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Answer">AnswerThe question should be "What are the differences between Catholicism and other Christians?"

Before delving into differences, it would be beneficial to list things that all Christians, including Catholics, have in common:

* God is the Creator, and Sustainer, of the Universe .

* God is deeply interested in the human race.

* God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 3 persons but 1 God.

* God became incarnate in the person known as Jesus. (Incarnation)

* The Virgin Mary conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, not through any sexual act with another person.

* Jesus is completely human and completely divine.

* Human beings turned away from God's wisdom: this is sin. Actually, humans ate of the fruit of knowledge, becoming aware of the existence of sin and thereby losing their innocence. They did so out of disobedience to God and as a result of listening to the serpent (Satan, the deceiver, formerly first among the angels and cast down by God), and the result was being thrown out of Eden.

* Only God can save human beings from the grasp of sin.

* Jesus (God incarnate) saved humanity by His freely-given sacrifice on the cross.

* Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death, and ascended in to Heaven.

* Christ will return one day; how, and in what form, we do not know. Anlthough scripture suggests that His return will be as a lion rather than as a lamb, perhaps meaning that He will not be as gentle when He returns.

* Through Christ's passion, death + resurrection, God reconciled humanity to Himself.

* God's grace (His love) and the salvation offered are completely free and cannot be

earned by what a person does, no matter how noble.

* The Holy Spirit dwells within each person.

* The Bible is a collection of works written by men. Some of these works were divinely inspired and are the word of God. All of the works in the current bible were selected by the Catholic church, with some books being omitted since they did not support the Catholic view.

* Jesus Christ is Head of the Church and is always present.

* Jesus left Christians the command to spread the Good News of salvation.

* Jesus directly left Christians 2 sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist.

* God's will is that all people accept the salvation and eternal life offered.

.

Now, the main doctrinal differences between Catholics and Protestants

* Catholics believe that after the Fall in the Garden of Eden, some original innocence and goodness remained in humanity whilst much of Protestantism (e.g. Presbyterianism, Lutheranism, Methodism, Baptists, Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism) teaches that humanity became totally depraved. A citation is needed for this thought, because not all Christians are taught that humanity is without goodness and innocence.

* Catholics: The bread and wine in the Eucharist are miraculously, and mysteriously, changed in to the Body and Blood of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Protestantsbelieve there is no change and that Christ's presence is symbolic (though many Anglicans do believe there is a change)

* Catholics: believe that only Catholics are permitted to partake of the Eucharist. Protestants practice "Open Communion" that expressly welcomes all believers to the Lord's table, regardless of denomination.

* Catholics: There are seven sacraments (holy moments): Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination, Reconciliation/Confession and Anointing of the Sick. Protestants have only 2 sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist (though some Anglicans also believe in seven)

* Catholics: It is Christ's will that there be 3 types of minister in the Church: bishops, presbyters/priests and deacons. Protestants sometimes have deacons but no presbyters/priests or bishops. A citation is needed for this thought, because most Christian churches have pastors/priests.

* Catholics: The saints are worthy of both honor and respect due to their fidelity to Christ. Catholics do not pray to saints, but ask saints to pray for them just as they would ask any person of faith for prayer. For Catholics, saint's physical bodies may be dead, but they are spiritually with Christ. Protestants do not ask saints for prayer because they believe that only Christ can intercede with God the Father. Most non-Catholic Christians also view the practice of praying to saints as idolatry.

* Catholics: The greatest saint is Mary, Mother of Jesus. Mary was so full of love for God that she did not sin (Immaculate Conception). Protestants respect Mary as Jesus' mother but believe that she sinned like any other person. They believe that Mary was entirely human, and not holy.

* Catholics: Because she did not sin, Mary's resurrected body was taken into heaven immediately after her death (the Assumption). Protestants believe Mary's body was buried, but where is the proof of what happened to her body?

* Catholics believe that only a person perfectly open to God can enter heaven; thus, when someone dies the sinfulness left inside is purged (Purgatory) by God's love. Purgatory is not a place but an experience. Protestants do not accept the doctrine of cleansing/purgation but say that a soul goes immediately to either heaven or hell. However, Christians that accept that Jesus died for all of their sins, and thereby reconciled them to God, believe that everyone who accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, who died to deliver them from their sins goes to Heaven.

