RCC mainly has more respect for the traditions passed down from the apostles & for the feasts & church calendar & the lives of the saints in Christian history & for the catechism & for vestments & offices & sacraments.
Protestants generally are more spartan, respecting the bible only & the teaching that only faith in Christ can get us to heaven. However, they often tend to respect the particular interpretation of the bible that their pastor teaches.
The best explanation of the difference between the two I've heard was actually given by the Orthodox Church... Roman Catholics add stuff to the truth, Protestants delete stuff. Well said and to the point.
One wants it one way, and the other wants it another way. One is somewhat closer to what the original intent for the church was suppose to be, and the other is not. One has much more extra invented fables than the other. One is less gorgeously appareled and lives less delicately than the other. But what both have in common is that they both divide Christ.
A lot. The Protestant bible was created from the Catholic one, however omitting passages for personal beliefs, etc. Big differences: the Protestants claim one can be saved by faith alone, fact which the Catholic faith states must be accompanied by good deeds, not just faith. Protestants do not believe in the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Incarnate. Protestants do not believe the hosts they use for communion are really Jesus body and blood, while it is the very center of the Catholic faith. Protestants claim before the end of the world Jesus will come and "rapture" His faithful, while earth will continue to exist for 1,000 years. We Catholics believe Jesus second coming will be a one shot deal, final judgment included. These are only but a few differences.
Comment: Luther's translation and beliefs had followers Calvin (who went into France), and John Anglican (who went into England, thus the Anglican religion was created). Each further "enhanced" Luther's bible translation to their own beliefs, thus generating an explosion of Protestant varieties in existence in our days.
ever church is different in their prayers, praises, the way church is set out (modern or traditional), how church goes, what is in church (symbols or some Christians dint believe in saints), but they have their different views on Christianity
With the somewhat middle ground of the Orthodox Church mixed in:
The Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church and the Roman Catholic Church were one Church - the Catholic Church - for over 1,000 years. Protestantism arose from the Roman Catholic Church, and so there are many similarities among them. Common to all three are most of the points of the Nicene Creed (http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/creed).
* belief in the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit
* the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ
* the future return of Christ and the creation of his everlasting kingdom
Also similar among the three:
* baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
* Sunday observed as the worship day of Christians
Similar between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are
* liturgical worship
* the seven major sacraments (Orthodoxy recognizes more)
* the change of communion bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
* male clergy consisting of bishops, priests, and deacons
* the Tradition received from earlier generations is a guide to faith and practice
* the Bible is part of the Tradition
Most Protestants, and particularly Evangelicals, observe by their own tradition and practice
* non liturgical, spontaneous worship
* sacraments of communion and marriage only
* allowance of female clergy
* ecumenically, the Bible alone is the guide to faith and practice
Orthodoxy believes
* the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (Nicene Creed and John 15:26)
* the regional churches are united by meetings of their chief bishops, with no ruling bishop over all.
Roman Catholicism and Protestantism believe
* the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (an addition to the Creed)
Roman Catholicism alone believes
* the Pope of Rome should be the presiding bishop over all Christianity
Later dogmas that are required for Roman Catholics to believe, but are not Orthodox nor Protestant dogmas:
* purgatory
* infallibility of the Pope
* the immaculate conception of Mary
there are many , but my own experience is that used to go to the catholic church and the same way i go in i got out , same prayers repeated over and over , candles light up , few words by the priest, but nothing extraordinary and few accounts of miracles in far away countries, then i was invited to a protestant where i saw people that i knew and then i started to see people that i knew were sick been heal , my neighbor that have migraine been heal , a close friend that have an arm visibly shorter than the other one by prayer now have both the same, and many other heeling's that doctors have said that is no explanation but a miracle ... i mean wasn't that what Jesus did when he was in Israel about 2000 years a go and said that his followers will do even greater miracles than him , i never saw a single miracle in the catholic church i went the many years i did, and I'm talking about signs , that's is just the tip of the ice, i find many other differences but i think that when Jesus told his disciples the signs will follow them , Jesus did miracles everywhere he went and his disciples did many too and that's what i find in the Protestant church the signs are there constantly not just in rare occasions like in the catholic church as they claim because i never saw one myself while i was there
Catholicism is not Christian. Catholicism cannot get anyone into heaven, because Catholicism teaches works for salvation, and that is a false gospel of works (Galatians 1:6-9) that is against JESUS'S free gift of salvation!
And Catholicism will not give you a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus, which is what JESUS wants with you!
So, you need to get away from Catholicism, and instead, to believe in JESUS for His free gift of eternal life in heaven! John 3:16! !
It's clear from the Book of Acts in the Bible that catholics didn't even exist during the days of Acts. Catholicism didn't exist for over 300 years after Jesus. And Catholicism didn't exist for over 200 years after the Bible was complete and compiled. Those in the Book of Acts are the first Christians, and they believed what would be called fundamentalist doctrine today. ANYONE can read the Book of Acts for themselves and see. Had Catholicism existed during the time of Acts, the first Christians would have rejected Catholicism completely.
