Rachel Evans
Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. However, some people draw a distinction between Catholics and other Christians, such as Protestants, who formed out of protest against the Catholic Church. Different denominations have different criteria for determining who is a Christian, and some Catholics do not self-identify as Christians. Catholics rely on Scripture and tradition for their beliefs, viewing the Bible as having equal authority with the Church and tradition. Catholics also differ from other Christians in their beliefs about the sacraments, the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the papacy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholics are Christians | True |
| Catholics worship statues | False |
| Catholics worship bread and wine | False |
| Catholics rely on the Bible for their beliefs | False |
| Catholics view salvation as a completed status | False |
| Catholics are non-Christians | False |
| Catholicism is a branch of Christianity | True |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are the first followers of Christ
Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity, and all Catholics are Christians. However, not all Christians are Catholics, as a Christian can also be a Protestant, Gnostic, Mormon, Evangelical, Anglican, or Orthodox follower.
Some people separate Catholicism from Christianity, and different denominations have different criteria for determining who is a Christian. For example, some Christians are those who have "accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior" or those who profess to be saved "by faith alone." Since Catholics don’t generally use this language, some classify them as non-Christians.
However, Catholics were the first followers of Christ. The biblical evidence for this is found in the Acts of the Apostles: “So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians” (Acts 11:25-26). The early church was Catholic and Christian, and the first Christians believed in the Trinity and rejected Oneness theology. The Catholic Church is the Church that Jesus started and said would never pass away (Mt 16:18).
Protestants claim that the Church that Jesus founded was the “Christian Church,” not the Catholic Church. However, this is not necessarily true, as the early Christians' church in Antioch was indeed the Catholic Church. Peter founded the church in Antioch before he went to Rome, and it was during Evodius’s reign as bishop of Antioch that the disciples there were first called Christians.
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Protestants were formed out of protest against the Catholic Church
The essential tenets of the Reformation were that the Bible is the sole authority for all matters of faith and conduct, and that salvation is by God's grace and through faith in Jesus Christ. The reformers rejected the authority of the Pope and many of the principles and practices of Catholicism. The movement was led by famous figures such as John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Knox, and it appealed to the founders of the United States, with its concepts of individualism and free expression of religion influencing the First Amendment.
The term "Protestant" itself comes from the Latin "protestare," reflecting the movement's origins in protest against the Catholic Church. Over time, the term came to be applied to all groups opposed to Catholic orthodoxy. While Protestants emerged from a protest against Catholicism, most still assert that Catholics are saved despite their theological differences, as Catholics believe in Jesus as God.
The distinction between Catholics and Protestants has led to some considering them as separate from "Christians." This is partly due to different groups defining the term "Christian" differently. For example, some Protestants define a Christian as someone who has "accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior" or who is saved "by faith alone," language that Catholics do not typically use. However, Catholics were the first followers of Christ, and they argue that historically, Christians have always recognized baptism as the method of becoming a Christian, a view that was challenged after the Protestant Reformation.
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Catholics rely on Scripture and tradition for beliefs
Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. Catholics believe that the "rule of faith" is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church. This includes oral teachings from Jesus and the apostles, as well as the authority to interpret Scripture correctly.
The Catholic Church recognises Sacred Tradition, which refers to fundamental doctrines on faith and morals passed down unchanged from the Apostles. An example of a doctrine followed according to Tradition and Scripture is the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Bible is also recognised as the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, but Catholics believe that Sacred Tradition is necessary to properly interpret Scripture. This is because the Bible does not specify which writings are inspired, and it can be difficult to interpret without guidance.
The Catholic Church is seen as an authoritative voice on the interpretation of Scripture, which helps to unify Christians. Without this, Christians may be more divided as they are free to interpret Scripture as they wish, which can lead to disagreements.
Some Protestant denominations do not consider Catholics to be Christians, as they define a Christian differently. For example, many Protestants use the phrase "accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour", which Catholics do not generally say. However, Catholics would define a Christian as anyone who professes faith in Christ and has been validly baptised, which is recognised by Christians throughout history.
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Catholics view salvation as a process
Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. A Christian refers to a follower of Jesus Christ who may be a Catholic, Protestant, Gnostic, Mormon, Evangelical, Anglican, or Orthodox. Catholics define a Christian as anyone who professes faith in Christ and has been validly baptized (water baptism). Many Protestants do not share this definition.
The Catholic Church distinguishes between initial justification, which occurs at baptism, and final salvation, accomplished after a lifetime of striving to do God's will (theosis or divinization). Theosis is a transformative process whose aim is likeness to or union with God. As a process of transformation, theosis is brought about by the effects of catharsis (purification of mind and body) and theoria ('illumination' with the 'vision' of God). According to Eastern Christian teaching, theosis is the purpose of human life.
The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is a cooperation between God and man in which man plays at least as important a role as God does. Catholics believe that their pursuit of holiness does not take their trust away from Christ and puts it in themselves. Instead, they believe that without holiness, no one will see the Lord. God desires to put this holiness within humans, so that they may share in His holiness. This is the ultimate rationale behind the Catholic view of salvation.
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Catholics believe in the importance of the Virgin Mary
Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. A Christian refers to a follower of Jesus Christ who may be a Catholic, Protestant, Gnostic, Mormon, Evangelical, Anglican or Orthodox.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Virgin Mary is the mother of the church and of all its members, namely all Christians. She is acknowledged and honoured as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer. Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church. The Mother of the Church, carries on in heaven her maternal role with regard to the members of Christ, cooperating in the birth and development of divine life in the souls of the redeemed. In Redemptoris Mater, Pope John Paul II referred to Paul VI's "Credo of the People of God" as a reaffirmation of the statement that Mary is the "mother of the entire Christian people, both faithful and pastors".
The dogma of Mary’s Perpetual Virginity maintains that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. Scriptural accounts of Sts. Matthew and Luke inform us that a virgin named Mary conceived and bore a child Jesus by the Holy Spirit. The virgin birth was believed by the earliest Christians and professed up and down the centuries in the various creeds of the Church. Since the Scriptural accounts directly attest to this truth, no Christian—Protestants included—questions the virgin birth. The part that meets resistance is the Catholic understanding that Mary also remained a virgin her entire life.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics are Christians. Catholics were the first followers of Christ, and the Catholic Church is the original Christian Church. The word "Catholic" means "universal", expressing how different people, churches, and traditions come together into one Church.
Some people believe that Catholics aren't Christians because they think the word "Christian" is synonymous with "Protestant". Catholics rely on Scripture and tradition for their beliefs, and approach God through intermediaries such as Mary or the saints, whereas Christians rely solely on the Bible and approach God directly.
Catholics view salvation as a process, whereas Christians view it as both a completed status and a process. Catholics see themselves as "being saved", while Christians see themselves as "having been saved".
Catholics worship a piece of bread and a cup of wine, which they believe become the Body and Blood of Christ through transubstantiation. Catholics also believe that the Pope is infallible when it comes to matters of faith and morals, but not in everyday subjects.
