The Protestant Church is different from the Catholic Church. Protestants and Catholics: What's the difference?

Arose as a result of a broad religious and political movement that began in Germany, spread throughout Western Europe and aimed at transforming the Christian church.

The term "Protestantism" comes from the protest declared by the German princes and a number of imperial cities against the abolition of the early decision on the right of local rulers to choose a faith for themselves and their subjects. However, in a broader sense, Protestantism is associated with the socio-political and moral protest of the rising, but still powerless, third estate against the obsolete medieval order and standing guard over them.

Doctrine of Protestantism

The difference between Protestantism and Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Protestants share common Christian ideas about the existence of God as the Creator of the world, about his trinity, about the sinfulness of man, about the immortality of the soul and salvation, about heaven and hell, rejecting the Catholic teaching about purgatory, about Divine revelation and some others. At the same time, Protestantism has a number of significant dogmatic, organizational and cult differences from Orthodoxy and Catholicism. First of all, it is the recognition of the priesthood of all believers. Protestants believe that every person is directly connected with God. This leads to the rejection of the division of people into clergy and laity and the affirmation of the equality of all believers in matters of faith. Every believer, with a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, can be a priest for himself and for other people. Thus, the clergy should not have any advantages, and its very existence becomes superfluous. In connection with these ideas, the religious cult in Protestantism was significantly reduced and simplified. The number of sacraments has been reduced to two: baptism and communion; the entire worship service is reduced to the reading of sermons, joint prayers and the singing of hymns and psalms. At the same time, worship takes place in the native language of believers.

Almost all external attributes of the cult: temples, icons, statues, bells, candles - were discarded, as well as the hierarchical structure of the church. Monasticism and celibacy were abolished, and the office of priest became elective. Ministry in Protestantism usually takes place in modest prayer houses. The right of the ministers of the church to the remission of sins was abolished, since this was considered the prerogative of God, the veneration of saints, icons, relics, and the reading of prayers for the dead were abolished, since these actions were recognized as pagan prejudices. The number of church holidays is reduced to a minimum.

The second basic principle Protestantism is salvation by personal faith. This principle was opposed to the Catholic principle of justification by works, according to which everyone who desires salvation should do everything that the church needs, and above all contribute to its material enrichment.

Protestantism does not deny that there is no faith without good works. Good deeds are useful and necessary, but it is impossible to justify them before God, only faith makes it possible to hope for salvation. All areas of Protestantism, in one form or another, adhered to the doctrine of predestination: each person, even before his birth, is predestined for his fate; it does not depend on prayers or activities, a person is deprived of the opportunity to change fate by his behavior. However, on the other hand, a person could by his behavior prove to himself and others that he was destined by the Providence of God for a good fate. This could extend not only to moral behavior, but also to luck in life situations, to the opportunity to get rich. It is not surprising that Protestantism becomes the ideology of the most enterprising part of the bourgeoisie of the era of the primitive accumulation of capital. The doctrine of predestination justified the inequality of fortunes and the class division of society. As the German sociologist showed Max Weber, it was the attitudes of Protestantism that contributed to the rise of the entrepreneurial spirit and its final victory over feudalism.

The third basic principle Protestantism is recognition of the exclusive authority of the Bible. Any Christian denomination recognizes the Bible as the main source of Revelation. However, the contradictions contained in the Holy Scriptures led to the fact that in Catholicism the right to interpret the Bible belonged only to priests. For this purpose it was written a large number of works by the fathers of the church, a large number of decisions of church councils were adopted, in the aggregate all this is called Sacred Tradition. Protestantism deprived the Church of the monopoly on the interpretation of the Bible, completely abandoning the interpretation of Holy Tradition as a source of Revelation. The Bible does not derive its authenticity from the church, but any church organization, group of believers, or individual believer can claim the truth of the ideas they preach if they find their confirmation in the Bible.

However, the very fact of the existence of a contradiction in the Holy Scriptures was not refuted by such an attitude. Criteria were required for understanding the various provisions of the Bible. In Protestantism, the point of view of the founder of this or that direction was considered the criterion, and all those who did not agree with it were declared heretics. The persecution of heretics in Protestantism was no less than in Catholicism.

The possibility of its own interpretation of the Bible led Protestantism to the fact that it does not represent a single doctrine. There are a large number of similar in spirit, but somewhat different directions and currents.

