Joshua Bennett
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with an estimated 1.3 billion followers out of 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. Despite this, some people still distinguish between Catholics and Christians, with some Catholics even identifying as separate from Christians. This distinction may be due to the differences in beliefs and practices between Catholics and other Christian denominations, such as the role of the Bible and tradition, the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the view of the Pope. Additionally, in some places, the term Christian is synonymous with Protestant, which may contribute to the perception that Catholics are not Christians. However, Catholics were the first followers of Christ, and they do consider themselves Christians, worshipping Jesus Christ and basing their beliefs on Scripture and tradition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholics consider themselves Christians | Yes |
| Catholics don't consider themselves Christians | No |
| Catholics worship statues | No |
| Catholics worship bread and wine | No, Catholics worship Jesus Christ |
| Catholics rely solely on the Bible for their beliefs | No, they rely on Scripture and tradition |
| Catholics view the Bible as the supreme authority for faith and practice | No, they view it as having equal authority with the Church and tradition |
| Catholics view salvation as a completed status | No, they view it as a process |
| Catholics believe in Jesus Christ | Yes |
| Catholics are a denomination of Christianity | Yes |
| Catholics are a non-Christian cult | No |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are Christians
Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of the 2.5 billion Christians worldwide. Catholics consider themselves Christians, and they worship Jesus Christ. However, there are some differences between Catholics and other Christians, such as beliefs about the sacraments, the roles of the Bible and tradition, the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the papacy.
Some people consider Catholics to be separate from Christians. For example, some Protestants in the United States consider "Christian" to be synonymous with "Protestant", and some public institutions classify "Catholic" and "Christian" as separate religions. This may be due to the fact that Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition, while other Christians view the Bible as the supreme authority for faith and practice. Catholics also have different beliefs about salvation, seeing it as a process, while other Christians see it as a completed status.
Historically, the term "Christian" referred to all followers of Christ, including Catholics. However, after 1024, the Catholic and Orthodox branches of Christianity emerged, and some people began to distinguish between "Catholics" and "Christians".
Despite these differences, Catholics do consider themselves Christians, and they share the core belief in Jesus Christ as the saviour with other Christians.
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Catholics were the first followers of Christ
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. As such, all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic.
The term "Christian" was first used to refer to Jesus's disciples in the city of Antioch, as recorded in Acts 11:26:
> " [...] they conversed there in the church a whole year; and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians."
The term "Catholic" first appeared in Ignatius of Antioch's Letter to the Smyrnaeans, written around AD 107:
> "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."
The early Church was both Catholic and Christian, and the first Christians left evidence of their belief in the divinity of Christ through their interactions with non-Christians. For instance, Pliny the Younger, the second-century governor of the Roman province of Bythinia, observed in a letter to Emperor Trajan that Christians:
> " [...] were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath."
Furthermore, Lucian of Samosata, a second-century playwright, described Christians as:
> " [...] [Those who] have sinned by denying the Greek gods, and by worshiping that crucified sophist himself and living according to his laws."
The early Christians also faced persecution for their belief in "one God, who manifested himself through his Son, Jesus Christ", as written by St. Ignatius in the early second century.
In conclusion, while there are distinctive beliefs between Catholics and other Christians, such as Orthodox Christians, Catholicism is the oldest form of Christianity, and thus Catholics were the first followers of Christ.
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Catholics worship statues
Catholics consider themselves Christians, and they are the largest group of Christians in the world. However, some Catholics prefer to call themselves Catholics to differentiate themselves from Protestants, who are also Christians.
Catholics and Statues
Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. They serve as reminders and teaching tools, especially for the illiterate. Statues are also used to commemorate certain people and events, much like how Protestant churches use three-dimensional nativity scenes at Christmas.
The Catholic Church does not believe that statues or images have any power in and of themselves. They are used to move worshippers to the contemplation of God and his saints. Statues are also used to impart blessings, such as healings.