Also there's TONS of Christians who also completely rejected Catholicism, long before Martin Luther was even born. Catholicism murdered millions and millions of Christians. :*(
So not only is it wrong for anyone to say that "catholics were the first Christians", but this blows away the catholic claim that "no churches existed other than the catholic church, until Martin Luther".
Every "pope" is a false prophet. And there is no "pope" in the Bible.
There were ALWAYS saved believers outside the catholic cult, who knew Catholicism cannot save anyone.
Catholicism cannot save. Only believing in Jesus for His free gift of salvation, is what saves!
So, catholics need to get away from Catholicism, and instead, to believe in JESUS for His free gift of salvation!
Jesus is God, and Jesus loves you so very much! And the Trinity is true!
The truth about Jesus is that the only way to be saved and to get into heaven and avoid being sent to hell, is by believing in JESUS for His free gift of eternal life in heaven, believing in faith alone that Jesus, who is God, died on the cross for all our sins as FULL PAYMENT for all our sins, and then Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Believe in Jesus for His free gift of salvation, and you will be in heaven, no matter what!
Salvation is a FREE GIFT that happens in a split second when you believe in JESUS for His free gift of salvation! It is impossible to lose or "leave" salvation (John 6:39-40, John 10:28, 1 John 5:13).
Please pray now: "Jesus, I believe that You died on the cross to pay for my sins and that You rose from the dead, and I thank You for eternal life!" You will be in heaven with Him forever when you die!
Roman Catholicism believes in the tradition from the apostles, the mass is in order, the real presence in the sacrament of the Holy Supper, the Roman Catholicism believes anybody can pray for you like the apostles or Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholicism is founded by Peter who was given the keys by Jesus.. Jesus promised to be with us until the day of the time.. the protestant churches.. are so many each church obeys the Bible like they want, also Roman Catholic believes in the Bible but the words of the Bible are in connection with the apostolic tradition..
If you want to know what the differences between a Catholic and a Protestant are, there are many but your best bet to understand is to sit down, get ready to read a lot, and go to authoritative and unbiased sources.
The big difference between Catholicism and Protestantism are the five pillars, which paint a different picture of salvation, definitions of sin, freewill or predestination. These differences are many and vary from church to church.
Catholicism would have the claim to be the oldest, most faithful representation of Christianity based on comparison between the Church today and the Bible. Also comparison between the Church today and the teachings of Christians in days gone (a democracy of the dead if you will) such as those writings of The Church Fathers.
Catholics believe in seven sacraments.
Protestants believe in two.
Catholics believe that the Eucharist is changed in essence into The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (see John 6, and The Last Supper)
Protestants believe this was only a symbol.
Catholics believe Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture are equal in value in sharing The Word of God. (The Bible says as much and there are many Christian teachings not in The Bible, such as The Trinity)
Protestants believe that only that which is "plainly" laid out in The Bible is too be believed.
Catholics believe that we are justified by "faith together with works". We must have faith, but we will also be judged according to our works.
Protestants believe in the man made doctrine "Sola Fidel" or "Faith Alone" which says that we only need to believe and we are saved.
Other points of contention include;
- Clerical celibacy
- Church authority and hierarchy.
- Biblical canon
- the priesthood (automatic common priesthood or consecrated as well as common priesthood)
Again, if you want a good answer, go to an authoritative source. Avoid the misinformation provided by some of the other posters you may find here, like "David the Saved Believer", who like to insult The Catholic Church. They don't know what they are speaking about.
If your referring to the ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF GOD then the official title of the Catholic Church should answer your question as were not Roman Catholics but simply prefer the title Catholic. The name Roman was started by the Anglican Church to show it was not part of the Church with it's head at ROME the Pope since our masses are similar they wanted it known they did not consider the Catholic Church whose head lived and ruled from ROME to have no authority over them. The Catholic faith was not started from Rome nor founded in Rome,so please show us at least the respect of simply identifying us as Catholic. It is bad enough we have Catholics that even call there selves Roman Catholic. There has never been or ever will be a document coming out of the Vatican that uses the Title Roman. As for Protestants there man made beliefs coming from there personal interpretations of the Bible thus you have thousands of differing sects competing among there selves for members. Where as the Catholic /Orthodox Churches can trace their starts to Jesus Christ himself and practice and teach what both consider to be true teachings of Christ and his Apostles. There are some differences but basically it has more to do with traditions. Someday our differences will be decided and we will be one again.
Catholic Church was started by Jesus in 33AD (read Matt 16:18-19). First Protestant church did not arrive until the 16Th century.
But the most important difference, is that the Catholic Mass contains the TRUE BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, & DIVINITY of Christ through the HOLY EUCHARIST. Our Mass is Eucharist centered...
Protestants only receive what they call communion on rare occasions, and they only see it as a symbol. But then again, for them it is because their ministers have not been ordained by Jesus or the RCC to consecrate the host.
"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)
Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.
Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):
By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.
There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.
A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.shtml
what's the difference between Roman Catholic Church and Protestant Church?
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