* Catholics: God not only speaks to His people through Sacred Scripture, but also through the daily life of the Church over a long period of time; this is called tradition, and, although important, can never contradict Scripture. Protestantsbelieve in sola scriptura: Scripture alone, although some groups (e.g. Anglicans) do value tradition. However, some Christians do not believe that the bible is the unadulterated word of God. It only includes the works selected by Catholics, not selected by the Apostles, and as such is only the word of Catholics. The word of God is present in the bible, but the Catholics have selected works that supported their sect and perhaps omitted the word of God that was present in other works of the time.

* Catholics: The Bishop of Rome (pope) is the spiritual leader of the Church (Christ is the Head), as this is Christ's will. Protestants do not accept the pope as spiritual leader, although some non-Catholics (e.g. Anglicans) have their own spiritual leader. Most Christians who are not Catholic view Jesus as the head of the Church. In this view, there is no need for other religious figures, since Jesus fulfills all religious needs. Jesus has already granted us Salvation without any requirements aside from believing on the Lord and being saved.

* Catholics: Though he is capable of making mistakes, when the pope formally speaks about morals or dogma in the name of the whole Church, he cannot make a mistake because the Holy Spirit guides the Church. (Infallibility). This has only happened twice. Protestants do not accept papal infallibility and do not believe that any one person can speak for the Church. Jesus was the only person who could speak for the church, because he was also divine. The Apostles were directly influenced by Jesus, and could also speak for Jesus. Beyond this, nobody has authority to give morals or dogma because the time of Prophets is over, we are told by God in the Bible.

Non-doctrinal differences:

There are other differences, due to human (not divine) law, and these may change.

* Catholic priests of the Latin Rite may not be married (Eastern Rite Catholic priests may be married). Protestantclergy may be married.

* Catholic laity have a voice in the Church but they do not help govern. In Protestant (and Orthodox) churches the laity help make every day decisions.

* Catholics have no say in whom their leaders will be while in Protestant (and Orthodox) churches people usually either choose or have real influence.

* Catholicism tends to be more prescriptive when it comes to what vestments to wear during services whilst in Protestant churches clergy have great freedom.

* Catholicism tends to be much more centralized than Orthodoxy and Protestantism.

* Catholicism does not allow a divorced person to be remarried in church unless a Church annulment has been granted. Whilst a few Protestant churches (e.g. Church of England) do not like to remarry divorcees, most permit remarriage after divorce.

* Catholicism allows non-Catholics to receive Holy Communion only under strict conditions. Protestant churches usually allow any baptized person to receive Communion, although some non-Catholic churches do not observe Communion. (Orthodox churches totally forbid the practice).

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Answer

The mainstream religions of the world and Catholics themselves consider Catholicism to be Christianity.

A difference between Protestantism and Catholicism includes celibacy of the clergy, that is that priests cannot be married, (Jesus is not recorded in the Bible as making that a requirement, and the apostles were all married, save St. John, though they were married before they knew Jesus). The defense of a non-married clergy comes from the understanding that Jesus was not married since He dedicated His life solely to God, and sought to teach people the Word of God free of familial obligations. Hence, the Catholic priests of today do not marry so they may dedicate their lives to God and teach people the Word of God. Eastern rite priests, however, can be married before they enter the seminary to become priests.

Another difference is in receiving Communion. Catholics are offered Communion at every Mass. The idea being that, as human beings, they can receive the Body and Blood of Christ and the strength it gives to live a Christian life.

A third difference is the idea of confession. Catholics believe that they should go to confession to verbally express their sins. Besides the grace of the sacrament and the guarantee that their sins are forgiven by Christ who acts through the priest, Catholics also feel a natural sense of peace. Some other religions think that a Catholic has to go to confession, almost as a punishment. However, most Catholics feel this give them happiness, joy and strength.

Catholics are Christians and they believe in Christ.

Even what is "written in the Holy bible is just the word of man". As what is written in the Magisterial Teachings of the Roman Catholic church. The differences are huge and many between the numerous denominations of Christianity to the point one wonders so many beliefs are really from God or man-made. However, most Christians believe there is only one God, and that no matter the name you attach to your one God, we all worship the same one God.

Roman Catholic AnswerChristianity is the religion of, the body of faith and morals taught by, the Catholic Church of Christ. The word may be properly extended to include the religious systems of the dissident Eastern churches and of some Protestant bodies (see Christian below). The current popular use of the word [Christianity] in an ethical, subjective sense, is to be deplored: it is stripping it of all objective or historical connotations.