Some critics argue that the use of statues is a form of idolatry, citing verses from the Bible such as Deuteronomy 5:9, which says, "You shall not bow down to them." However, Catholics distinguish between legitimate veneration of a sacred image and the sin of idolatry. Bowing or kneeling before a statue does not necessarily constitute worship, and Catholics do not believe that statues possess any divinity or virtue.
Furthermore, God himself commanded the creation of statues in the Bible, such as in Numbers 21:8–9, where Moses was instructed to make a statue of a bronze serpent, and in 1 Kings 6, where Solomon built a temple adorned with statues of cherubim.
In summary, Catholics use statues as visual aids in their worship of God, but they do not worship the statues themselves.
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Catholics and their beliefs about the Bible
Catholics consider themselves Christians. In fact, Roman Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with about 1.3 billion followers out of the 2.5 billion Christians worldwide.
Catholics believe that the Bible is God's self-revelation, inspired and written without error. They believe that God is revealed through the Patriarchs and Prophets in the Old Testament and through Jesus Christ in the New Testament. God inspired human beings to write the Bible, and these authors used their own abilities and perspectives to write the books that became part of the Bible. Catholics believe that the Bible is divided into two main parts: the Old Testament, written before Jesus' life, and the New Testament, written after.
Catholics read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, believing that the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament. They do not ignore the Old Testament, but rather see it as vitally important evidence of God's loving care for humanity throughout history. St. Augustine once described the unity of the two Testaments as: "The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed."
Catholics believe that the Bible will never lead them astray when it is understood correctly. They believe that the Bible has one author—God—and so it will never contradict itself. The Holy Spirit guides the Church in interpreting the Bible, and Catholics rely on the wisdom of the Church in understanding what God is saying through Scripture.
Catholics interpret different books of the Bible using different standards, depending on the genre of the book. For example, they interpret historical books like 1 Kings differently from poetic books like the Song of Solomon or books that rely heavily on symbolism, like Revelation.
There are some differences between Catholic beliefs and practices and those taught in the Bible. For example, the Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by baptismal regeneration and is maintained through the Catholic sacraments, while the Bible teaches that we are saved by grace received through faith. The Catholic Church also teaches the practice of praying to Mary and the saints, which some believe is unbiblical.
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Catholics and Protestants
Some Catholics and Protestants differentiate themselves from each other by name due to their different beliefs and practices. For example, Catholics view the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition, whereas some Protestants view the Bible as the supreme authority for faith and practice. Protestants may also be more likely to refer to themselves as simply "Christian" because they were the majority group in the USA, and Christian became synonymous with Protestant in many places.
Catholics rely on Scripture and tradition for their beliefs, whereas some Protestants rely solely on the Bible. Catholics also believe in the miracle of transubstantiation, whereby the bread and wine at Mass become the Body and Blood of Christ, which is a doctrine that some Protestants disagree with. Catholics also believe in the intercession of the saints and the Virgin Mary, and the importance of the Pope, whereas Protestants do not.
Some Protestants regard the Catholic Church as a non-Christian cult, but others simply consider it a Christian group with different teachings. Catholics, meanwhile, sometimes consider themselves separate from other Christians, and may even consider other denominations to be less reasonable, objective, or consistent.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Catholics are Christians. Roman Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. Therefore, all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics.
Some people believe that Catholics are not Christians due to differences in practices and beliefs. For example, some Catholics differentiate themselves from other Christian denominations by referring to themselves as "Catholic" instead of "Christian". Catholics also believe in the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the Pope's infallibility, which other Christians may disagree with.
Catholics and other Christians have different beliefs about the sacraments, the Bible, and tradition. Catholics view the Bible and tradition as having equal authority, while other Christians view the Bible as the supreme authority for faith and practice. Catholics also have different beliefs about salvation, seeing it as a process, while other Christians see it as a completed status and a process.
Catholics may call themselves Catholics instead of Christians due to historical and denominational differences. The term "Christian" is sometimes associated with Protestantism, and some Catholics may want to differentiate themselves from this. Additionally, the term "Catholic" refers to the universal Christian church, so "Catholic" and "Christian" can be seen as synonyms.
