Protestant & Catholic

[Sonic74205]

I was just watching a program called Christianity a History: Reformation and it made me realise i dont actually know the difference between protestant and catholic. Can someone tell me what the difference is please?

[IntrepidIsMe]

There are a few major and minor differences. Catholics, for instance, focus a lot on Church tradition, whereas Protestants believe more in scripture as being the only way to faith. Catholics always believe that the Eucharist is Christ's body and blood, and this is true in some Protestant denominations but not all. Catholics pray to God, Jesus, and the saints, whereas Protestants only pray to God and Jesus. Protestants also feel that salvation is more or less given, whereas Catholics believe in a more personal role. There are other minor things like the number of sacraments, the way in which mass is conducted, etc.

Or at least that's what I learned in Catholic class a few years ago. I may be wrong.

[Puck]

Catholics also believe in the authority of the chair of St. Peter that Jesus ordained in the Bible. Basically, Peter was the first Pope, and now his authority has been passed on through the centuries to Pope Benedict, the 266th Pope. Also, we have bishops, all of whom can trace their ordinations back to the original apostles. Protestants have separated themselves from this authority and do not accept it. Because of this, as Aaron said, the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are the only Church's that still have all 7 sacraments. These are the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination, and Anointing of the Sick. Protestants only have the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage. These are a few of the major differences, but there are quite a few more. Nonetheless, one thing all Christians have in common is that they accept the Nicene Creed

[Dirt]

The catholic church also has bishops that can deny the holocaust, whereas the protestant church doesn't.