What are the theological and liturgical differences between Catholics and Lutherans?

Difference between Catholics and Lutherans

The main difference between the two is that Catholics believe in the infallibaility of the Pope. But the big difference between Catholics and other religions is that Catholics take a stronger stance against divorce. They also interperet the later chapters of the new testament like James, where it says "faith without works is dead" to mean that works contribute to salvation while Lutherans stress that God does the "work" of salvation.

Answer

Many of the differences between Lutherans and Roman Catholics nowadays seem small, though wars have been fought over them. The key differences are these:

* Lutherans reject Petrine supremacy (i.e. that the Pope outranks other apostolic sees) and instead conceive of a "priesthood of all believers"

* Lutherans practice only the two sacraments that Jesus actually instituted in the Bible (baptism and communion); Catholics practice seven sacraments

* The Lutheran and Catholic views of the Eucharist are technically different (Catholics believe in transubstantiation, Lutherans have a similar but, to them, distinct view)

* Lutherans focus on "justification by grace through faith" and the "freedom of the Christian" and other teachings in Luther's Big and Small Catechisms; Roman Catholics rely on scriptural interpretation by priests and Popes.

* Lutherans believe that believers are sanctified by Jesus and may pray to God themselves, directly, whereas Catholics will often make use of intercession by saints, etc.

* Lutherans minimize the role of Mary (whom they nonetheless revere), where Catholics maximize her role.

* Lutherans typically do not pray the rosary.

* Catholics hold apostolic succession as a necessity to being the "true Church;" only some Lutheran Churches are in apolstolic succession and they view their "tri-fold ministry" to be apostolic based on the biblical model.

* Liturgically, Lutheran and Catholic practice are very similar. The main differences is that Lutherans have worshiped in vernacular languages since the 1500s and have traditionally made greater use music in worship. Lutherans use the Nicean Creed and Apostole's Crred, as do Catholics, among many other commonalities.