Hi. I was just wondering what the differences between these two religions were and when I say "differences" I mean differences in history, beliefs, myths, etc. Also, what are some common rituals that occur during a Protestant vigil opposed to a Catholic vigil?
Wow! That's a huge question. Look up the Reformation movement in Europe for your answers.
OR
Catholics are right and everybody else is wrong.
Take your pick.
There isn't enough space to list all things, but both believe Jesus is Lord. The Catholic Bible has the books of the protestant Bible... but also a few more that Protestants don't accept. Catholics go to a Priest for confession, where protestants pray directly to God for forgiveness. These are just a few.
As a Christian ecclesiastical term, Catholic - from the Greek adjective S'S'sg "general" or "universal"[1] - is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows:
~Church, (originally) whole body of Christians; ~, belonging to or in accord with (a) this, (b) the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western, (c) the Latin Church after that separation, (d) the part of the Latin Church that remained under the Roman obedience after the Reformation, (e) any church (as the Anglican) claiming continuity with (b)."[1]
Leaving aside the historical meanings indicated under (b) and (c) above, the Oxford English Dictionary thus associates present-day Catholicism with:
(a) "the whole body of Christians". The actual extension of Catholicism in this sense varies with the different understandings of what it means to be a Christian.
(d) "the part of the Latin Church that remained under the Roman obedience after the Reformation", i.e. the Catholic or Roman Catholic Church. This definition of Catholicism should be expanded to cover the Eastern particular Churches that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, and that the Church in question sees as no less part of Catholicism than the Latin particular Church.
(e) "any church (as the Anglican) claiming continuity with the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or Western". Churches that make this claim of continuity include not only those of the Anglican Communion, but, among others, the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Assyrian Church of the East. The claim of continuity may be based on apostolic succession, especially in conjunction with adherence to the Nicene Creed. Some interpret Catholicism as adherence to the traditional beliefs that Protestant Reformers denied (see, for example, the Oxford Movement).
Protestantism is a Christian protest movement originating in the early 16Th century in Germany opposing Roman Catholicism. Protestant churches are any of the western Christian churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic church that adhere to the doctrines of the Reformation. The name protestant is derived from the Latin protestation meaning declaration which Martin Luther made when he and his supporters dissented "from the decision of the Diet of Spires (1529), which reaffirmed the edict of the Diet of Worms against the Reformation[1].
The doctrines of the Reformation can be summarized as a) the rejection of papal authority, b) rejection of some fundamental Roman Catholic doctrines, c) the priesthood of all believers, d) the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth, and e) the belief in justification by faith alone.
>>I mean differences in history, beliefs, myths, etc.<<
History:
Catholicism - founded by Christ in the 1st century AD.
Protestantism - founded by mere men much later.
Beliefs:
Catholicism - that which has been passed down from the Apostles.
Protestantism - kind of make it up as we go along, which is why various Protestant sects can't agree on whether or not abortion or homosexual actions are morally acceptable.
I am Catholic but went to a Lutheran grammar school so I got a good taste of both religions. They are more similar than most Catholics will admit. The major differences I saw were that the Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary and have her statues around ---the Lutherans do not. The Catholics also pray to the Saints and have their statues around---the Lutherans do not. The Catholic priests cannot marry---the Lutherans can. The Catholics partake in the Communion ritual weekly---the Lutherans do not. The Lutherans also OK birth control and I believe you can get married in the Lutheran Church after divorce---the Catholics cannot. I also felt more doom and gloom and guilt from the Catholic church.
Okay, here are as many as I can think off the top o' my head:
Catholicism:
-mostly focused on rituals and sacraments
-pope, bishop, cardinal,etc.
-used to do some pretty bad things in the early times like sell hell insurance
-creates idols like statues of Jesus and Mary
-"adores" Mary because of her virginity
-lots of focus on saints
-thinks pope is holy, almost like God
-doesn't seem really as religious or focused on the Bible itself
-nuns
-sometimes makes lies (some said when the pope died, even Muslims felt sorry)
-prays to saints and Mary, not God
Protestant:
-focused a lot on God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost
-just mostly ministers and priests, nothing too powerful and "holy"
-developed by Martin Luther and some other protesting reformers complaining about the Catholic Church and how it was gaining too much power and therefore becoming evil
-forbids making of idols or violating any of the ten commandments
-thinks Mary is a virgin and all that, but she isn't holy or too emphasized
-what in the world is a pope?
-focused a lot on the Bible
-no nuns or people with funny hats capable of concealing a derringer
-always trying to stay firm and true to God and Jesus Christ's teachings
-prays always directly to God
In the 11Th century the Bishop of Rome declared himself Pope and split from the Orthodox Church, starting the Roman Catholic Church, he then declared the joint authority, a doctrine he had previously accepted, as a heresy.
Appalled by simony (The selling of atonement) and many other dubious practices or the Catholic Church, in 1517 a German Monk, Martin Luther nailed his 97 thesis to the door of a church, inviting the Pope to a disputation.
Though Luther's aim was reformation of the Catholic Church it led to the formation of Protestantism.
Well, there are many things that are the same and some differences. I will give you the differences that stand out the most.
The Catholic church is the original Christian church. Prior to the Reformation all Christian's were Catholics.
Catholic's believe in the authority of the scriptures, the magisterial and tradition. Protestants tend to believe in so la Scripture which is that the Bible is the only authority.
The Catholic church predates the Bible...so tradition is seen as just as important.
Also, Catholic's believe in the authority given to Peter from Christ himself. Peter started the Catholic church and has handed his authority down to each pope in succession. The Pope has the authority to rule for the people on faith and morals. This authority is given to him from Jesus Christ through Peter.
We also believe that Mary was born without the stain of original sin. That she remained a virgin her entire life.
We also believe that it is necessary to use the sacrament of confession. We go to the priest for forgiveness. He has the authority to loose and bind that was given from Jesus through the apostles.
We believe that the Holy Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. It's Callean transubstantiation. This is a miracle and it happens at every mass.
We believe that we can pray to Mary and to the Saints and ask for their prayers and intercessions.
We kneel during Mass because of the presence of Christ.
We have 7 sacraments:
Marriage
Baptisim
Confession
Confirmation
Holy Orders
Eucharist
Extreme Unction
All are biblical.
Protestants have 3 - baptism,confirmation and marriage
There are many things I've mentioned that on the surface may seem funny or even umbilical. But with research and an open mind, you'll find out that the Catholic Church does nothing that goes against scripture...ever. Everything we do is not specifically mentioned by name in the Bible but when you read the Bible as a whole and see it in it's 3-dimensional form...you can see how and why Catholics have maintained that the traditions and teachings are from God and cannot be changed.
I'm a convert from Methodist. So...I've done a lot of research and what the Church teaches is overwhelmingly straight from God. It's awesome.
During the 30 years I was Methodist I never attended any service called a Vigil. But for the most part the services are nice, God centered...but the big part of the service is the sermon. In the Catholic Church the big part of the service is the sacrifice of the Mass. The miracle.
Check out:
http://www.catholic.com for any questions you might have. You can join the forums there and ask any thing...there are very knowledgeable people with great insight.
Roman Catholicism vs Protestinism?