Christian. A name first given to the followers of our Lord at Antioch (Acts xi, 26). Since the rise of Protestantism the name has been used in so many different senses as to have become almost meaningless: it may indicate a Catholic or a Unitarian, or even be applied to an infidel who displays some virtue which is associated with Christ. It may reasonably be applied to the members of all the ancient churches, whether in communion with the Holy See or not, and to those Protestants who profess, explicitly or implicitly, the Nicene creed in its traditional interpretation. the Church puts no definite official meaning on the word, as she does on Catholic.

from A Catholic Dictionary, Edited by Donald Attwater, 2nd Edition, revised.
Catholicism is one of the Christian religions.
Christianity is following the teachings and worship of Jesus Christ. The Catholic (universal) church is the institution set up by Christ through St. Peter, the 1st Pope and is the true, Catholic and Apostolic church. The eastern Orthodox churches including the Coptic church of Egypt are also Apostolic. A schism occured in the 5th century between the roman and coptic church for mainly geographical and political reasons, likewise the Orthodox church in the 11th century. Doctrinally they are virtually the same.

Other than the above, other Christian groupings (they cannot truly be called Christian churches) are not apostolic, being man made.

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11y ago
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11y ago

Catholicism is one type/branch of Christianity. All Catholics are Christian, but not all Christians are Catholic. Just like all apples are fruits, but not all fruits are apples.

Catholicism is the original Christian religion and the the only one that maintains the integrity of the original scriptures and traditions as passed on to the Apostles by Our Lord.

No.

Catholic AnswerChristianity is the religion of, the body of faith and morals taught by, the Catholic Church of Christ. The word may be properly extended to include the religious systems of the dissident Eastern churches and of some Protestant bodies (see Christian below). The current popular use of the word [Christianity] in an ethical, subjective sense, is to be deplored: it is stripping it of all objective or historical connotations. In other words, Christianity is found fully only in the Catholic Church, others are Christian only insofar as they believe in the same doctrines. Those who use the word "Christian" to apply to heretical sects which have separated from Catholic Christianity are doing violence to the word and redefining it to suit their own purposes.

Christian. A name first given to the followers of our Lord at Antioch (Acts xi, 26). Since the rise of Protestantism the name has been used in so many different senses as to have become almost meaningless: it may indicate a Catholic or a Unitarian, or even be applied to an infidel who displays some virtue which is associated with Christ. It may reasonably be applied to the members of all the ancient churches, whether in communion with the Holy See or not, and to those Protestants who profess, explicitly or implicitly, the Nicene creed in its traditional interpretation. the Church puts no definite official meaning on the word, as she does on Catholic.

from A Catholic Dictionary, Edited by Donald Attwater, 2nd Edition, revised.

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15y ago

christians basically believe in the sole Diety of Jesus Christ. They pray to no one else than God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Catholic prays to Saint Mary and other saints, and have rituals to honour them. This is might probably the fundamental different between the two branch of Christianity.

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11y ago

The difference between Catholic and Christianity, I guess it's based on perspective. Do you mean what is the difference between Catholic and Anglican? If you do, then Catholics pray to Mary and believe that she sends their prayers to Jesus, but the Anglicans don't believe In that. The catholic church has the children take communion around year three and then confirmation in year 6, whereas the Anglican church has them have confirmation first and then are allowed to have communion as adults. Hope that helped

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The Catholic faith is a Christian religion - in fact it shares with the Orthodox Churches the honour of being older than any other existing Christian denomination. Therefore the similarities between Catholicism and other Christian faiths is considerable.

The principal difference that sets the Catholic Church apart is its focus on veneration of saints, especially the Virgin Mary. The Catholic veneration of Mary is sometimes known as Mariolatry. The more general veneration of saints is known as Hagiolatry. During the Reformation, Protestant Churches removed statues and images of saints from churches, to prevent people from kneeling down and praying to saints.

A:

There is no difference between Catholicism and Christianity, they are two words for the exact same thing. However, in modern English, may separated brethren (those who believe in Jesus Christ but are not Catholic) use the word to refer exclusively to themselves, thus excluding Catholics. While Catholics will make no difference in the meaning of the words, and theologically view anyone who is validly baptized and professed the Nicene Creed in its traditional interpretation as a Christian.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

Christian A name first given to the followers of our Lord at Antioch (Acts xi, 26). Since the rise of Protestantism the name has been used in so many different senses as to have become almost meaningless: it may indicate a Catholic or a Unitarian, or even be applied to an infidel who displays some virtue which is associated with Christ. It may reasonably be applied to the members of all the ancient churches, whether in communion with the Holy See, or not, and to those Protestants who profess, explicitly or implicitly, the Nicaean creed in its traditional interpretation. The Church puts no definite official meaning on the word, as she does on Catholic.

