Michael Brooks
Catholicism is one of the largest and oldest belief systems globally, with over a billion adherents. It is a historic branch of Christianity, and the largest Christian church. The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is considered a denomination by some, particularly in ecumenical contexts, and a religion by others, due to its size, beliefs, and history. The term denomination often refers to subgroups within a religion with unique convictions on non-essential matters of faith, while still sharing primary doctrines and practices with other faiths in the same tradition. On the other hand, a sect is generally considered a smaller group, often isolated from the original ecclesiastical community and holding particular values or religious ideas in an absolute way. While the term sect has been used in a Catholic context, it is usually applied to groups outside the Church, and those within the Church who are considered sects are often viewed with disturbance by other Christians.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Denomination: A subgroup within a religion with unique convictions on non-essential matters of faith. Sect: A smaller group of people who subscribe to the same belief system. |
| Size | Catholicism is one of the largest and oldest belief systems in the world, with 1.27-1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. |
| Beliefs | Catholicism is a historic branch of the Christian faith. Catholics believe in the Four Marks of the Church as expressed in the Nicene Creed. Catholics also believe that marriage is a social and spiritual bond between a man and a woman, and that it is the only appropriate context for sexual activity. |
| Practices | Catholics administer seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. |
| Relationship with other groups | Catholics refer to Protestant churches as "ecclesial communities" and reserve the term "church" for apostolic churches, including the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Catholics consider themselves to be the sole custodian of the complete teachings of Jesus Christ, and therefore do not view themselves as a sect. |
| Internal divisions | There are 24 autonomous Catholic churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic Church vs Catholic denomination
The Catholic Church is a Christian denomination, the largest in the world, with around 1.3 billion adherents. A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity, identifiable by a name, history, organisation, leadership, and theological doctrine. Denominations are usually seen as part of the Christian mainstream, whereas sects are not.
The Catholic Church is also referred to as the 'Roman Catholic Church', particularly in ecumenical contexts and in countries where other churches use the term 'Catholic'. It is led by the Pope in Rome, and its adherents are known as 'Catholics'. Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity that emerged after the first thousand years of Christianity. It was established by those who wanted to follow God through the Church and give the leader of the Church spiritual authority. The first unified Roman Catholic Church was created in AD 606 with worldwide leadership.
The Catholic Church administers seven sacraments, or 'sacred mysteries': Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. In contrast, Protestant Christians only recognise two sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist.
The Catholic Church considers itself to be the sole custodian of the complete teachings of Jesus Christ, which must be accepted in their entirety by all mankind. According to Catholic teaching, Christians who refuse to accept the entire doctrine or acknowledge the supreme authority of the Catholic Church constitute a religious party under unauthorised human leadership, i.e., a sect.
Some critics of the Catholic Church argue that its doctrines, such as the veneration of Mary and the priesthood, suggest a separate, works-based religion rather than a denomination of Christianity. However, the majority of theologians and Christian denominations have historically shared Catholic views on certain issues, such as the immorality of homosexual behaviour.
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Catholicity and catholicism
The term "Catholic" is derived from the Ancient Greek adjective "katholikos", meaning "universal". It is used to refer specifically to the Catholic Church and often, the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest Christian communion in the world, with approximately 1.3 billion adherents. The Catholic Church is led by the Pope, the bishop of Rome, and is one of the three main branches of Christianity, alongside Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism.
"Catholicity" refers to the concept of widely accepted beliefs and practices among Christian denominations, particularly those that describe themselves as catholic in accordance with the Four Marks of the Church, as expressed in the Nicene Creed formulated at the First Council of Constantinople in 381: " [I believe] in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church." The term is derived from the same root as "Catholic" and is closely related to the Catholic Church, but it is also ascribed to other denominations such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Assyrian Church of the East. These churches share traits of catholicity, such as formal sacraments, an episcopal polity, and apostolic succession.
A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity, identifiable by traits such as a name, history, organisation, leadership, and theological doctrine. Denominations are usually seen as part of the Christian religious mainstream, in contrast to a sect, which is often viewed with disapproval and implies a break from an existing denomination. The term "sect" is used in Catholic ecclesiastical writings to refer to groups that have refused to accept the entire doctrine or the authority of the Catholic Church, constituting a religious party under unauthorised human leadership.
The distinction between "Catholic" and "Catholicity" is important, as "Catholic" specifically refers to the Catholic Church and its unique doctrines, while "Catholicity" encompasses a broader range of Christian denominations that share certain widely accepted traits and beliefs. The term "Catholicity" emphasises the universality and institutional continuity with the early Christian church founded by Jesus Christ.
In summary, "Catholic" refers specifically to the Catholic Church and its unique doctrines, while "Catholicity" refers to the broader concept of widely accepted beliefs and practices among multiple Christian denominations, emphasising their unity and continuity with the early Christian church.
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Catholic sacraments
The term "denomination" is used to describe a distinct religious body within a broader religion that is identifiable by certain traits, such as a particular history, organization, leadership, and theological doctrine. Denominations are generally considered to be part of the religious mainstream. In contrast, a "sect" often carries negative connotations and is used to describe a group that has broken away from a larger group, refusing to accept its entire doctrine or authority.
