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What is the difference between Christianity and Catholicism ???????

Do they believe in the same ?????
 
Hi ame and welcome to CR. :)

Christianity is a religion based on the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. There are three main branches of Christianity : catholicism, protestantism and eastern orthodoxy.

I hope this answers to your question.
 
Hello Ame

Catholics are Christians.. The difference between Catholics and Protestants is church doctrine.
 
ame said:
What is the difference between Christianity and Catholicism ???????

Do they believe in the same ?????
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Hi Ame,

I'm a Catholic and yes, we believe we are Christians. As Faithfulservant has said, the main difference is church doctrine.

Also, bear in mind that there are some Protestant Biblical fundamentalists who would tell you that we Catholics are not Christians. To these people, they believe that one is not a 'Christian' until you go through their specific form of initiation or conversion which is usually: belief in the Bible as the only authority, baptism, confession of sins, repentance and resolve to follow Jesus faithfully.

Being a Catholic, the main difference is that we believe in the teaching authority of the Church for our interpretation of the Bible. Although we believe that the Bible is the 'Word of God' we also believe that we are the 'People of God' and that we have not only been left with the 'Word of God' which is the Bible but also the living tradition of our people. This 'living tradition' has been handed down through the Pope and Bishops directly from St. Peter the apostle of Jesus, our first Pope, from whom there is an unbroken line of Popes to the present Pope John Paul II in Rome.

Another point of difference is the emphasis of doing good works and faith. Most Protestants (especially the biblical fundamentalists) believe in grace through 'faith' alone. We Catholics believe that faith without doing good deeds is dead. So, even though you believe in Jesus as the Son of God, unless you live a good life and do good deeds as well, you will not be saved. Hence, we Catholics try our best to do good deeds as well as living faithfully to Jesus.

Finally, in the 1960s, the Catholic church had a major reform called the Second Vatican Council which among other things, emphasised the desire for the church to reach out to other Christians and also non-Christians for interfaith dialogue and friendship. We're trying our best to fit into the modern world and be more tolerant of other faiths. Ultimately, as a Catholic we believe that for non-Christians, if you live a good life, when you die, you will be judged by God according to the good deeds you have done on earth. This is different to the teaching of Protestant Biblical fundamentalists who maintain that you have to be a 'Christian' to get to heaven regardless of the good deeds you do.

I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any more questions on Catholicism. Thanks.
 
Another point of difference is the emphasis of doing good works and faith. Most Protestants (especially the biblical fundamentalists) believe in grace through 'faith' alone. We Catholics believe that faith without doing good deeds is dead. So, even though you believe in Jesus as the Son of God, unless you live a good life and do good deeds as well, you will not be saved. Hence, we Catholics try our best to do good deeds as well as living faithfully to Jesus.
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Erm, every Christian believes good deeds are necessary.

The actual dispute is over 'good works'...good works meaning not good deeds, but rather rituals.

Protestants hold that faith alone transcends us from our sinful nature, so rituals are not important. Unfortunately, some Protestants today take that sentence ("faith alone transcends us from our sinful nature") and construe it to mean that they are already above sin, and can do whatever they want. Heh, which explains the odd behavior of fundamentalists...

Catholics, on the other hand, hold that rituals - the Sacraments in particular - are necessary for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Tishrei mentioned the Second Vatican Council reformed some aspects of Catholicism, so perhaps they don't hold the rigid view that rituals are absolutely necessary anymore, but that's how it used to be...

Btw, Tishrei, since you're a Catholic (and know a lot about your faith, obviously :p), could you explain what exactly the Sacraments are? The only explainations I've heard of them came from Protestants, so it would be cool if maybe a Catholic could explain them to me...
 
Hi Knight,

Thanks for your response.

KnightoftheRose said:
Erm, every Christian believes good deeds are necessary.

