Apologetic Tracts: Basic Difference: Catholicism vs Protestantism
Basic Difference:
Catholicism vs. Protestantism
Those who profess both
Catholicism and Protestantism are Christians (in many cases); though both
believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, there are a number of evident differences
which reveal the depth of fundamental separation between the two.
First of all, there is the difference in the understanding
of the source of revelation. Protestants
claim that the only source of revelation is the Scriptures alone (sola
scriptura). Catholics believe that God’s revelation comes to us through the
Scriptures and the Sacred Traditions given and expanded on by the
Holy Spirit through the centuries to the church. In other words, revelation
doesn’t stop with the last book of the Bible. This Sacred Tradition is not in
conflict with the Bible but completes the revelation given to us by God. (See
my tract on “Scripture and Tradition or Scripture alone.”)
There is the difference in understanding on authority in
the church of Christ. As Catholics, we believe that Christ established his
church on Peter as its first head and gave authority to Peter and the Apostles
and through them their legitimate successors. To insure that this authority
will properly proclaim God’s revelation and safeguard it through the ages,
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to keep the church infallible in matters of faith
and morals. This authority includes final and authentic interpretation of the
Word of God. Protestants say everyone has the right and authority to interpret
the Word of God. The church teaches that everyone should reflect on the Word of
God, but the ultimate and final interpretation is reserved to the authentic
teaching authority of the church.
As an aside, because of this Protestant viewpoint, there
are several thousands of different and independent mainline and
non-denominational churches which claim to be led by the same Holy Spirit even
when they are teaching things at odds with each other. How can the Holy Spirit
be so contradictory? St. Paul addressed this issue of division in the Corinthian
Church in his opening words in the First Letter. He sums up by asking: “Is
Christ divided?” How does this division over authority in the church fit in
with Christ’s prayer to the Father at the Last Supper: that all may be one in
me as I am in you? (See my tract on “Was the Catholic Church founded by Jesus
Christ?”)
Another major stumbling block between Catholics and
Protestants is the question of salvation. Though both agree that salvation is
through Jesus Christ, Protestants say “faith alone” in Jesus Christ (sola
fide) is the means of salvation. As Catholics, we believe that faith with
works is part of the process by which we continue our journey. Faith in Jesus
is the initial response, but faith, as James says in his letter, without living
in love is useless. Paul affirms this in his beautiful hymn on love in 1
Corinthians. Jesus already laid this foundation in his parable on the Last
Judgment in Matthew 25. The works of charity—the many signs of love—reflect our
faith in action. Why would the Spirit say in Revelation 14:13: “Blessed are the
dead who from now on die in the Lord. Blessed indeed that they may rest from
their labors, for their deeds follow them?” Works don’t save us. Jesus saves
us. Faith in Jesus and a life of love in action are part of our response. (See
my tract on “Faith vs. Works.”)
At the heart of the difference between Catholicism and
Protestantism is the understanding of the Bible, which then impacts our
understanding of what is revealed and what is not. Protestants teach a literal
interpretation of the Bible but in practice give at times a personal
interpretation. For instance, when it comes to what Jesus said and meant
concerning the gift of his body to eat and his blood to drink, Protestants
teach that Jesus was speaking symbolically or in a representative way. They do
not believe that he meant that we should eat his real body or drink his real
blood. These elements merely stand for and remind us of Jesus.
This is their personal interpretation of what the
Scriptures say in John 6 and at the Last Supper and what Paul says in 1
Corinthians. As Catholics we believe that Jesus meant exactly what he said. His
body is true food and his blood true drink. Unless we eat his body and drink
his blood we will not have eternal
life. In John 6 when many of disciples could not accept this saying, Jesus
didn’t say anything about symbolism or representation. He didn’t give any
further interpretation. “This is my body.” “This is the chalice of my blood.”
The word “is” means exactly what it says. (See my tract on “The Bible: Many
Interpretations?”)
The Eucharist is central to the faith-life of Catholics.
This leads us to a further important difference between Catholics and
Protestants: The sacrifice of the Mass. First of all, how we understand the sacrifice
of the Mass and what Protestants think we intend are two different things.
Protestants, for the most part, believe that Catholics are sacrificing Christ
again and that what Jesus did on the cross was not sufficient for our
salvation, but his sacrifice is to be repeated. Here is a quote: “Protestant
faith denies that the church has the power to perform the Mass' ‘miracle of
transubstantiation,’ and it further denies that the Lord's Supper's purpose is
to see accomplished the death of Christ all over again.” This is not what
Catholics believe.
