What is the difference between Catholics and protestants.

[ViaCrucis]

I would consider Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant to be the three big ones.

A Lutheran poster did not consider Lutheranism to be Protestant - I always thought that Lutherans were the first Protestants.

There are some Eastern Churches that might not classify as Orthodox or Catholic - the Assyrian Church comes to mind - I really do not know anything about it.

Evangelicals and Mega-Church types in the USA might not classify themselves as protestant - not sure.

It's not uncommon for Lutherans to dislike the term "Protestant" largely because post-Reformation Protestantism drifted drastically far afield from what the Reformation was really aiming at. Technically, yes, Lutherans are Protestant; the original Protestants. It's just that the term "Protestant" anymore tends to be used almost synonymously with American-brand Evangelicalism.

I may be in error, but generally this is how my classification goes:

There's Anglicans, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Protestants (note I'm trying to list them alphabetically). There's also the Assyrian ("Nestorian") Church, but that's a rather complicated case, more so than the Oriental Orthodox.

While Anglicanism is often grouped with Protestantism, I don't think it's unfair to indicate Anglicanism is the result of the English Reformation and not with the Continental Reformation. On this point I don't think it's a big deal, sometimes Anglicanism is identified on its own, other times it is identified as part of Protestantism.

The Ultrajectine or "Old Catholic" Churches also probably deserve their own classification/category. Same, perhaps, with the Hussites.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Radagast]

I'll take the "Reformed" churches as "pure" Protestant -- Anglicans and Lutherans will be partway between "pure" Protestant and Catholic. And I'll try to be fair to both sides.

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments, the Protestant sects do not.

Not quite. The seven Catholic sacraments are:

1. Baptism (Protestants have this, and Catholics consider it valid)
2. Eucharist (Protestants have this, but Catholics consider it not valid)
3. Reconciliation (some Protestants have a form of this, but don't usually have individual confession to a priest)
4. Confirmation (Protestants who baptise infants have a form of this)
5. Marriage (Protestants have this, and Catholics consider it valid)
6. Holy Orders (Protestants have this, but Catholics consider it not valid)
7. Anointing of the Sick (some Protestants have a form of this)

Most Protestants use the word "sacrament" only for #1 and #2, although from a strict Catholic point of view, Protestants only have valid versions of #1 and #5.

The Catholic Church believes in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, the Protestant sects do not.

That's not true. Many (but not all) Protestants believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but not in Transubstantiation (a specific form of belief in the Real Presence, dating from the Middle Ages) -- see Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Catholic Church maintains Apostolic Succession, the Protestant sects do not.

Most Protestants maintain at least the mechanisms of Apostolic Succession (that is, bishops ordain other bishops in an unbroken chain from the Apostles), though Catholics don't consider their ordination valid.

The Catholic Bible has seven more books in the Old Testament - The Protestant's chose not to include these seven books in their canon of scripture.

Most Protestants leave out the (Greek) Old Testament books which the Jews rejected (Tobit, Judith, parts of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, parts of Daniel, 1 & 2 Maccabees), accepting only those Hebrew and Aramaic books which the Jews also use.

In addition, Protestants:

a) do not accept the authority of the Pope

b) assign less importance to the Blessed Virgin Mary

c) do not pray to saints

d) assign more importance to the Bible and less to church tradition

e) have some other theological differences (although Protestants also disagree a lot amongst themselves)

Hope that helps.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Protestantism isn't a tremendously useful label in defining a group's beliefs, because it says very little. I think that it's more productive to speak in terms of more specific groups than in terms of Protestantism generally, just because that gets more across.

In general, though, the main Protestant distinctives are sola scriptura, rejection of the supremacy of the Roman pontiff (the pope), and rejection of the books sometimes called the duetero-canon. Added to this, a Protestant denomination must be the descendant of a group which split soon before or after Martin Luther's decision to split from the Church. Other dinstinctions (sola fide) for instance, are normally considered Protestant distinctives, but are not quite as universal (for instance, an Independent Fundamental Baptist minister may lecture on the necessity for repentance for salvation even after the first confession of faith, but not even an Anglo-Catholic minister will teach the primacy of the pope in the same way that Catholics do). Rejection of the duetero-canonical texts may not be totally universal, either.

The main issue with this definition is that some groups it would consider Protestant are legitimately non-Protestant. The Restoration Movement, for instance, composing the Churches of Christ, International Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches, and the Disciples of Christ, consciously split from Protestantism as a whole, and should probably be considered Restorationists rather than Protestants. So, Protestantism really includes those groups which fit the bill as Protestants, but haven't chosen to split from Protestantism either through a deliberate act of rebelling against the original movement, or by developing a theology of Arianism/polytheism/etc.

