Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants compared
Comparative table of Catholic doctrines, Orthodox and Protestant.
| Doctrine | Roman Catholics | Orthodox | Protestants |
| Apostolic Succession | As in orthodoxy, this component is vital for the Catholic Church. There is also a degree of mutual recognition of the validity with the Orthodox ordinations. | This is an important part in the Orthodox faith, and ensures continuity with the Church that Christ founded. | With the exception of some Anglicans and Lutherans, This idea was rejected. Rather, it is important to emphasize the continuity of the teaching of the apostles, rather than a direct line of succession. |
| Biblical Canon | Accept 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament, but also a collection of books not found in the original Hebrew Bible. These are known as Deuterocanonicinamely a second canon of Scripture. | idem. | Protestants reject the deuterocanonical and consider them not inspired words apocrypha (From the greek: 'Things Hidden'). |
| The Clergy | All priests must be male. Priests and bishops must be celibate, with the exception of the 'Eastern Rite Catholics', They are allowed to have married priests. | Priests and bishops must be male, but the deacons are permitted. Priests and deacons may marry before ordination, but not after. The Bishops, on the other hand, must be celibate. |
Most Protestants do not require celibacy as a condition for election to the pastorate. Many churches practice the ordination of women. The issue of women bishops is currently under discussion within the Anglican church. |
| meaning of the Eucharist | The Eucharist is also known as the 'Holy Sacrifice of the Mass'.- This makes present the sacrifice of Christ and therefore the forgiveness of sins is obtained through it. E’ Also a meeting with the Risen Christ. | The position is similar to that Catholic. Commonly called 'Divine Liturgy'. | The Eucharist, as well as the baptism, are only outward symbols of grace already received by faith. The Eucharist sacrificial character is totally rejected as only a commemoration ritual Last Supper of Christ. |
| Presence of Christ in the Eucharist | As for Orthodoxy, The priest invokes the Holy Spirit during Mass, however, the consecration becomes effective through the priest, acting in the person of Christ. The gifts (bread and wine) They are completely transformed into the body and blood of Christ, and this change is called Transustanziazione ie the outward appearance remains the same, but changes the substance. | During the Eucharist, the priest invokes the Holy Spirit (in greek: epiclesi) on gifts (bread and wine). They change so the actual body and blood of Christ. The precise way in which this happens is a divine mystery. | The bread and wine, symbol being, do not change substance. There are however,, a wide variety of views to be held within Protestantism on this topic (for example, some Anglicans accept the Catholic view, while Baptists deny). |
| del'Eucarestia Distribution | As for Orthodoxy, only members of the church can receive it. The people are given only bread, The priest also receives the wine. | The consecrated elements can only be received by members. The bread and the wine is distributed to all and sundry. | The elements are usually offered either to all Christians who have been baptized (but this is different from denomination to denomination). The Protestant churches give the elements of bread and wine to all and sundry. |
| Holy Spirit | The Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. The Nicene Creed includes Filioque (In latino: is the son '). | The third person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father just as in the original Nicene Creed. The Father sends the Spirit to the intercession of the Son. The Son is therefore an agent only in the procession of the Spirit. | He agrees with the Catholic view. |
| Marriage and Divorce | An unbreakable contract. Divorce is not permitted unless there is no impediment to the marriage canon. In this situation, annulment may be granted after a careful examination of the facts. | Marriage is a mystical union between a man and a woman. Divorce is usually allowed only in cases of adultery, although there are exceptions. | Marriage is a contract, but it is not unbreakable. Divorce is discouraged, but he admitted as evidence of human weakness. For some it is allowed to remarry in church. |
| Assumption and the Immaculate Conception | Both are dogmas of the church. The church has not yet decided whether Mary had actually experienced physical death. The Immaculate Conception is necessary because not only human beings inherit a sinful nature, but also support the guilt of Adam and Eve sinned. So being without sin herself, Mary could give birth to Christ without sin. | The Assumption is accepted and it was agreed that Mary experienced physical death, but the Immaculate Conception is rejected. The orthodox belief is that the guilt of original sin is not transmitted from one generation to the next, thus avoiding the need for Mary to be without sin. | Both are denied. The claim that Mary is without sin is rejected. According to what the Scripture says Christ alone was without sin. |
| the Madonna | The view is similar to the Orthodox Church – the expression “Mother of God” It is used most commonly Theotokos. Furthermore, it is alleged that at various points in history, Maria has revealed to the world through the apparitions, for example those of Lourdes and Fatima. | Mary is venerated as Theotokos (In greek: “bearer of God”). By this is meant that the child she was was God in human form. She is the first among the saints and 'Ever-Virgin'. | Mary was a holy woman elected to bring the Son of God in her womb. Her perpetual virginity is denied, because, according to the Bible, He gave rise to other children after Jesus. So as well as his intercession and contact with Saints (contact with the dead condemned by the Bible) |
