Are there any Doctrinal similarities between Catholics and Baptists?

[IGotQuestions]

Are there any significant similarities between the Catholic Faith and that of the Baptist Faith (other then the basics that we both believe in a Triune God?)
Thanks!

 

[andrewstx]

I think basically the similarities would be only in the social issues. Like pro life, and against same sex “marriage”.

 

[Anthony2112]

Yes there are! Most Baptists consider themselves evangelicals. A good resource to compare the similarities would be “Roman Catholics and Evangelicals.” By Norman Giesler who explains where we agree and disagree. It is available on Amazon but if you have a kindle I could electronically lend you my copy for two weeks if you want to know more.

 

[Used2beSherryG]

I am wondering if there are any tenets of faith for the Baptist religion. If so, could you site the document(s). This is a serious question as I am under the impression there are no exact tenets of faith, rather it’s up to the ministers interpretation. also, if the congregation doesn’t like what the minister has to say, they fire him and get another more to their liking. Speaking in generalities is impossible, unless we can know exactly what the Baptist faith as a whole teaches and agrees upon.

 

[Restless_Heart_1]

They exist, but they are certainly few. Conservative Baptists and non-liberal Catholics would stand well together on social issues, and the basic tenets of Christianity (God the Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth; God the Son, redeemer of the world; God the Holy Ghost, giver of life and love of the Father and Son).

Hope this helps!

 

[KathleenGee]

My friend is from Louisana and grew up in a Baptist school. She attended Xavier College and later became a Catholic.

She was still in formation of her Catholic faith when I met her, during the peak of poor catechesis in the Church.

She asked me to describe how a Catholic aspires to heaven. I fell back on my student studies of Catholic asceticism – the way to perfection. I particularly liked the teachings of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Theresa of Avila. So I started with the conversion, then went into the purgative way…we are facing our sins and overcoming them with prayer and penance seeking His Will, then to illuminative way where our minds are enlightened and we demonstrate various expressions of our growing faith in personal relationship with God, to the unitive way where our will is united to God’s will. and every person can have all 3 actions within their progression for union with Him, which is in essence, true charity based on humility and obedience, united with the Crucified Lord – the bridge to the Heavenly Father.

I didn’t use the terms purgative, illuminative, or unitive, but basic, ordinary talk. I ended and she said, ‘This is how Baptists believe!’

I think there is a problem with oversimplifying things or using the same language with different meanings.

I think the difference is more in belonging to the Universal Church and being nurtured by both Word and Sacrament, and the systematic teaching of morality and prayer found in our catechism…we have alot of help as Catholics. And we tend to go forward together, rather than personal, self interpreting things and if our priest fails, we have the Church to support us.

 

[JustaServant]

Yes there are! Most Baptists consider themselves evangelicals. A good resource to compare the similarities would be “Roman Catholics and Evangelicals.” By Norman Giesler who explains where we agree and disagree. It is available on Amazon but if you have a kindle I could electronically lend you my copy for two weeks if you want to know more.

Independent Baptists do not consider themselves to be evangelicals.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

The Inerrancy of Scripture
Death and Resurrection of Christ providing payment for our sins.
The saving Grace of Christ
Baptism for the remission of sins, though the age and decision process is often different.

 

[JustaServant]

The Inerrancy of Scripture
Death and Resurrection of Christ providing payment for our sins.
The saving Grace of Christ
Baptism for the remission of sins, though the age and decision process is often different.

Baptists do not believe Baptism remits sins.

 

[Simca]

As a Baptist, who has become a Catholic, but who is not an EXPERT on either religion, I would say that our basic beliefs are the same: that Jesus died for us, and that we need to have a belief in Him, and have forgiveness for our sins.

A Baptist, however, would have a belief in Once Saved Always Saved, where Catholics believe that it is a constant obedience/confession of sins which would ultimately lead to our salvation. Just as the Israelites entered into a covenant with God and promised to obey him, (pointing to a once-in-time salvation experience), they ultimately (on the whole), didn’t obey Him and weren’t guaranteed the salvation they sought. But Once Saved Always Saved is a doctrine that even all Evangelicals cannot agree upon (for instance, The Assemblies of God, who are Evangelical/Pentecostal absolutely refute this doctrine.)

Another major doctrinal difference, of course, is the Catholic literal interpretation of the Eucharist, whereas Baptists believe this is only symbolic.

Another difference is end-time beliefs. Catholics don’t believe in a “pre-tribulation rapture,” whereas a Baptist would.

These are only a few examples.

But out of all of these, is the mutual belief that Jesus IS our salvation. This is the most important part, and the part that binds all Christians together into the Body of Christ.

 

[RyanBlack]

I am Catholic, and have been for nearly 10 years. Prior to becoming Catholic, I spent a brief time in the Orthodox Church, about 3 years in the Episcopal Church, and about 2 years in the United Methodist Church. Prior to that I spent most of my life in the Southern Baptist Church.