 

[dana b]

There are two major sect in Christianity Catholics and Protestants but what is the background behind these sects that not allowed to accept each other.

Protestant Churches believe in the Primacy of the Bible. Roman Catholics believe in the Primacy of the Church. Thats the bottom line difference.

 

[apocalypto]

There is no difference. You are either on the side of the Lord or against him.

 

[dana b]

There is no difference. You are either on the side of the Lord or against him.

You are correct, the Churches are all of God.

 

[Root of Jesse]

This is one of the reasons Lutherans don't like being called Protesants. We are ascribed beliefs we don't hold:

1) Lutherans have two sacraments, whereas many Protestants have zero.
2) Lutherans believe in the Real Presence
3) You're right that we don't recognize an Apostolic Succession
4) You're right that the Lutheran canon is the same as the Protestant canon, but there are some technical details in that area that differentiate us. For example, some Protestants seem to have retained the Thomism of the Catholics, which we reject.

Lutherans define "Real Presence" differently, as do Anglicans.

 

[Root of Jesse]

Yes, but the OP asked how an outsider could understand the difference between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants. Unfortunately, none of the above comments accurately describes the difference because the answers given for the Protestant side are not all-inclusive. Therefore, they do not really show the difference.

Which is part of the problem. No two Protestan denominations is the same, so it's a slippery eel to define "Protestant", unless you go with the definition "all those Christians who disagree on some point of Catholic doctrine". That's the common thread-all Protestant sects disagree with something the original Church taught.

Some Protestants accept seven sacraments, but yes, most accept on the two "Sacraments of the Gospel," Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

What Protestant denomination accepts 7 sacraments?

More Protestants accept and believe in the Real Presence than do not.

Depends on how you define it. The Catholic Church has always known that the bread and wine are really and truly and totally the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Several of the most prominent Protestant churches do maintain Apostolic Succession (which of course is not defined for the inquirer in the above answer).

And while there are a few extra books in the Catholic versions of the Bible, the greater difference is that the Bible itself does not have the standing among Catholics that it does with Protestants who refuse to supplement it with church traditions.

There are no "extra books" in the "Catholic Bible". There was no Bible until Pope Damasus commissioned St. Jerome to compile the Bible, at which time what books were to be included was determined. This occurred in the mid 4th century. It is also a mischaracterization to say that Catholics don't believe the Bible has the same standing as Protestants. The truth is that "Sacred" is "Sacred". There's no such thing as more Sacred or less Sacred. Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture have the same standing.

 

[Root of Jesse]

Protestant Churches believe in the Primacy of the Bible. Roman Catholics believe in the Primacy of the Church. Thats the bottom line difference.

You're right. The Church existed before the Bible did. The Bible came from the Catholic Church, not the other way around.

 

[Skarl]

There is no difference. You are either on the side of the Lord or against him.

38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.


--Mark 9:38-41

 

[Radagast]

There was no Bible until Pope Damasus commissioned St. Jerome to compile the Bible

That's not quite true. There were Greek Bibles before Jerome.

 

[twob4me]

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[dana b]

You're right. The Church existed before the Bible did. The Bible came from the Catholic Church, not the other way around.

And the Catholic Church translated their Bible into Latin from the Greek Orthodox Christian Bible.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

There is no difference. You are either on the side of the Lord or against him.

I hate to say this, but this really sounds like a sort of indifferent pluralism. Catholicism and the various Protestant denominations have so many differences that, if one is correct, then the others are away from the truth and therefore it is more difficult for them to find salvation.

Within Catholicism, we believe in seven sacraments. One of these, baptism, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and another, reconciliation, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism (Anointing of the Sick can also serve this function). Some Protestant groups (the Salvation Army and many branches of the Quakers, for instance) do not baptize at all. No Protestant group has valid reconciliation or anointing.

While it's possible to be saved by Christ without either of those in extraordinary circumstances (for instance, baptism by desire for baptism, and perfect contrition for reconciliation), it becomes more difficult to be saved the further you stray from the truth on these crucial issues.

On the contrary side, many Protestants don't believe that Catholics are Christians at all and do not believe in invincible ignorance (the idea that someone ignorant of the truth through no fault of their own will not be blamed for their ignorance). Therefore, if these Protestant groups are correct, I and all of the other Catholics are going to Hell. Some Protestant groups (and some groups split off from the Protestants, like the Restorationists) also believe that those in other denominations are damned, and so according to them, you would be in the same boat (namely the one captained by the diabolical ferryman Charon to bring the souls of the condemned across the River Styx and into eternal perdition).