As Catholics what we believe is that Jesus offered on the
cross once and for all the one sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. But he
told us after he changed bread and wine into his body and blood at the Last
Supper: “Do this in memory of me.” The Jewish people celebrated the Passover
Meal yearly not as a past remembrance of what God did for them in delivering
them from the bondage of slavery but as a present moment realization that God
is delivering this family as they celebrate the traditional meal here and now.
As Catholics, we make present the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ as an act
of thanksgiving to God for our redemption. Yes, we remember what Jesus did. We
are conscious of what he is doing now. We look forward to what we will
celebrate in eternity. (See my tract on “Eucharist: Real Body and Blood of
Jesus or Symbolic.”)
The focus of the Mass for Catholics involves the hearing of
the Word and its explanation, the offering of bread and wine which in the words
of Jesus are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus and the reception of
body and blood in Communion. The focus of the Protestant service is basically
the music and the proclaiming and preaching on the Word. Occasionally they may
have a “communion” service of bread and wine (or grape juice) representing what
the Lord did at the Last Supper.
Most Protestants believe in baptism as a “sacrament” while
Catholics believe in baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, reconciliation,
marriage, orders and anointing of the sick as sacraments. Even our
understanding of baptism is different. We believe that through baptism one is
freed from all sin—original and personal—becomes a son or daughter of God,
sharing in his divine life, is a temple of the Holy Spirit and is incorporated
as a disciple of Jesus Christ in the church. It is God’s initiative primarily.
Protestants believe that prior to baptism a person should be “born again,”
having accepted Jesus as Lord and savior. Once they have had this experience, then
they can request baptism whenever they are ready. In this scenario, the person
is the initiator. The “born again” experience is the act of salvation, not
baptism.
As Catholics, because we believe that God wills all to be
saved and God desires to share his life with every one as soon as possible in
their life, we baptize infants as well as adults. It is the faith of the
parents or the faith of the community that is activated on behalf of the child.
At the same time, we believe that the person needs to appropriate this gift of
God at some time in their journey. (See my tract on “Is Baptism necessary for
Salvation?”)
Our understanding and relationship to Mary is also a major
difference. We believe that because God in his divine plan chose Mary to be the
mother of the savior, he gifted her from the moment of her conception in her
mother’s womb free from sin and that she remained sinless throughout her life
by grace. We believe that Mary was a virgin before, during and after the birth
of Jesus. We believe that Mary became our spiritual mother when Jesus gave Mary
to John and John to Mary at the cross. We believe that Mary was full of the
Holy Spirit from her conception till death. We believe that because Mary was
sinless, by grace, she was assumed into heaven body and spirit when she
experienced the sleep of death. We believe God set the role and place of honor
for Mary when Mary proclaimed the Magnificat in Luke 1:48: “All generations
will call me blessed.” Because of all this we do not worship her as a god, but
honor her as one who is a role model, mother and intercessor. Our praying to
Mary does not take away from our prayer to God. We are asking her to go to the
Father on our behalf. (See my tract on “Mary: Mother of God.”)
On the other hand, Protestants believe that Mary is the
mother of Jesus and that she conceived him while she was a virgin but had other
children besides. They believe that we
Catholics are worshipping Mary by having statues and images of her and by
praying to her.
Protestants believe that forgiveness of sins comes from
confessing directly to God. Catholics believe that Jesus gave the authority to
the apostles and their successors to forgive or retain sins. So Catholics,
except in an emergency, experience the forgiveness of their sins through
repentance, confession to a priest and receiving absolution. (See my tract on “Why should I confess my
sins to a priest?”
There are other differences such as purgatory. Catholics
believe that when a person dies in the grace of God but is not perfectly in
love with God at the time, before entering into the presence of God will go
through a period of purgation in order to be “holy, blameless and full of
love.” Protestants do not believe in purgatory. (See my tract on “Purgatory.”)
Yes, there are a number of areas that both Catholics and
Protestants share in common but the ones that divide them are significant. The
above is not an exhaustive list of differences but are some of the more
substantial ones. Much prayer and dialogue will be needed, but above all the
sovereign intervention of God, for these differences to be resolved. Only then
will the prayer for unity uttered by Jesus to the Father at the Last Supper
will become a reality.
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