Grace Thompson
Catholicism and Christianity are two of the world's biggest religions, with 1.3 billion and 2.5 billion followers respectively. While the two religions have much in common, there are also significant differences between them. Both religions stem from the life, teachings, and death of Jesus, but they differ in their interpretations of the Bible and in their views on salvation. While Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition, some Christians interpret the Bible more literally. Catholics view salvation as a process, while Christians see it as a completed status.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beliefs | Catholics believe in the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, His death and resurrection, and salvation through Him. Catholics view salvation as a process, while Christians view it as a status already achieved. |
| Bible | Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition. Catholics use a Bible with 7 additional books. |
| Practices | Catholics drink alcohol within reason. Catholics don't believe in divorce. Catholism is a relatively meditative, quiet, calm, and rational faith. Catholics don't believe in "the Rapture". |
| History | Catholicism is the oldest Christian institution, tracing its origins to Jesus Christ and the apostles. Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are Christians
Catholicism is a form of Christianity, and all Catholics are Christians. However, not all Christians are Catholics. Of the estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide, about 1.3 billion are Catholics, making it the largest of the three major branches of Christianity.
Catholicism is the oldest Christian institution, with origins that can be traced directly to Jesus Christ and the apostles. Catholics believe in the core tenets of Christianity: the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, His death and resurrection, and salvation through Him. Catholics view salvation as a process, while other Christians view it as both a completed status and a process. Catholics believe that salvation is received by faith and then "maintained" through good works and participation in the Sacraments.
There are some differences in practices between Catholics and other Christians. For example, some Protestant denominations do not allow alcohol or divorce, while Catholics allow both within reason. Some Protestants are "charismatic" and aim to induce hysterical religious experiences, while Catholicism is a more meditative, quiet, calm, and rational faith. Catholics also have a Pope, and they believe that the bread and blood of Jesus become what is outlined in the Bible. They use a Bible with seven additional books that were removed by later Christian churches.
Some people may claim that Catholics are not Christians, but this is often due to misunderstandings or a lack of knowledge about history and philosophy.
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Catholics believe in the Trinity
Catholicism is a form of Christianity, and Catholics believe in the Trinity. The Trinity refers to the idea that God is made up of three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This concept is central to Catholic theology and is often summed up in the phrase "one God, three persons".
Catholics believe that each of the three persons in the Godhead possesses the same eternal and infinite divine nature, and they are one true God in essence or nature, not "three Gods". This belief is based on the idea that God is love, and love requires both a lover and a beloved. The relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is seen as a perfect and infinite act of love, which is the foundation of the Christian faith.
The distinction between the three persons in the Trinity is understood in terms of processions and relations within the inner life of God. The Father and the Son actively spirate the Holy Spirit, but this does not constitute a person because the Father and Son are already persons in relation to each other. The Holy Spirit is passively spirated by the Father and the Son, constituting the third person in the Trinity.
The Council of Florence, which took place between 1338 and 1445, defined the Trinity as consisting of one nature in God, two processions, three persons, and four relations. This definition has helped shape Catholic understanding of the Trinity and how it relates to their faith.
While Catholics and Protestants both believe in the Trinity, there are differences in how they interpret this concept. Some argue that the way the Catholic Church presents Jesus in the Eucharist distorts the Trinity, and that Catholic teachings on Mary elevate her to a status that turns the Trinity into a quaternity. However, others suggest that these are minor differences and that the focus should be on the common ground between Catholics and Protestants, such as their shared belief in the Trinity and the Apostle's Creed.
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Catholics believe in salvation as a process
Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, and all Catholics are Christians. However, not all Christians are Catholics. Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of the estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide.
Catholics believe that salvation is a process that begins with baptism and continues throughout their lifetimes. They believe that salvation is received by faith but must be "maintained" through good works and participation in the sacraments. This is in contrast to some Protestant denominations, which view salvation as a completed status. Catholics believe that salvation is a lifelong commitment that should grow over time, with God's grace growing within them as they trust in God more and follow His commandments.