| Authority of the Pope | The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, ie the visible head of the Church on earth and spiritual successor of St. Peter. It has supreme authority over all within Christianity (would inherit the’ power of the keys). | As Bishop of Rome, Pope has a primacy of honor for the Orthodox, but not of jurisdiction. At the moment, its leadership is not as effective as it should be and the papacy needs to be reformed in accordance with Orthodoxy. His authority is therefore not so great compared to all his brothers in the Church. | The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, not Christianity, and has no authority to speak for the church as a whole. |
| Papal Infallibility | The Pope is infallible when, through the Holy Spirit, he was given a secret doctrine on faith and morals that must be accepted by the whole Church. This is also called a dogma. | L’ Papal Infallibility was rejected. The Holy Spirit works to lead the Church into the truth through the ecumenical councils. Orthodoxy recognizes the first seven ecumenical councils (325-787) as infallible but not later. | The Protestants reject papal infallibility. The only source of infallible teaching is that found in Scripture. |
| Purgatory | A place of purification and preparation for the sky. Even a place where the penalties for venial sins are returned and can be expiated. | an intermediate state is recognized between the earth and the sky, but the purification occurs in this life, not elsewhere. | Purgatory is rejected totally as a place that invented nonf to no mention of Scripture – Christ's death on the cross is sufficient to eliminate the penalty for all our sins. |
| Sacraments | The number of sacraments was fixed at seven, and the same list is for orthodoxy, with the exception of Confirmation, which it is generally known as 'Confirmation'. | There are at least seven Sacraments (known as 'mysteries'): Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Holy Orders, holy Unction, Marriage (Sacrament of Matrimony) and Penance (Confession). The list is not fixed. | They are recognized only two sacraments according to the biblical teaching of Jesus: Baptism and the Eucharist (often called 'Holy Communion’ or the 'Lord's Supper'). |
| Effect of the Sacraments | The Mysteries convey grace to those who partake worthily. | It agrees with the Catholic position. | They are only symbols and rituals that remind Christ, but they do not grant any grace, which it is obtained only through faith. |
| Santi | A special group of people who are worshiped. They can act as intercessors between God and man and be invoked in prayer. To be canonized saints, it is first necessary that two verifiable miracles have been undertaken before the canonization, and thanks to the deceased person. | idem. | As it is written in the Bible, all Christians are santi, called to imitate Christ. All Christians have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit at the time of the gift of faith. And as the Bible says Christ alone can mediate between God and man. And as it is written in the Bible invoke dead it is a sin of idolatry and sorcery. |
| Salvation | We are saved by grace, but also for our own merits and through good works. As in Orthodoxy, salvation should be seen as a process rather than an event once. | Salvation is “faith working through love” and it must be seen as a process of a long life. The goal of every Orthodox Christian aim is to get Theosis or union with God. This is done through a holy life of those who seek to get closer to God. |
Salvation is the free gift of God and man, as the Bible says. It is obtained by grace through faith in Christ. “It is not by works, lest any man should boast” (Ef.2:8-9). Through the atoning sacrifice of Christ, we are made acceptable to God and justified in his sight. The works are just a result of our conversion, but a means to attain salvation already guad
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| Importance of Scripture | Alongside Sacred Scripture, there is Sacred Tradition (ie the teachings handed down by Christ and the apostles to the present popes, bishops and priesthood). It is considered a source of divine revelation. Tradition and Scripture are interpreted by teaching or teaching authority of the church and they can not be interpreted by ordinary people. | There is a source of divine revelation: the Tradition. The Scripture is the oral part, and the writings of the saints, etc. decisions of ecumenical councils are also part of it. | The Scripture is the only infallible guide and final authority on matters of faith, doctrinal and moral for every Christian. This was stated by Scripture itself. Every believer, Furthermore, It is called to draw directly from the source, God's Word, to commune with Him through His Spirit. |
| Worship and Liturgy | The worship was focused on setting a result of Vatican II (1962-5), greater emphasis has been placed on worship in the vernacular, although the traditional Latin was still used. | The Divine Liturgy is the center of Orthodox spirituality. The cult is usually in the vernacular, although the greek has used the same. | There are many varieties of styles of worship in the Protestant. Some examples are the spontaneity of Pentecostal churches, and the traditional worship of the Anglican and Reformed churches. In all cases, the cult is centered on worship of God, prayer and sermons (sermons). Obviously it is used vulgar language. |
| Doctrine | Roman Catholics | Orthodox | Protestants |
