Posted: September 5th, 2022

The Difference Between Catholic and Protestant Churches

The Difference Between Catholic and Protestant Churches
Although they worship the same God, Catholic and protestant churches are different. Protestants were born during the reformation in Germany; it was initiated by Martin Luther about 500 years ago. Catholics believe that the Catholic Church is the original Christian church. Protestants acknowledge that it was the first, but it became corrupt, leading to a split.
The head of the Catholic Church is known as the pope. Protestants do not believe in papal authority. Catholics believe that Jesus was the founder of the church, and Peter was the first pope, all the other popes came after Peter. Protestants believe that Jesus was the founder of the church. He appointed his disciples to assist him in spreading the gospel.
Priests in the Catholic Church practice celibacy, while those in the protestant churches do not. Catholics view Mary as holy; they perceive her as an intercessor to God. In Protestant churches, Mary is just a human being with no exceptional attributes. Purgatory is a place where people get cleansing before they go to heaven. Catholics believe in it, but Protestants do not.
Protestants believe that the bread and wine that they consume in commemoration of the last supper represents the blood and the body of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe that it will turn into the body and the blood of Jesus. Protestant Churches celebrate only two holidays; Easter and Christmas. The Catholic Church has several holidays; Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Saints’ Feast Days, and lent.
The Catholic Church is one united church with a hierarchy of leadership; the pope is the head, then cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, monks, and deacons. Protestant churches are tens of thousands. All of them believe in the doctrines of the reformation. The pastor is the church head, followed by elders and deacons.
Both the Catholics and Protestants believe that Christians inherited sin from Adam and Eve. However, they differ in terms of children. Protestant churches believe that children are exempted from sin until they come to an age in which they can distinguish right from wrong. The Catholic Church baptizes infants.
Catholics confess their sins to God through priests, while Protestants confess their sins to God through Jesus Christ. They also have holy water, but the Protestants do not have. Both the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church believe in the bible. However, Catholics believe in Roman Catholic traditions too. Catholic churches are well decorated; they have lots of statues and arts. Most protestant churches have simple decorations.

References
Wheeler, Michael. The old enemies: Catholic and Protestant in nineteenth-century English culture. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Johnson, Martin, and Phil Mullins. “Mormonism: catholic, protestant, different?.” Review of religious research (1992): 51-62.

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Study Notes & Homework Samples: James Fowler’s “Stages of Faith” »Renaissance epoch in the Christian religion