Christian Denominations Explained Catholics Vs Protestants - Catholicism and Protestantism explained

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Catholicism and Protestantism? In this video, we’ll cover both religious denominations and compare and contrast each in simple terms.

Catholicism is a major branch of Christianity that traces its origins back to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in the first century AD. The word "Catholic" comes from the Greek word katholikos, which means "universal," indicating the global scope of the religion. The early history of Catholicism can be traced back to the apostles, who were the followers of Jesus Christ. According to Catholic tradition, the apostle Peter was the first bishop of Rome, and he was succeeded by a line of popes who have led the Catholic Church for over two thousand years. The Catholic Church teaches that the pope is the spiritual leader of the Church, and his authority is derived from the apostolic succession of the bishops of Rome.

Protestantism is a major branch of Christianity that originated in the 16th century as a result of the Protestant Reformation, a religious and political movement that sought to reform the Catholic Church and challenge its teachings and practices. The movement was led by a number of prominent figures, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli, who called for a return to the biblical teachings of Christianity and a rejection of many of the traditions and practices of the Catholic Church.

Here are some of the main differences between Catholicism and Protestantism:

Authority: Catholics believe that the Bible and the traditions of the church are equally authoritative, whereas Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority.

Salvation: Catholics believe that salvation is a lifelong process that involves both faith and good works, whereas Protestants believe that salvation is obtained through faith alone.

Sacraments: Catholics believe in the seven sacraments, including the
Eucharist, confession, and baptism, while most Protestants only recognize two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Clergy: Catholicism has a hierarchical structure with priests, bishops, and the pope, while most Protestant denominations have a more decentralized structure without a single central authority.

Worship: Catholic liturgy tends to be more formal and structured, while Protestant worship can vary greatly depending on the denomination, with some services being more traditional and others more contemporary.

Mary and the Saints: Catholics venerate Mary and the saints, whereas most Protestants do not.

Purgatory: Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory, a state of purification after death, while most Protestants do not.

Sources:
Duffy, Eamon. Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes. Yale University Press, 2001.
Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Penguin Books, 1993.
Hillerbrand, Hans J. The Reformation: A Narrative History Related by Contemporary Observers and Participants. Routledge, 2009.
McGrath, Alister E. Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution-A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First. HarperOne, 2007.
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume Two: The Reformation to the Present Day. HarperOne, 2010.
The Oxford Handbook of Protestantism, edited by Ulinka Rublack. Oxford University Press, 2019.

#catholic #protestant #christian #jesus

[carlosthorbourne]

I really appreciate this video. I applaud you on walking that very thin line of fairness, objectivity and non-judgmentalness while at the same time giving the key information about each side. This could not have been easy lol👏👏👏

[titaniumxx]

I really appreciate the objective style of the video. It's really difficult to learn about these differences because of all the one-sided or hateful and divisive content out there.

[skiuea]

It's very tempting to share personal beliefs about the division of Christians which would start a comment battle. i will just say this... All Glory to God. Jesus is Lord.  

Your video was well done.

[icarojose]

Don’t mix up veneration with worship, venertion means show great respect. We believe that saints are people who are believed to have been saved by Jesus and did a important work when alive and so they are in heaven. We ask them to pray for us just like protestants ask other church members who are still alive to pray for them.

[christiang]

Great video! I would add a couple details:
1. Both Catholics and Protestants believe in a state of purification after death, though they differ on what that looks like.
2. The main difference in belief (by my lights) comes down to both groups' beliefs about apostolic succession (aka. the unbroken chain of authority from the original Apostles). Catholics believe that this authority is passed down, whereas most Protestants don't. This is why Protestants hold to the written scriptures as the highest authority instead of the church.

[inhocsignovinces]

“The first movement of the prayer petition is asking for forgiveness. Asking forgiveness is the perquisite for both the Eucharist Liturgy and personal prayer.” (CCC 2631)

[clarkkent]

this is a very unbiased comparison between Catholicism and protestantism. most times you either a skewed representation of either Catholicism or protestantism. I like this video because given the material and it's presentation I cannot determine if you're a Catholic or a protestant. good job!

[Àdhamh_Fife]

Very useful, enjoyable to watch (love the drawings) and easy to understand. Thank you 👍🏻

[BooboosANDBloodshed_]

Could you make a video covering atheist vs agnostic, please?

[rebecataufner]

many protestant believe that faith without goodwork is dead. That faith needs good deeds and vice-versa, however they don't belive that human work can make us worth of salvation by itself, sice all human are sinful in some stand.

We belive salvation is a gradual divine gift, that show the heart of God as someone willing to save and sanctify humanity, that he called us by mercy and not because we deserved or can achieve it by human works.

We belive he transformes us through a faith that is manifested by goodwork.

[ΓεώργιοςΝικολόπουλος-οθ]

You can also compare the differences between Catholic and Orthodox churches if you want.

[ignaciop]

As a catholic, I'm impressed. This was a very objective and well presented video. Congratulations brother🙏✝️

[braddarkstar]

Am i the only person who finds it a little suspicious that Roman hated Christianity, Rome converted to Christianity and now the church is based in Rome? Seems awfully convenient if you ask me....

[datboiron]

I would like to clarify faith only. What we mean as in faith only is with faith you have to act on it. So because we are so faithful we do works we don’t just do works to check a box.

[christianusacross]

To Christians from other countries please move to the United States and make it more Christian because Christianity is declining in the United States you will have peace and freedom!

[kieranmathews]

OMG!!!🥰🥰🥰THIS WAS THE BEST VIDEO EVER!!!😀😀😀😛😛😛😛THE TWIST AT THE END WAS YOUNGER KIDS WON'T UNDERSTAND THIS!!!🤩🤩🤩REALLY HAPPY TO SEE GODS WORK BEING DONE😎😎😎

[vinaggarwal]

First video where i understand this easy ❤ i was curious about christianity and wanted to know more.

[Shubham-ocmf]

Jesus loves all his child who believe him . I am an Indian but I loves Jesus Christ for his sacrifice!! 🇮🇳

[LeslieFlemons]

I am a proud Protestant Christian who believes in Jesus as the Son of God! ✝️

[anamelnic]

Hi, thank you for this brief comparison. I am not an expert, but wasn't the language factor one of the decisive ones of the Protestantism popularity at the time of its appearance? Catholic church service by the time was only made in Latin language. Simple people did not undesrtand it. Luther translated the Bible, and common people understood the Word of God.