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What’s the Difference?
Roman Catholicism
“Catholic” means UNIVERSAL.
A BRIEF HISTORY

Around 30 – BIRTH of the Church

313 – EDICT OF MILAN
Constantine made Christianity the favored religion of the Roman Empire.

Middle of the Fifth Century – Leo’s PRIMACY of St. Peter
Leo, bishop of Rome, commanded, through an edict of the emperor, that all should obey the
Bishop of Rome because he held the “Primacy of St. Peter.” Through the Pope, as Peter’s
successor, Peter would continue to minister as one who held the “keys to the Kingdom.”

1054 – Great SCHISM
The break came when the Patriarch of Constantinople (primate of the Eastern church)
excommunicated Pope Leo IX of Rome. From that time on, the Western (Roman Catholic) church
and the Eastern (Orthodox) church developed separately.

1517 – Martin Luther’s 95 THESES
Luther did not intend to break with the church. He merely wanted to reform it. The Roman
Catholic Church rejected Luther’s views, so he and other “protestors” were forced out. They
began to meet separately. They studied the Bible, tried to interpret it for themselves, and
followed its teachings as they understood them. This was the start of a new branch of Christianity
called “Protestant.”
And so, from a beginning with just one Christian church, today there are three main branches:
Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant with its many denominations.
DIFFERENCES
1. The Roman Catholic Church is the ONLY TRUE church.
“We know that no other church but the Catholic Church is the true church of Christ…” (A
Catechism of Christian Doctrine).
Matthew 16:13-19; 1 Peter 5:13
Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18-19:

The Christian church is built on Peter;

Peter became the first bishop of the local church at Rome;

Peter passed on “the keys of the kingdom” to his successors at Rome;

Therefore the Roman Catholic Church is the “true church” founded by Jesus Christ.
Read 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:11.
interpretation of Matthew 16:18-19?
How do these verses affect your
Does the New Testament (especially the book of Acts) give evidence that Peter was the sole leader
of the church?
2. Scripture and Church Tradition have EQUAL authority.
“Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion
and reverence’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 82).
3. INTERPRETATION of Scripture is the job of the Church.
“Scripture is subject finally to the judgment of the Church, which carries out the divine
commission and ministry of guarding and interpreting the Word of God” (The Documents of
Vatican II).
Evangelicals
Catholics
The Bible is their sole guide for faith and
life (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 John 5:13; Deut.
12:32).
Both the sacred Scriptures and the sacred
tradition of the church are to be regarded as
authority for faith and life.
They are free to read the Bible and
interpret its meaning—with guidance from
the Holy Spirit (John 5:39; Rom. 15:4;
John 14:26; 1 John 2:27).
No human being is infallible and only Christ
is head of the church which is His Body
(Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18).
Interpreting of Scripture is subject finally to
the judgment of the church, “which carried out
the divine commission and ministry of guarding
and interpreting the Word of God.”
When the Pope speaks ex cathedra (from the
chair) on matters of faith and morals, he, as
Vicar of Christ—ruler of the visible church on
earth—is infallible.
Read Deuteronomy 17:19; Matthew 22:29; John 16:13; Acts 17:11. What do you think? Should
the Church be the sole interpreter of the Bible or does God want Christians to read His Word and
interpret it for themselves? (The NT was written in common Greek.)
4. The SACRAMENTS are necessary for salvation.
Read Ephesians 2:1-10. According to this passage, how is a person saved?
“The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for
salvation” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1129).
The sacraments are thought to give grace (“sanctifying grace”).
(1) BAPTISM
John 3:5; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38
Baptism is so important to Catholics that they hold that even a baby dying at birth must be
baptized.
“The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his
disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptism them. Baptism is necessary for
salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility
of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism
that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission
she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are ‘reborn of water and
the Spirit” (CCC, 1257).
“By baptism all sin are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for
sin” (CCC, 1263).
(2) CONFIRMATION
Acts 8:14-17
When a baptized child is 12 years old, he is confirmed. This ritual signifies that he is
strengthened in the faith. Catholics believe that this ritual gives him the Holy Spirit more
completely.
“Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the
‘sacraments of Christian initiation,’ whose unity must be safeguarded” (CCC, 1285).
“It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation in
necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For ‘by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the
baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of
the Holy Spirit’” (CCC, 1285).
(3) HOLY EUCHARIST
Matthew 26:26-28; John 6:51, 54, 56
Holy Eucharist (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:19-20). The Holy Eucharist, or Holy
Communion, is the most important sacrament of the CC. To the Catholic, communion is not
just a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, but he believes that God changes the bread
and wine into the actual body and blood of Christ. Thus, to the Catholic, Jesus Christ is the
actual sacrifice on the altar, the Victim whose blood and body are offered up several times
daily in thousands of Catholic churches all over the world.
“Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the
beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which
nourishes the disciple with Christ’s Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ” (CCC,
1275).
“By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of
Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself,
living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood,
with his soul and his divinity” (CCC, 1413).
(4) PENANCE and RENCONCILIATION
John 20:19, 22-23; 2 Cor. 5:18
This is the sacrament by which sins committed after baptism are forgiven by Jesus through
the ministry of the priest. To receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation worthily, a person must
first examine his conscience; second, be sorry for his sins; third, have the firm purpose of not
sinning again; fourth, confess his sins to the priest; and fifth, perform the penance (prayers or
good works) the priest gives him. Punishments in this life or in purgatory can be made lighter
through indulgences. This is a power supposedly held by the church.
“The spiritual effect of the sacrament of Penance are:
- reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
- reconciliation with the Church;
- remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
- remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
- peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
- an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle” (CCC, 1496).
(5) ANOINTING of the Sick
James 5:14-15
Formerly Extreme Unction, this is the sacrament for the sick. “Extreme” means “last” and
“unction” means “anointing with oil.” Extreme Unction is thought to take away both venial
and mortal sins even from an unconscious person who is on the point of death.
“The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
- the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole
Church;
- the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of
illness or old age;
- the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of
Penance;
- the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
- the preparation for passing over to eternal life” (CCC, 1532).
(6) Holy Orders
(7) Matrimony
Read Galatians 1:6-9. Some in Galatia were teaching that Gentile believers had to be circumcised
in order to be truly saved. In other words, faith in Christ was not enough. Do you think that the
Catholic Church’s teaching that the sacraments are necessary for salvation is also “a different
gospel”?
5. Those who receive the sacraments may still need to go to PURGATORY.
“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their
eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness
necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC, 1030).
Protestants
Catholics
God gives eternal life when the believer has
faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior (Rom.
3:24; 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10).
Salvation is secured by faith plus good works—
as channeled through the Roman Catholic
Church.
They can be assured of salvation through
Christ’s work and God’s promises (John
3:16; Rom. 5:18; Acts 2:21; John 5:24).
They can never know if they have accomplished
enough to satisfy God and actually attain
heaven. Catholics feel fortunate to have the
assurance of purgatory where they can receive
temporal punishment that purifies them for
heaven.
The slogans of the Protestant Reformation were “Christ alone,” “Scripture alone,” “faith alone,”
and “grace alone.” Do you think the Reformation was necessary? In other words, do you think
the differences between Catholics and Evangelicals matter?