Subject: Catholic Questions Re: Hi Every One...
I think there are some language and grammar issues here, but I feel the need to chime in if I'm understanding this question and response correctly. To suggest that Catholics have the Pope while protestants have the Bible is really inaccurate.
The Catholic Church is the original Christian church that Jesus Christ founded.
Nearly all the beliefs of the Catholic Church, including the Pope, the Sacraments, veneration of Mary, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Confession (Reconciliation), etc. were accepted by Christians for the first 1500 years after Christ's time on earth.
You can read the writings of early Christians like St. Justin Martyr (2nd Century) to verify this. See this link for more: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm.
The protestant reformation in the 16th century raised some serious issues in the church - not in terms of belief but in administration and corruption. After many years, this led to a split in Christianity which required changes in belief (such as denying the authority of the Pope since protestants would no longer obey that authority).
Once that first split was complete (the Lutheran church), many other protestant churches split from that, and the beliefs became more and more varied. At last count there are some 30,000 different protestant faiths, all with slightly different beliefs (although in some cases the specifics of their beliefs are unclear).
As Christians we all believe that the books of the Bible were divinely inspired. Practically speaking, the early Catholic Church debated and discussed which books would be admitted for about 400 years. Finally, around 410 we have the first recorded official list of the New Testament appearing in a letter from Pope Innocent I, and there is no evidence that the books were debated from that point on.
So while God provided the Bible for us, the authority of the Catholic Church in the early centuries helped affirm those books for all of us and end any debate as to which books should be included. Ironic, then, that protestants would attack the Catholic Church over the Bible which the Church played an important role in developing.
Bottom line: the Bible is very important to Catholics, as it is to all Christians.
I was a protestant for many years who converted to Catholicism. These are the major differences as I see them:
REAL PRESENCE: Catholic believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (communion). This belief is supported strongly in scripture and was the belief of all Christians prior to 1500. Most protestant faiths today believe communion is a symbolic memorial, nothing more. (Some notable exceptions such at Lutherans believe in a Real Presence although some details vary.)
AUTHORITY OF THE POPE & CHURCH: The split away from the Catholic Church required that protestants deny the authority of the Pope in order that they have the freedom to develop their own church and beliefs.
VENERATION OF MARY: The Mother of Christ was held in very high regard by early Christians and remains so in the Catholic Church. Most protestant faiths have lost this tradition.
SCRIPTURE VS TRADITION. Having denied the authority of the Catholic Church, many protestant faiths put 100% authority to scripture as a foundation of their faith. The Catholic Church has always maintained the importance of Holy Scripture but also recognizes Holy Tradition - basically the teachings of Christ and records of Christian history which were passed down orally from one generation to the next. In fact, it is from these Traditions that many of the Scriptures were written (in many cases, years after Christ walked the earth). An example of this would be the Assumption of Mary - early Christians believed that Mary was taken up to heaven body and soul to recognize her important role in Christ's mission. This was never written down in Holy Scripture, perhaps because it is not really relevant to our salvation, perhaps because it was never debated among Christians. Still, it is interesting. Many things like that exist to form a deeper, more meaningful faith than what you'd get from Holy Scripture alone. Keep in mind - Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition cannot conflict with each other since they both come from the same source - Jesus Christ.
Other traditions of the Catholic Church. I put this as a small "t" - these are traditions like prayers and practices that in many cases have been practiced by Christians for thousands of years but have been lost in many protestant faiths. This includes prayers like the Rosary, appreciation of the saints, recognition of Lent and Advent (still recognized in some protestant faiths), sign of the cross, etc. Again, these things help create a deeper faith and connect us to the universal Church around the Earth and throughout history.
There you go... I haven't posted in months but just unloaded lots of info. That should give us something to talk about!
God bless!
Jon
The protestant reformation in the 16th century raised some serious issues in the church - not in terms of belief but in administration and corruption. After many years, this led to a split in Christianity which required changes in belief (such as denying the authority of the Pope since protestants would no longer obey that authority).
Once that first split was complete (the Lutheran church), many other protestant churches split from that, and the beliefs became more and more varied. At last count there are some 30,000 different protestant faiths, all with slightly different beliefs (although in some cases the specifics of their beliefs are unclear).
As Christians we all believe that the books of the Bible were divinely inspired. Practically speaking, the early Catholic Church debated and discussed which books would be admitted for about 400 years. Finally, around 410 we have the first recorded official list of the New Testament appearing in a letter from Pope Innocent I, and there is no evidence that the books were debated from that point on.
So while God provided the Bible for us, the authority of the Catholic Church in the early centuries helped affirm those books for all of us and end any debate as to which books should be included. Ironic, then, that protestants would attack the Catholic Church over the Bible which the Church played an important role in developing.
Bottom line: the Bible is very important to Catholics, as it is to all Christians.
I was a protestant for many years who converted to Catholicism. These are the major differences as I see them:
REAL PRESENCE: Catholic believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (communion). This belief is supported strongly in scripture and was the belief of all Christians prior to 1500. Most protestant faiths today believe communion is a symbolic memorial, nothing more. (Some notable exceptions such at Lutherans believe in a Real Presence although some details vary.)
AUTHORITY OF THE POPE & CHURCH: The split away from the Catholic Church required that protestants deny the authority of the Pope in order that they have the freedom to develop their own church and beliefs.
VENERATION OF MARY: The Mother of Christ was held in very high regard by early Christians and remains so in the Catholic Church. Most protestant faiths have lost this tradition.
SCRIPTURE VS TRADITION. Having denied the authority of the Catholic Church, many protestant faiths put 100% authority to scripture as a foundation of their faith. The Catholic Church has always maintained the importance of Holy Scripture but also recognizes Holy Tradition - basically the teachings of Christ and records of Christian history which were passed down orally from one generation to the next. In fact, it is from these Traditions that many of the Scriptures were written (in many cases, years after Christ walked the earth). An example of this would be the Assumption of Mary - early Christians believed that Mary was taken up to heaven body and soul to recognize her important role in Christ's mission. This was never written down in Holy Scripture, perhaps because it is not really relevant to our salvation, perhaps because it was never debated among Christians. Still, it is interesting. Many things like that exist to form a deeper, more meaningful faith than what you'd get from Holy Scripture alone. Keep in mind - Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition cannot conflict with each other since they both come from the same source - Jesus Christ.
Other traditions of the Catholic Church. I put this as a small "t" - these are traditions like prayers and practices that in many cases have been practiced by Christians for thousands of years but have been lost in many protestant faiths. This includes prayers like the Rosary, appreciation of the saints, recognition of Lent and Advent (still recognized in some protestant faiths), sign of the cross, etc. Again, these things help create a deeper faith and connect us to the universal Church around the Earth and throughout history.
There you go... I haven't posted in months but just unloaded lots of info. That should give us something to talk about!
God bless!
Jon
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