Protestants do often genuinely desire to serve God, and I would never claim that all Protestants are Hell-bound. In fact, it's very likely that some Catholics will go to Hell while some Protestants go to Heaven. The point is that what you believe does matter.

 

[steve_bakr]

I hate to say this, but this really sounds like a sort of indifferent pluralism. Catholicism and the various Protestant denominations have so many differences that, if one is correct, then the others are away from the truth and therefore it is more difficult for them to find salvation.

Within Catholicism, we believe in seven sacraments. One of these, baptism, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and another, reconciliation, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. Some Protestant groups (the Salvation Army and many branches of the Quakers, for instance) do not baptize at all. No Protestant group has valid reconciliation.

While it's possible to be saved by Christ without either of those in extraordinary circumstances (for instance, baptism by desire for baptism, and perfect contrition for reconciliation), it becomes more difficult to be saved the further you stray from the truth on these crucial issues.

On the contrary side, many Protestants don't believe that Catholics are Christians at all and do not believe in invincible ignorance (the idea that someone ignorant of the truth through no fault of their own will not be blamed for their ignorance). Therefore, if these Protestant groups are correct, I and all of the other Catholics are going to Hell. Some Protestant groups (and some groups split off from the Protestants, like the Restorationists) also believe that those in other denominations are damned, and so according to them, you would be in the same boat (namely the one captained by the diabolical ferryman Charon to bring the souls of the condemned across the River Styx and into eternal perdition).

Protestants do often genuinely desire to serve God, and I would never claim that all Protestants are Hell-bound. In fact, it's very likely that some Catholics will go to Hell while some Protestants go to Heaven. The point is that what you believe does matter.

Yes, many Protestants love the Lord and I imagine there will be many Protestants in Heaven, and Quakers also. Many who were not baptized may receive grace because they would have been baptized had they known it was necessary. Being married to a Protestant I live in an ecumenical household.

 

[Albion]

The Bible came from the Catholic Church, not the other way around.

The BIble came from the Christian Church. The split into denominations did indeed come later.

 

[dana b]

I hate to say this, but this really sounds like a sort of indifferent pluralism. Catholicism and the various Protestant denominations have so many differences that, if one is correct, then the others are away from the truth and therefore it is more difficult for them to find salvation.

Within Catholicism, we believe in seven sacraments. One of these, baptism, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins, and another, reconciliation, is normally necessary for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. Some Protestant groups (the Salvation Army and many branches of the Quakers, for instance) do not baptize at all. No Protestant group has valid reconciliation.

While it's possible to be saved by Christ without either of those in extraordinary circumstances (for instance, baptism by desire for baptism, and perfect contrition for reconciliation), it becomes more difficult to be saved the further you stray from the truth on these crucial issues.

On the contrary side, many Protestants don't believe that Catholics are Christians at all and do not believe in invincible ignorance (the idea that someone ignorant of the truth through no fault of their own will not be blamed for their ignorance). Therefore, if these Protestant groups are correct, I and all of the other Catholics are going to Hell. Some Protestant groups (and some groups split off from the Protestants, like the Restorationists) also believe that those in other denominations are damned, and so according to them, you would be in the same boat (namely the one captained by the diabolical ferryman Charon to bring the souls of the condemned across the River Styx and into eternal perdition).

Protestants do often genuinely desire to serve God, and I would never claim that all Protestants are Hell-bound. In fact, it's very likely that some Catholics will go to Hell while some Protestants go to Heaven. The point is that what you believe does matter.

I also read and follow the Bible. But i myself believe that "what you belive doesn't matter" with God.

 

[Root of Jesse]

The BIble came from the Christian Church. The split into denominations did indeed come later.

At the time, this was a distinction without a difference. Christian = Catholic.

 

[Root of Jesse]

And the Catholic Church translated their Bible into Latin from the Greek Orthodox Christian Bible.

Actually, no. From Hebrew and Greek. And Aramaic.

You must also realize that, at the time of Christ, there was no solid canon of Scripture. Sadducees only accepted the Torah. The fixed canon of Scripture for Jews was not codified until after the Catholic Church had codified theirs. The other thing that's wrong is that the Catholic Church is the Church Christ instituted, so no other Christian Church could come before it.

 

[Albion]

At the time, this was a distinction without a difference. Christian = Catholic.

...in the sense that the 'undivided church' was theologically "catholic" and had yet to divide into its Roman, Eastern, Anglican, etc. parts.