I have to write a paper comparing and constrasting the Protestant and Catholic faiths. Not being part of either myself I thought it would do some good to get some opinions from people who practice. I have not done much research yet but I am interested in the religions as they are now. What is the same between the two? what is different? I am also interested in your opinions on one or the other or both. I’m not here to start a Catholic bashing or Protestant bashing argument I am just interested in the opinions out there. If I do end up using someone’s opinion proper credit will be given to the site (and screen name? I have never done this before). I know I have asked for opinions and please share, but I am not interested in “why you should be a Catholic/Protestant”. Also any book titles on the subject that might be useful would be appreciated. Thanks!
Gabriel of 12;
The Protestant founders came from the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church beginning in the 1500’s a.d Up until then the World of Christendom since the ascension of Jesus Christ was one Holy Catholic and Aposotlic Church. The Catholic Church was instituted and founded by Jesus Christ himself. Both Jewish religious and secular authorities from antiquity give witness to this history and fact. The Catholic Church is Apostolic Because her magisterium has succeeded from the Apostles themselves by sacrament of Holy Orders which includes the laying of hands and prayer which continues unbroken in the Catholic Magisterium of Popes, Patriarchs, Bishops, Priests and deacons.
The speech used in scholary circles to distinguish the two communities are “The popular Church” which references the Protestant, non catholic, Evangelicals, non denominational church communities to name a few, which are isolated from one another as far as leadership, doctrine and creed. The protestant communities have splintered into many different Christian communities since the breakaway from the Catholic Church. Each one can trace its founder to either a man or woman. The second term applies to the Catholic Church as the “Institutional Church” that can trace her leadership directly to the Apostles and Jesus himself which includes the Apostolic biblical Teachings and Apostolic oral Traditional teachings which gives us the full deposit of faith from Jesus and his apostles.
The “Institutional Church” (Catholic “universal”) includes one faith, one baptism one Lord since the resurrection of Jesus, which includes a valid ordained Priesthood from Jesus and his apostles unbroken. This Catholic Community consists of both the living and those members in heaven, not to exclude her members in purgatory, this is what makes the Catholic Church universal her members include every tongue, people, nation tribe in every age in the communion of saints. What makes this community united in life and in death? Iam glad you asked? The summit of the Catholic Faith that unites all her members into one body is the True presence of Jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament the “Eucharist”.
The “popular Church” includes the individual communities that have set themselves apart from Apostolic succession, Apostolic teachings, and most of all the Eucharist which is to partake of the Lords table as one family in God. These have developed new Christian theologies and doctrine that conflict with the “Institutional Church” teachings. Many of them reject the institutional Priest hood established by Jesus in the New Covenant and others maintain a very close Priest hood that brings in the question of validity.
The “popular Church” many believe there is no need of a magisterium, and they give themselves their own “authority” to teach, preach biblical interpretations for themselves, since man has the freedom of his own will to do so. Thus you have many different isolated Church communities deriving from such freedoms that have taken their authority from the man made theology of “Sola fide” and “Sola Scriptura” plus many more since the inception of these two foundational Protestant belief’s.
This is not to say that Christianity as a whole is not united, for she is united to the one Head of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit. The “popular church” have taken with them many “Truths” from their foundation in the “Institutional Church” and yet have rejected many of the Apostolic Truth’s handed down from Jesus and the Apostles that exist in the “institutional Church” thus the name “protestant” (one who protest’s). But the “institutional Church” views these as our “seperated brethern”. They are our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ through a valid baptism.
The “popular Church” has gained much growth in the realm of Christian Love, Charity and Christian virtues that makes up her isolated communities. What unites the “popular Church” is the seperation and or “protest” against the “institutional Church”. These titles I have mentioned “popular Church” is better given because of the many, many that have come and gone since the seperation from the “institutional Church”, thereby one cannot address your topic in generalities here without offending the many individual seperated brethern communities.
I would recommend you find common language to express your topic, or else be ready to right a volume of books to inclued every “Christian communty” outside of the “institutional Church” founded by Jesus Christ which is the One Holy Catholic And Apostolic Church.
Books; “God is near us” and “Called to Communion”, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Ignatius press gives both protestant arguments and Catholic belief’s to Apostolic teachings, (warning,you may need a dictionary and thesaurus for his writings) “The Catholic Church throughout the ages” by John Vidamar, OP, paulist press gives a concise historical walk from Jesus and the apostles to the Catholic Church we have today and Protestant seperation from the Catholic Church. This author is true to both sides of any argument, and lets you know that fact is fact. Its an medium read.
Peace be with you.