The Catholic Church, including the Roman Catholic Church, is one of the largest Christian denominations, and it administers seven sacraments:
Baptism
The first sacrament of Christian initiation, baptism is seen as the sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace to the person being baptized. In Catholicism, the baptism of infants is the most common form, but unbaptized children or adults who wish to join the faith must also receive this sacrament. During the rite of baptism, holy water is sprinkled or poured on the head by a priest who invokes the Trinity, and the old self is said to die, giving way to a new self mirroring the death and resurrection of Christ.
Confirmation or Chrismation
Confirmation is the third sacrament of initiation and serves to "confirm" a baptized person in their faith. The rite of confirmation can occur as early as age 7 for children who were baptized as infants but is commonly received around age 13; it immediately follows baptism for adult converts.
Eucharist or Holy Communion
The Eucharist is another sacrament of initiation and is considered the central rite of Catholic worship. It involves the consecration of bread and wine, which are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ, memorializing his sacrifice and reflecting his Last Supper. A baptized child's First Communion is usually celebrated around age seven or eight and is preceded by their first confession (the sacrament of Reconciliation).
Penance or Reconciliation
Also known as Reconciliation, this sacrament involves confession and is considered a sacrament of healing.
Anointing of the Sick
This sacrament is a form of healing and comfort for the ill or homebound, who are visited by special lay ministers bringing the consecrated elements of the Eucharist.
Holy Orders
The Holy Orders sacrament involves the ordination of bishops, priests, and deacons, who are then empowered to perform other sacraments.
Matrimony
Marriage is considered one of the seven holy sacraments, seen as mystical channels of divine grace instituted by Christ.
These sacraments are considered visible signs of God's invisible grace, reflecting a reality that is open to all the human senses but whose true depth is grasped through faith.
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Catholic Church's view of sects
The Catholic Church considers itself the one true church instituted by Jesus Christ, with the Pope in Rome at its head. It teaches that it alone has a rightful claim to the allegiance of all Christians and is the custodian of the complete teachings of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church believes that it is the sole embodiment of the "catholic" or "universal" church, as expressed in the Nicene Creed formulated at the First Council of Constantinople in 381: " [I believe] in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."
The Catholic Church views a "sect" as a group of Christians who have banded together but refuse to accept its supreme authority or the entirety of its doctrine. The term "sect" often carries a negative connotation, implying disapproval in the mind of the speaker or writer. However, some use the term in a neutral sense to refer to various Christian denominations. The Catholic Church considers Protestant churches, which have doctrinal and ecclesiological differences with it, as "ecclesial communities" rather than churches.
The Catholic Church has also used the term "sect" to refer to certain movements and communities within its own tradition. These groups are often labelled as "conservative" or "fundamentalist," and some Catholics find it disturbing to refer to them as "sects within the Church." The term "fundamentalist" is used to describe those who adhere strictly to the traditional teachings of the Church, particularly those of the Second Vatican Council, and who reject modern developments and critical interpretations of biblical texts.
While the Catholic Church does not view itself as a sect, it acknowledges that there have been sectarian schisms in the history of Christianity, including in modern times with the rise of Protestantism and the disruption of Christianity into numerous denominations. The term "sect" is derived from the Latin "sequi," meaning "to follow," and was historically used to refer to a political party or philosophical school of thought.
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Catholic Church's view of denominations
The Catholic Church considers itself the one true church founded by Jesus Christ, with the Pope in Rome as its leader. It teaches that it alone has a rightful claim to the allegiance of all mankind, as it is the sole custodian of the complete teachings of Jesus Christ, which must be accepted in their entirety.
According to Catholic doctrine, any group of Christians who refuse to accept the entire doctrine or acknowledge the supreme authority of the Catholic Church is merely a religious party under human, unauthorised leadership, and therefore a sect. This is in contrast to a denomination, which is usually seen as part of the Christian religious mainstream.
Since the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965, the Catholic Church has referred to Protestant churches as 'ecclesial communities', reserving the term 'church' for apostolic churches, including the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, as well as the Ancient and Assyrian Churches of the East. However, some Protestant denominations, such as the Moravian, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, and Reformed, consider themselves part of the catholic (universal) church, claiming to be "heirs of the apostolic faith".
The Catholic Church has historically labelled members of certain Christian churches (and some non-Christian religions) by the names of their founders, referring to them as heresiarchs. This allowed the Catholic Church to assert that while other churches were founded by individual founders, the Catholic Church was founded by Christ.
The greatest divisions in Christianity today are between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Catholics, and the various denominations formed during and after the Protestant Reformation.
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Frequently asked questions
A sect is a group that has broken away from a larger group and holds particular values, religious ideas, or ways of life. They are often isolated from the former body and aim for self-preservation and self-defense.
A denomination is a subgroup within a religion that shares primary doctrines and practices but has unique convictions on non-essential matters of faith. Denominations are usually larger than sects.
Catholicism is a historic branch of the Christian faith with over 1 billion followers worldwide. It is one of the largest and oldest belief systems in the world.
No, Catholicism is not a sect. Catholicism does not fit the definition of a sect as it does not constitute a break from another group and it is not isolated from other Christians. Catholics consider themselves to be part of the universal church founded by Jesus Christ.
The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Some people refer to Catholicism as a religion because of its size, history, and distinct beliefs, while others refer to it as a denomination because it is a subgroup within Christianity with unique practices and convictions.