The actual dispute is over 'good works'...good works meaning not good deeds, but rather rituals.
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I wasn't referring to 'rituals' or sacraments at all. I specifically meant good deeds. Going through Catholic primary and high school, good deeds were emphasised over sacraments/ritual alone. While the sacraments are important, we were taught that good deeds are the main criteria for entry into heaven as per Matthew 25 :31-46.

Catholics, on the other hand, hold that rituals - the Sacraments in particular - are necessary for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Tishrei mentioned the Second Vatican Council reformed some aspects of Catholicism, so perhaps they don't hold the rigid view that rituals are absolutely necessary anymore, but that's how it used to be...
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Yes, since Vatican 2, the teaching of sacraments has greatly improved. There is now an emphasis on the spiritual nourishment, healing and relevance of the sacraments to our daily lives and less on the consequences of missing them. In some Catholic schools you would even be lucky to receive any mention of a definition of a sacrament let alone its consequences. The church has definitely shifted to more of a social justice agenda in its school curriculum rather than the old dogma and doctrinal definitions that used to be drilled into people. However, this has its drawbacks as well.


Btw, Tishrei, since you're a Catholic (and know a lot about your faith, obviously :p), could you explain what exactly the Sacraments are? The only explainations I've heard of them came from Protestants, so it would be cool if maybe a Catholic could explain them to me...
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Well, I'm not a priest, so I don't know that much.;) But, I thought the nicest definition I read was from a book callled 'Inside Catholicism, Rituals and Symbols Revealed' by Richard P. McBrien.

"Simply put, the principle of sacramentality means that there is more to human life and cosmic reality than meets the eye. There is a 'beyond' in our midst. There is a deeper, unseen reality-Being Iteself-that is in fact more 'real' than all the beings that we take to be real. A sacramental perspective, therefore, is one that 'sees' Being in beings, the divine in the human, the infinite in the finite, the spiritual in the material, the supernatural in the natural, the holy in the secular, the eternal in the temporal. For Catholicism all reality is sacred, or sacramental, because all reality is but a visible expression of invisible Reality itself, which is God."

Regarding the exact definition of a sacrament, McBrien continues with three different definitions that point to the same truth.

1. From the Catechism: "An outward sign instituted by Christ go give grace".
2. St. Augustine of Hippo: "An invisible sign of an invisible grace".
3. Pope Paul VI in 1963: "A reality imbued with the hidden presence of God".
"Each Definition points to the same fundamental truth: through sacraments, humanity touches and is touched by the presence of God.

The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmantion, Eucharist (the Mass), Marriage, Holy Orders (the priesthood, the episcopate and the diaconate), Reconciliation (Penance or Confession), and Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction).

"Employing a wider sense of the term 'sacrament', Jesus Christ is the great sacrament of our encounter with God. He is the fullest and most vivid expression, or sign, of God's presence in the world, and also the fullest and most vivid expression, or sign, of humanity's response to the divine presence."

I hope this helps to clarify 'sacraments' for you.

Tishrei
 
I wasn't referring to 'rituals' or sacraments at all. I specifically meant good deeds. Going through Catholic primary and high school, good deeds were emphasised over sacraments/ritual alone. While the sacraments are important, we were taught that good deeds are the main criteria for entry into heaven as per Matthew 25 :31-46.
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Ah, my bad...my understanding of Catholicism is outdated, obviously...:D

Yes, since Vatican 2, the teaching of sacraments has greatly improved. There is now an emphasis on the spiritual nourishment, healing and relevance of the sacraments to our daily lives and less on the consequences of missing them. In some Catholic schools you would even be lucky to receive any mention of a definition of a sacrament let alone its consequences. The church has definitely shifted to more of a social justice agenda in its school curriculum rather than the old dogma and doctrinal definitions that used to be drilled into people. However, this has its drawbacks as well.
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That's interesting...so would you say the Second Vatican Council changed the face of Catholicism? I mean, is the Catholic Church today the same as it was before the 60's? Or has the whole tone changed?

