ed and i were discussing this topic. and we didnt really know much. I found this list which shines a little light:
also this sentence:
Anglicanism is characterized by a via media (middle way) between Catholicism and Protestantism. Anglicans are not subject to the Pope and are Protestant in most areas of doctrine, but Anglicans also retain many Catholic forms of worship, including a hierarchy based on bishops (which is the meaning of the world “episcopalian”).
this list is a little more comprehensive.
and here is a very nice post, which you totally should read.
ps. if your still up for reading, here is the babel thing.
Tags: Catholic, Protestant
May 26, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Greetings! Saw your post in Google Blogsearch and came to read.
>”Anglicans are not subject to the Pope”
This statement is partially true. It is true that Anglicans do not consider themselves under the authority of the Pope; however, that does NOT mean that Anglicans are not under the authority of the Pope. These are two different things. As Patriarch of the West, all Western Christians are under the authority of the Pope, whether they recognize that authority or not. That’s not just the belief and teaching of the Church at Rome, but the belief and teaching of all 21 Eastern Catholic Churches and all the Eastern Orthodox Churches which together constitute over 75% of the world’s Chrisians. A clear and overwhelming majority.
>”this list is a little more comprehensive”
I looked at both lists and the two articles. Its clear that non-Catholics wrote the two lists as the Catholic position is poorly stated with a few errors. One thing that caught my eye was that the Protestant beliefs continually had caveats about various Protestant groups that didn’t hold one or another belief. The Catholic side was remarkedly consistent in belief considering there are 22 different Catholic Churches and most had not been in communication with each other for centuries due to geographic seperation. Personally, I think that fact alone speaks volumes that a Melkite Catholic and a Roman Catholic have unity of belief when an Anglican Protestant and a Baptist Protestant do not have unity of belief. So much for sola scriptura and individual interpretation of scripture. Every Protestant is their own Pope.
>”and here is a very nice post, which you totally should read.”
Nice only if one is not interested in truth and facts. Many gross mistatements about the Catholic faith. For example, the author writes “Many Roman Catholics doctrines, such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc. have little or no basis at all in Scripture, but are based solely on Roman Catholic traditions.” If a doctrine has even a little basis in scripture then that doctrine is not based solely on traditions. The author has clearly contradicted theirself. All Catholic doctrine is found 100% in the Bible, either explcitly or implicitly, thus no Catholic doctrine is based solely on traditions.
The author also states “They teach that the Christian must rely on faith plus “meritorious works” in order to be saved.” That’s clealry false as the Catholic Church teaches clearly, as the Bible also says, that salvation is by God’s freely grace alone. Had the author bothered to actually read the Catechism of the Catholic Church on GRACE AND JUSTIFICATIONand find what Catholics truely believe and teach, the author would not have made so false a statement.
If you’re going to disagree with Catholics, that’s fine, but please disagree with what Catholics truely believe and not on what you think they believe. The article just leads more and more non-Catholics further into confusion.
God bless…
+Timothy
June 24, 2008 at 2:59 am
Various Protestant groups do not lead to disunity among Protestant believers. Creation of each was geographically done based on the freedom from the wrong teachings/traditions and persecution by the Catholics or the absence of ministry or biblical teachings in a particular area centuries ago. Outbreak of Lutherans was in Germany, Methodist and Baptist in England, Presbyterian in Scotland, etc….. The increase in numbers in Protestant members started through outreach ministries,circuit riders, Bible studies and Church Services. While the vastness of Catholic was established through invasion or war to form colonies to be headed by a Pope, no Biblical meaning but more on territorial. Since Protestant has different types, one is welcome to attend any services, a Methodist in Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran churches or vice-versa. Even Catholics are welcome in Protestant Churches and may feel the pleasant way and calmness of worship. They may also enjoy the camaraderie before and after worship services, the communication between people and between God. An expression of freedom through faith in God. Catholic priests have been authoritative most of the time. You tend to listen most of the time even if is questionable. They tend to preach on morality without linking a particular verse in a Bible. They are not natural because they read their sermons which lack eye contact to the congregation. Protestant preachers may never stop mentioning a passage from the Bible and reflects it in a natural way like a true teacher. Therefore, Protestants are Bible oriented than Catholics.
There are few misunderstandings among Protestant leaders but they are common in many many ways despite the establishments were founded in different places.
What I have shared with you is based through experience.
My maternal grandparents transformed from Catholic to Protestant. My paternal grandparents are Protestants. My in-laws are Catholics. I am a Protestant married to a Catholic but attend church services together with my children in a Methodist church.
DB
June 26, 2008 at 1:55 am
I went to a Protestant school during my elementary and high school days, then went to College in a Catholic School. The difference, Protestants teach religion using the Bible, Catholics teach religion using books authored by their leaders.
Catholics are increasing through birth, decreasing because of transformation to other religion particularly to Protestants. But they still maintain a huge and balance number of population on papers but in reality, many transformed already.
Please see Chick.com, I read many things about other religions particularly Catholics in this website. This was refered to me when I was in the US, a Protestant country. Latinos and other nationalities actually increasing the number of Catholics in the US.
September 30, 2008 at 10:49 pm
The anti-catholics don’t hate the catholic faith, they hate what they believe the catholic faith to be. For answers to all your questions please go to http://www.catholic.com.
October 15, 2008 at 5:23 am
I based on what I have experience with Catholics and Protestants, I have many close friends among Catholics but they will or never will win a debate with a Protestant. I don’t need any articles of anything to enlighten me about the beliefs of Catholics.
When one of the Rectors was teaching in our class, my classmate asked, “Father, why do Protestants ask confession directly to God before communion while us Catholics with a priest?”
The Rector answered back: “That is OK, just be a Protestant everyday when you ask for forgiveness to God but be a Catholic by asking forgiveness to the priest at least 4 times a year”
I leave it to you how you analyze it…
If you will analyze carefully, what you do is a reflection of your beliefs. It so ironic that one Catholic is saying he/she believes in one God the father but you actually see him/her praying in front of Mary heartily. Because of this, majority of Catholics don’t even know John 3:16. 9 out of 10 actually.
The Bible does not say to pray to Mary or the Pope. I will retrack everything when I see them having the Bible as their total authority. I don’t even see that in their churches, what the priests hold is just a small pocket book a bit 1/4 inch thick. In Protestant churches they are free and spread across the pews to serve the congregation
I do have many things to share and have to help them. It has a difference in the approach and outlook of life.
Although the good things about them, some Catholics really appreciate the simple way and practices but effective, the type of worship by the Protestants.
But to be fair to both, nobody is perfect in the humankind, just accept the Jesus as your personal saviour with faith and good works. We will be the same in the eyes of the Lord….
November 26, 2008 at 8:56 am
Whilst not a catholic myself (I’m an Anglican by confirmation), my Father is Catholic, and many close friends are too. I find Timothy’s response to this post to be the most accurate in its criticisms and corrections of the (badly written) and somewhat erroneous articles in Adam’s post. As a protestant came from soundbites either preached in protestant churches or splashed across amateur webpages. Once I actually bothered to investigate, I was delighted by the depth of thought and commitment to the gospel I found in the rich catholic tradition (and every church has traditions, whether they realise it or not).
Richard Rohr has written an excellent article entitled ‘Why be catholic?’ that provides some good insights here:
http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0888.asp
November 26, 2008 at 8:59 am
sorry, I mistyped at the end of the first paragraph there.. is meant to read,
“As a protestant, my understand of the catholic church came in soundbites…”
=)