Christianity is the religion of, the body of faith and morals taught by, the Catholic Church of Christ. The word may be properly extended to include the religious systems of the dissident Eastern -churches and of some Protestant bodies. The current popular use of the word in an ethical, subjective sense, is to be deplored: it is stripping it of all objective or historical connotations.

Catholic I. The word is derived from Greek and simply means universal. In combination with the word "church" it essentially merely indicates one of the marks of the Church, and was so used by St. Ignatius at the beginning of the 2nd century; but in the course of history it has come to be the distinguishing epithet of the Church of Christ and his faith: under other circumstances its place might have been taken by "apostolic" or "one." The use of the word in this distinguishing way became current and common in England only from the middle of the 16th century. In some mediaeval translations of the Creed unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam is rendered "one holy apostolic church general." ii. A Catholic is any person who, having been baptized, does not adhere to a non-Catholic religion or perform any act with the intention or effect of excluding himself from the Church. A "good Catholic" is one who practises his religion to the best of his ability. iii. Catholics normally call themselves Catholics without qualification, and are distinguished by the name alike in West and East; except for a body of High Anglicans, no other Christians use the name as a distinguishing title. But Catholics of the Byzantine rite sometimes calls themselves Greek Catholics, Chaldeans are so called, and Maronites always refer to themselves simply as Maronites -- they avoid the name Catholic for the good reason that there is no such thing as a Maronite who is not a Catholic, and because in Syria the epithet particularly designates a Catholic Melkite. iv. As an adjective, Catholic in this special sense should only be used of subjects of which Catholicity is predicable, e.g., a man as man, a church, building, or catechism. To speak of a Catholic artist or grocer, Catholic poetry or truth is inaccurate and misleading: an artist or grocer who is a Catholic is a Catholic as a man (and this without reference to whether he paints only ecclesiastical pictures or supplies cheese only to the clergy); poetry may deal with a Catholic theme or be written by a poet who is a Catholic, but is not by that fact anything but poetry; truth is truth and it is improper to call the truth about the Catholic Church, Catholic truth; (cf., Catholic arithmetic, a Wesleyan judge, Quaker music, and, particularly, Catholic culture).

Protestant vs. Catholic: According to the Catholic Church, Catholic is the only type of Christianity. Those who are not in communion with her but are validly baptized are Christians to the extent that they believe the Nicene Creed in its traditional interpretation, and attempt to live that life. Christianity is the belief in Jesus Christ, which involves living the life that He is asking you to live, and believing in Him. As Jesus Christ only established one Church, and He was very specific about that, and that one Church is both His Body, and His Bride. That One Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. All other ecclesial communities who call themselves "Christian Churches" are heretical to one extent or another. They have redefined terms such as "Christianity" in order to mean other things which would include themselves in "Christianity". This is an error. The ecumenical movement, contrary to what many believe has only one purpose, and that is to return all of those who profess belief in Jesus Christ back to the true Church. The current state of affairs, which has involved redefining language, re-writing history, and redefining Jesus, Himself, has got to stop. To deny that the Catholic Church is the only "Christian" Church is, to some extent, to deny Jesus Christ, and attempt to redefine Him as something other than what He was. For a complete discussion and understanding of the issue, please read the book: Salvation Outside the Church? By Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas which discusses all the issues as addressed by the Popes and the Ecumenical Council, this contains the entire text of Dominus Iesus. Here is a quote about Dominus Iesusthat is contained in the book: ... I was attending a meeting of a diocesan ecumenical commission, whose entire agenda on that occasion had been dedicated to a discussion of Dominus Iesus, in an effort to calm ecumenical fears and to assuage feelings of hurt and anger. . . an Assemblies of God minister. Allow me to paraphrase his summation: "As I read the document, it says two things. First, that Jesus Christ is the way to salvation for the entire human race. I believe that completely, and I thought every other Christian did, too. Second, that the Catholic Church believes that it is the unique means of putting the human race into contact with Christ and His saving Gospel. I do not believe that, which is why I am not a Catholic. And if a Catholic does not believe that, I don't know why he's still a Catholic."

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13y ago

The Catholic Church is the largest Christian church. All Catholics are Christian, but not all Christians are Catholic.

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There are no differences. The Catholic Church is the original Christian Church and is the only Church which still holds to all the Christian truths as handed down by the Apostles.

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