Catholics vs Protestants - 18 Differences

hey there today we're going to chat about something pretty interesting Catholicism and protestantism we'll take a look at what sets them apart what they've got in common and why it even matters so stick around Catholicism has its roots in Rome around 30 ad shortly after Jesus Christ's crucifixion the early Catholic Church viewed itself as the continuation of Jewish law and the teachings of Jesus Christ passed on to the apostles protestantism on the other hand didn't come into existence until 1517 ad when Martin Luther a German monk initiated the Protestant Reformation in vitberg Germany this was

an attempt to reform perceived Corruptions within the Catholic Church which according to Luther and his followers had deviated from the original teachings of Christianity St Peter a prominent Apostle of Jesus Christ is traditionally considered the first leader or pope of the Catholic Church according to Catholic belief Peter received the keys to the kingdom of heaven making him the leader of the Earthly Church in contrast Martin Luther a German monk Theologian and Professor sparked the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century and is therefore often seen as the first leader of protestantism he was instrumental in developing

a theology that emphasized Faith scripture and Grace moving moving away from the institutional Church's Authority Catholicism predominantly uses the crucifix a cross with an image of Jesus being crucified as its primary symbol it serves as a constant reminder of Jesus's suffering and sacrifice for Humanity's sins protestantism however primarily uses the Latin cross usually depicted without the body of Christ to underscore the resurrection of Jesus Christ highlighting the victory over death and sin rather than the suffering the architecture of Catholic churches is often grandiose reflecting the majesty and the glory of God it typically includes statues

paintings and stained glass windows depicting biblical stories Saints angels and scenes from the life of Jesus Protestant churches in contrast generally adopt a simpler more modest architectural style there's an emphasis on the pulpit and the spoken word reflecting the Protestant focus on scripture and sermons rather than on visual representations of the Divine the Catholic Bible contains 73 books including the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament these include several deuterocanonical books not found in the Protestant Bible in contrast the Protestant Bible which was a product of the Reformation

is based on the 66 books that are in the Jewish Canon composed of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books it omits the seven books of the Old Testament that Martin Luther and other reformers considered apocryphal in Catholicism a priest who leads a modest celibate life is the typical religious leader priests mediate between God and humans conducting the sacraments and guiding their congregations on the path of spiritual growth in protestantism pastor or ministers are the spiritual leaders they can be charismatic influencing their congregations through their personality and teaching unlike Catholic priests Protestant clergy

are allowed to marry and have children reflecting the belief that ministers can better guide their congregations if they share the same life experiences for Catholics the act of confessing sins is typically performed with a priest within a confession Booth or a confessional this Sacrament known as reconciliation or Penance signifies the sinner's repentance and God's forgiving Grace transmitted through the priest Protestants however believe in the priesthood of all believers meaning every believer has direct access to God therefore they confess directly to God believing that forgiveness comes straight from God and doesn't require a Priestly intermediary Catholics

often use holy water blessed by a priest as a a medium for blessing it's sprinkled on Believers and objects as a sign of sanctifying Grace and is used in various sacraments and liturgies Protestants typically don't use physical mediums for blessings they believe in the power of prayer alone to seek God's blessings demonstrating the direct relationship between God and the believer the use of physical items in prayer varies between the two denominations Catholics traditionally use rosary beads AER ular string of beads for counting the series of prayers that make up the rosary each bead represents a

specific prayer and the cycle of prayers is thought to bring the worshipper closer to Mary and Jesus Protestants typically do not use physical items during prayer this practice underscores their belief in a direct personal relationship with God unmediated by physical objects or human intercessors Catholicism posits three Realms in the afterlife heaven for those who die in a state of grace hell for those who die in a state of mortal sin and Purgatory a transitional state for those who need purification before entering Heaven Protestant belief by contrast usually only acknowledges Heaven and Hell the concept of

purgatory is generally rejected as many Protestants believe in the justification by faith alone meaning Believers are saved by faith in Jesus not by their deeds music in Catholic Worship is often slow and calming frequently using traditional hymns and chants that have been part of the church's liturgy for centuries this reflects the solemnity and deep historical roots of Catholic Worship many Protestant denominations particularly Evangelical and Pentecostal ones use modern music Styles like pop and rock in worship this uplifting music is intended to inspire congregations and make worship a joyful emotionally engaging experience the Catholic Church recognizes

seven sacraments baptism confirmation Eucharist reconciliation anointing of the sick matrimony and holy orders these are seen as channels of divine grace through which Believers receive spiritual life and growth Protestant churches however usually recognize only two sacraments baptism and communion these are considered ordin es or symbolic rituals commanded by Christ rather than means of Grace Catholicism practices infant baptism a tradition dating back to the earliest centuries of the church it's based on the belief in original sin and the idea that baptism cleanses the soul and opens the way to Salvation most Protestant denominations on the other

hand practice Believers baptism or Credo baptism which is performed only after a person has made a personal decision to follow Christ they view baptism not as a means of salvation but as a public Declaration of faith and identification with Christ the Catholic lurgical year includes many holy days and Seasons five of the most significant are Christmas the birth of Jesus lent a season of penance leading up to Easter Easter the resurrection of Jesus Pentecost the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Feast of Saints celebrating Saints recognized by the church Protestants typically focus on two

major holy days Christmas and Easter celebrating the birth death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the differences reflect variations in Tradition and the relative emphasis on the church calendar Catholicism has approximately 1.3 billion followers globally making it the largest Christian denomination these followers are spread AC across all continents with substantial populations in Europe the Americas and Africa protestantism in contrast boasts between 920 million to 1 billion adherents worldwide the movement is particularly strong in North America Europe and parts of Africa and Asia when it comes to the largest country by the number of followers catholicism's most

significant presence is in Brazil with around 120 3 million Catholics due to the country's historical ties with Portugal and its missionary activities the United States is home to the most substantial number of Protestants approximately 153 million reflecting the nation's historical roots in the reformation and the later waves of protestant immigrants who helped shape its cultural and religious landscape Catholics traditionally used Latin for lurgical prayers reflecting the church's origin in the Roman Empire and symbolizing its unity and universality however after the second Vatican Council in the mid 20th century local languages have become prevalent in Catholic

liturgies although Latin Remains the official language of the Vatican Protestant prayers are generally conducted in local languages reflecting the Reformation emphasis on Direct personal communication with God and the principle that scripture and worship should be accessible to all believers in their native tongues despite the Myriad differences that distinguish their practices and beliefs it is crucial to underscore that both Catholics and Protestants unite in their Devotion to the same God they share a foundational belief in Jesus Christ as their lord and savior amidst the diversity this common Faith forms a profound Bond bridging their divides and

serving as a testament to the expansive and multifaceted nature of Christian devotion as our exploration of Catholicism and protestantism concludes this map reveals their global distribution