, physical body and blood of Jesus Christ.
- Baptism. Catholics teach that "justification is conferred in Baptism." The waters of baptism wash away original sin and join us with Christ. Baptism is not merely a sign and seal of grace, but actually confers saving grace.
- Theological Approach. Roman Catholic theology is characterized by an et . . . et (and . . . and) approach. In Kreeft’s own words, “Whenever two positive things seem to conflict, the Church sorts them out as some kind of a ‘both-and’ instead of a simple ‘either-or’” (11).
- Justification. The Roman Catholic Church maintains the Reformation is finished due to “the greatest ecumenical achievement in the 500 years since the Reformation” (17): Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (1999).
- Scripture and Tradition. Roman Catholic theology embraces the broad category of Tradition, part of which is Scripture. For Kreeft, this perspective on divine revelation prevents the debate from being framed as sola Scriptura versus Scripture plus Tradition.
- Theology of Mary. Roman Catholic theology maintains that Mary, “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin” (Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854).
Jan 11, 2018 · 7 Key Differences Between Protestant and Catholic Doctrine. 1. The Magisterium. The term “magisterium” refers to the official teaching body of the Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Horrell explains...
There are, however, two important differences between Catholic and Protestant attitudes toward the Bible. Whereas Protestants insist on the Bible as the sole source of doctrine, Catholics believe that traditions which have been handed down in the Church for centuries may also be considered vehicles of divine revelation.
Besides the ethnic and class distinctions between native-born Protestants and newly arrived Catholics the religious differences were also important. In fact, the debate between nativists and newcomers illustrated the tremendous diversity of the American religious experience and had a practical effect on the course of American Catholicism.