The Catholic Church teaches that salvation comes through Jesus alone, as the "one mediator between God and man." The saving grace won by Jesus is offered as a free gift, accessible through repentance, faith, and baptism. Catholics believe that salvation is a process by which they come closer to God throughout their lives as they participate in the sacraments and the grace that comes through them.
The Bible presents salvation as a gift that is received when a person places faith in Jesus Christ as their savior. When a person receives Christ as their savior, they are justified, redeemed, reconciled, sanctified, and born again. Catholics believe that these are fully accomplished at the moment of salvation, but that salvation is an ongoing process.
While some non-Catholics may believe that Catholics teach "salvation by works," the Catholic Church has consistently condemned this idea. Catholics believe that good works are required by God because He demands obedience to His commands and promises to reward them with eternal life. Even their obedience is impossible without God's grace, and even their good works are a gift from God.
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Catholics view the Bible as equal to Church and tradition
Catholicism is a form of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with around 1.3 billion followers out of an estimated 2.5 billion Christians worldwide.
Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition. This is in contrast to Protestants, who believe that the Bible is the only rule of faith and that it contains all the material one needs for theology. Catholics, on the other hand, believe that the "rule of faith" is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church. This tradition consists of the teachings that the apostles passed on orally through their preaching, which largely overlap with those contained in Scripture but are transmitted differently.
According to Catholic theology, the Apostle St. Paul instructed the faithful to "stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter." This is understood to mean that both sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same devotion and reverence.
The Bible itself does not claim to be the complete rule of faith. For example, Paul states that much Christian teaching is to be found in the tradition handed down by word of mouth (2 Tim. 2:2). He also writes that "so faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). This suggests that the Church, in the persons of the apostles, was given the authority to teach by Christ and that this teaching was to be done orally through preaching.
There are differences between Sacred Tradition and other Catholic traditions. Sacred Tradition, or Apostolic Tradition, refers specifically to the teachings passed down by the apostles, which overlap with Scripture. Other traditions, spelled with a lowercase "t," refer to pious customs that arose later in the Church's history, such as praying the Rosary or making the sign of the cross.
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Catholics are not against science
Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, and all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity (God in three persons: the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit), and they have a Pope. They also believe that the bread and blood of Jesus become exactly that as outlined in the Bible. Catholics also believe in an unwavering set of moral laws, outlined in the Catechism.
> Methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God. The humble and persevering investigator of the secrets of nature is being led, as it were, by the hand of God despite himself, for it is God, the conserver of all things, who made them what they are.
The perception of a conflict between the Catholic Church and science was created by influential figures such as John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White, who wrote books claiming that the Catholic Church was hostile to science. Draper's book, "History of the Conflict between Religion and Science" (1874), was a response to contemporary papal edicts such as the doctrine of infallibility. Draper and White held up science as the sole source of truth and the antidote to the Bible and theological tradition. However, the Catholic Church's approach does not pit the Bible against science or theological tradition.
Catholicism is a relatively meditative, quiet, calm, and rational faith. Catholics do not renounce technology, music, and jewelry as evil, as some Protestant denominations do. Catholics drink alcohol within reason, and they do not believe in "the Rapture".
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. Catholicism is the oldest and largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with an estimated 1.3 billion followers out of 2.5 billion Christians worldwide.
Catholics believe in the Trinity (God in three persons—the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit), have a Pope, and believe that the bread and blood of Jesus become literal as outlined in the Bible. They also believe that salvation is received by faith and then maintained by good works and participation in the Sacraments, whereas some other Christians believe salvation is a completed status. Catholics also use a Bible with seven additional books that were removed by later Christian churches.
Catholicism is a relatively meditative, quiet, calm, and rational faith compared to some Protestant denominations, which can be "charismatic" and try to induce hysterical religious experiences in adherents. Some Protestant denominations also forbid alcohol, divorce, and technology, music, and jewelry, which Catholics do not.
Some Protestants claim that Catholics "worship Mary" or confuse the Catholic Church with the Christian Church. However, Catholics believe in salvation through Jesus Christ alone, and the Catholic Church is the oldest Christian institution, tracing its origins directly to Jesus Christ and the apostles.