Anways, sorry if I'm pestering you...its just that you seem pretty knowledgeable (sp?) and I'd like to expand my understanding of the Church... :p
 
aMe - there's no need to use aLl tHiS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sTuFf. we're all grown-ups here as far as i know. it makes your posts difficult to read and less likely for people to respond to your questions.

b'shalom

bananabrain
 
bananabrain said:
aMe - there's no need to use aLl tHiS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sTuFf. we're all grown-ups here as far as i know. it makes your posts difficult to read and less likely for people to respond to your questions.

b'shalom

bananabrain
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Maybe I'm not a grown up, :confused:
but thank you!
 
you don't *have* to be a grown-up, but it's a lot more interesting for the rest of us if you engage at a grown-up level. sorry to be a bit of a downer but coping with lOtS oF !?!?!?!?! makes my eyes ache - the same goes for font changes, pastes of quotes etc.

b'shalom

bananabrain
 
Hi Knight,

No worries about the questions. It also gives me things to think about.

KnightoftheRose said:
Ah, my bad...my understanding of Catholicism is outdated, obviously...:D
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Well, I don't think the Catholic Church has really responded to all the Protestant propaganda against it in an articulate enough way. Nor has it improved its image to the world especially due to its various sex scandals and hard line views on contraception and abortion etc. Although, this has been a general trend among other Churches as well.

That's interesting...so would you say the Second Vatican Council changed the face of Catholicism? I mean, is the Catholic Church today the same as it was before the 60's? Or has the whole tone changed?
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This is a really interesting question. I can only answer in a post Vatican 2 perspective, since I wasn't even born then. However, from the accounts of my parents and other older Catholics who lived through those revolutionary days, it was a massive change such that the church would never be the same again. Bear in mind that the implementation of the doctrines and strategies from Vatican 2 are still in the process of being implemented, even 40 years after the event. Such is the magnitude of the church with its 1 billion followers throughout the world.

For other Catholics, especially the more revolutionary types, the changes of Vatican 2 were not enough. Whilst on the other side of the spectrum, you would get those who resented the changes and are still longing for the old Latin Masses sung in Gregorian Chant.

To answer your question, Vatican 2 really did change the face of the church. Most of the core constitutions were rewritten. Furthermore, some of its changes have still not been fully implemented due to the resistance of some of the more conservative people. However, based on the history of the church, the first 25 to 50 years after such a great change are a time of 'trial'. So we will not know the full extent of the impact of the changes until at least a hundred years from Vatican 2.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask me more questions.

Tishrei
 
Tishrei,

Thanks for your post!

I've only got one more question really - just something that I've been wondering about for some time...

Is the practice of having or praying to a patron saint widespread? I've asked a couple Catholics before if they had one, and they either looked puzzled or like I was retarded. Is it something of an archaic practice, or does it have a place in the modern world?
 
I am by no means an expert on Catholicism but I thought the act of praying to the saints and Mary was to plead intercession for sinners in purgatory so that they may move onto heaven. If I am wrong please feel free to correct me.
 
KnightoftheRose said:
Tishrei,

Thanks for your post!

I've only got one more question really - just something that I've been wondering about for some time...

Is the practice of having or praying to a patron saint widespread? I've asked a couple Catholics before if they had one, and they either looked puzzled or like I was retarded. Is it something of an archaic practice, or does it have a place in the modern world?
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Hi Knight

Thanks again for your questions.