In my experience, the Trinitarian theology and Christology of most Baptists is very similar to that of the Catholic Church. Of course, since Baptists lack a central doctrinal authority, there is a great variety of actual beliefs.

 

[Anthony2112]

Independent Baptists do not consider themselves to be evangelicals.

Many actually do consider themselves Evangelicals. I was basically an Evangelical Baptist for much of my life… Some [but far less than during the last century] consider themselves Fundamentalist which Jerry Falwell once described as “an Evangelical who was mad about something.” I was an Independent Baptist. I graduated from Liberty University which originally was an independent Baptist institution before Thomas Road Baptist Church joined the Southern Baptist Convention. I am still active at Liberty and Visit Thomas Road often. I attended and graduated High School from an Independent Baptist Church which considered itself evangelical.

I am a Catholic but there are many doctrinal similarities between Fundamentalists/Evangelicals/Baptists and Catholics. We agree on a great deal. We also have big differences. The work I cited explains in detail where we agree and disagree.

 

[Anthony2112]

I am Catholic, and have been for nearly 10 years. Prior to becoming Catholic, I spent a brief time in the Orthodox Church, about 3 years in the Episcopal Church, and about 2 years in the United Methodist Church. Prior to that I spent most of my life in the Southern Baptist Church.

In** my experience, the Trinitarian theology and Christology of most Baptists is very similar to that of the Catholic Church. Of course, since Baptists lack a central doctrinal authority, there is a great variety of actual beliefs.**

exactly but there is more similarity…

 

[Anthony2112]

I am wondering if there are any tenets of faith for the Baptist religion. If so, could you site the document(s). This is a serious question as I am under the impression there are no exact tenets of faith, rather it’s up to the ministers interpretation. also, if the congregation doesn’t like what the minister has to say, they fire him and get another more to their liking. Speaking in generalities is impossible, unless we can know exactly what the Baptist faith as a whole teaches and agrees upon.

Here you go!

sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp

 

[JustaServant]

Many actually do consider themselves Evangelicals. I was basically an Evangelical Baptist for much of my life… Some [but far less than during the last century] consider themselves Fundamentalist which Jerry Falwell once described as “an Evangelical who was mad about something.” I was an Independent Baptist. I graduated from Liberty University which originally was an independent Baptist institution before Thomas Road Baptist Church joined the Southern Baptist Convention. I am still active at Liberty and Visit Thomas Road often. I attended and graduated High School from an Independent Baptist Church which considered itself evangelical.

I am a Catholic but there are many doctrinal similarities between Fundamentalists/Evangelicals/Baptists and Catholics. We agree on a great deal. We also have big differences. The work I cited explains in detail where we agree and disagree.

Nice to see a former IFB. I went to LU myself. Most of the churches I came into contact with were run by BJU grads, others bordering on the KJV-only crowd, which I avoided.
Liberty grads are more evangelical. Of course I’ve been out of the loop for so long. The old style IFBs are a dying breed.

 

[Anthony2112]

They certainly are but they are around. the sword of the lord is still published.

 

[JustaServant]

They certainly are but they are around. the sword of the lord is still published.

Wonder who took that over? After John R. Rice died I think a segment of the KJV-onlyists headed it up. I remember the big expose they had of Jack Hyles adultery, then one of their own staff was discovered to be stepping out.
I DO remember the sermons they published. I old ones from 19th century preachers were worth the read (not a Catholic though).

 

[Kliska]

My honest opinion; if you take the conservatives from each Christian background, we have more in common than the conservatives and liberals from each. Meaning a conservative (not talking politics here) Baptist and a conservative Catholic would have more in common than a conservative Catholic compared to a liberal Catholic. But that’s just MHO.

 

[ltwin]

I am wondering if there are any tenets of faith for the Baptist religion. If so, could you site the document(s). This is a serious question as I am under the impression there are no exact tenets of faith, rather it’s up to the ministers interpretation. also, if the congregation doesn’t like what the minister has to say, they fire him and get another more to their liking. Speaking in generalities is impossible, unless we can know exactly what the Baptist faith as a whole teaches and agrees upon.

Southern Baptists would follow the Baptist Faith and Message. Wikipedia has an article dedicated to Baptist confessions and it includes links to them. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Baptist_confessions

Reading through them will give you an idea of the diversity as well as the commonalities that exist among Baptist churches.

 

[Anthony2112]

Wonder who took that over? After John R. Rice died I think a segment of the KJV-onlyists headed it up. I remember the big expose they had of Jack Hyles adultery, then one of their own staff was discovered to be stepping out.
I DO remember the sermons they published. I old ones from 19th century preachers were worth the read (not a Catholic though).

swordofthelord.com/