I must admit, I haven't got a specific patron saint for myself, although I do pray to them and Mary in particular who we consider the greatest of the saints. When I went through the sacrament of Confirmation back in primary school, all of us got to choose a specific saint whose name we took on as our confirmation name. However, this practice also varies according to the country or region you come from. The saint that I chose was St. Augustine of Hippo, but I don't remember ever praying to him, which is rather neglectful of me. I think Catholics (especially the older ones) tend to pray to specific saints who are the patron saint of a specific object or form of assistance rather than having a single patron saint for themselves. For example, St. Jude Thaddeus, one of Jesus' apostles is known as the patron saint of hopeless cases such as shipwrecked sailors. However, this is not as popular today as it was in the past. On the other hand, there are those who are obliged to honour and follow specific saints, for example, those specifically consecrated to Mary, or who may be in a religious order with a particular saint as their founder such as St. Ignatius of Loyola for the Jesuits, St. Dominic for the Dominicans, St. Francis for the Franciscans and more recently St. Josemarie Escriva for Opus Dei.

After Vatican 2, the whole Roman Liturgical Calendar was revamped to refocus on Jesus and the primacy of the Sunday Mass over and above the Feasts of the Saints. However, the Feasts of Mary and the more important saints have been retained. Prior to Vatican 2, when all masses were said in Latin, to the non Latin speaking laity I think that praying the various devotions to the saints must have been a way to stay focused during mass. So there would have been greater enthusiasm towards patrons at the time. However, today, there are still patron saints and the celebration of their feasts and solemnities depending on the region and the importance of the saint. For example, the Patroness of Australia is 'Our Lady Help of Christians'.

With respect to your question about the saints having a place in the modern world, I think that it doesn't hurt to have a spiritual role model to imitate. There is a lot that can be learned from their lives and writings, not to mention the fact that they were often martyrs of the faith who went through cruel executions. I also think that they can be a great comfort for those who are sick or dying.

So, in summary, the practice of having a patron saint or praying to one is not as widespread or popular as it was before. However, the church still holds them up to be our role models to imitate, especially Mary. Also, the 'Communion of Saints' is still in the Nicene Creed which we recite each Sunday during the Mass. So they are still an integral part of our beliefs.

Thanks again.

Tishrei
 
Faithfulservant said:
I am by no means an expert on Catholicism but I thought the act of praying to the saints and Mary was to plead intercession for sinners in purgatory so that they may move onto heaven. If I am wrong please feel free to correct me.
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Thanks Faithfulservant.

Yes, you are very close but there is a little more to it.

Just to explain it a little better, as Catholics we believe that the church is the 'Mystical Body' of Christ. Furthermore, this mystical body of Christ, the Church, consists of three parts, the Church 'militant' on Earth (those who are alive presently), the Poor Souls in Purgatory (those who need more purification before getting into Heaven) and the Church 'triumphant' in Heaven which includes the Communion of Saints. However, all three components are part of the one body, so 'the holiness of one profits the others' as mentioned in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Section 1475). So, as one part improves itself or receives more graces, so do the other parts because all are part of the one mystical body. With respect to the Communion of Saints we believe that there is a special 'link of charity' between the Communion of Saints, the Poor Souls in Purgatory and the Pilgrims on Earth. So, having recourse to the Communion of Saints allows the contrite sinner to be 'promptly purified of the punishments for sin' (again from the Catechism). This may be hard to understand for new comers to Catholicism, but it is what we believe, especially with respect to the purification in Purgatory.

So, in answer to your statement, it actually goes both ways, as we pray for the poor souls in purgatory they also pray for our souls. Also, praying to the saints doesn't automatically move one into Heaven, it only speeds up the purification process. Furthermore, praying to the Saints for assistance, in particular Mary, greatly assists not only the Poor Souls in Purgatory but also helps us pilgrims on the journey of our life on Earth.

I hope this helps clarify it a little bit better.
I'd welcome any other Catholics out there to correct me or to add anything else to these comments. None of this stuff was ever taught to us in Catholic school so I've had to resort to the Catechism.....

On another note, to those who think that Catholics 'worship' Mary and the Saints, this is not true. We worship God alone and only give 'veneration' to the saints. According to St. Thomas Aquinas the 'worship' we give to God is infinitely greater than the 'veneration' we give to the saints.

Thanks,
Tishrei.
 
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