The theoretical constructions of Protestantism led to changes in cult practice, which led to a reduction in the cost of the church and church ritual. The veneration of the biblical righteous remained unshakable, but was devoid of the elements of fetishism characteristic of the cult of saints in Catholicism. The refusal to worship visible images was based on the Old Testament Pentateuch, which considers such worship as idolatry.

Among the different directions of Protestantism there was no unity in matters related to the cult, with the external environment of the churches. The Lutherans kept the crucifix, the altar, candles, organ music; The Calvinists abandoned all this. The Mass was rejected by all branches of Protestantism. Worship is always conducted in the native language. It consists of a sermon, singing prayer hymns, reading certain chapters of the Bible.

In the biblical canon, Protestantism made some changes. He recognized as apocryphal those Old Testament works that were preserved not in the Hebrew or Aramaic original, but only in the Greek translation of the Septuagint. The Catholic Church regards them as deuterocanonical.

The sacraments have also been revised. Lutheranism left only two of the seven sacraments - baptism and communion, and Calvinism - only baptism. At the same time, the interpretation of the sacrament as a rite, during the performance of which a miracle occurs, is muted in Protestantism. Lutheranism retained a certain element of the miraculous in the interpretation of communion, believing that during the performance of the rite, the Body and Blood of Christ are actually present in the bread and wine. Calvinism, on the other hand, considers such a presence to be symbolic. Some areas of Protestantism carry out baptism only in adulthood, believing that a person should consciously approach the choice of faith; others, without refusing to baptize infants, conduct an additional rite of confirmation of adolescents, as if a second baptism.

The current state of Protestantism

Currently, there are up to 600 million followers of Protestantism living on all continents and in almost all countries of the world. Modern Protestantism is a vast collection (up to 2 thousand) of independent, practically unrelated churches, sects and denominations. From the very beginning of its inception, Protestantism was not a single organization, its division continues to the present day. In addition to the main directions of Protestantism already considered, others that arose later also enjoy great influence.

The main directions of Protestantism:

Quakers
Methodists
Mennonites

Quakers

The direction arose in the 17th century. in England. Founder - artisan Dmurj fox proclaimed that the truth of faith is manifested in the act of illumination by the "inner light". For ecstatic methods of achieving communion with God, or because they emphasized the need to be in constant awe of God, the followers of this direction got their name (from the English. quake- "shake"). Quakers have completely abandoned external ritualism, the clergy. Their worship consists of an inner conversation with God and preaching. Ascetic motives can be traced in the moral teachings of the Quakers, they widely practice charity. Quaker communities exist in the USA, England, Canada, and East African countries.

Methodists

The movement arose in the 18th century. as an attempt to increase the interest of the masses in religion. Its founders were brothers Wesley - John and Charles. In 1729, they founded a small circle at Oxford University, whose members were distinguished by special religious perseverance and method in studying the Bible and fulfilling Christian precepts. Hence the name of the direction. The Methodists paid special attention to preaching and its new forms: preaching in the open air, in workhouses, in prisons, and so on. They created the institution of the so-called itinerant preachers. As a result of these measures, the trend spread widely in England and its colonies. Separating from the Church of England, they simplified the doctrine, reducing the 39 articles of the creed to 25. They supplemented the principle of salvation by personal faith with the doctrine of good works. In 18V1 was created World Methodist Council. Methodism is especially widespread in the USA, as well as Great Britain, Australia, South Korea and other countries.

Mennonites

A trend in Protestantism that arose on the basis of Anabaptism in the 16th century. in the Netherlands. Founder-Dutch Preacher Menno Simone. The principles of doctrine are set forth in "Declaration of the Main Articles of Our Common Christian Faith". The peculiarities of this direction are that it preaches the baptism of people in adulthood, denies the church hierarchy, proclaims the equality of all members of the community, non-resistance to evil by violence, up to the prohibition to serve with weapons in their hands; communities are self-governing. An international body has been created - Mennonite World Conference located in the USA. The largest number of them live in the USA, Canada, Holland and Germany.

Until 1054 the Christian Church was one and indivisible. The split occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cirularius. The conflict began due to the last closing of several Latin churches in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Cirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965 mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not yet been overcome. Christianity is divided into three main areas: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Eastern Church

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some differences in doctrine, the performance of the sacraments, etc. About which ones, we'll talk a little later. First, let's make a small overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, called in the West an orthodox religion, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5,000 people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity was spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some countries of the CIS and Eastern Europe.

The Baptism of Russia took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, Anna. But for this he had to accept Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was essential to strengthen the authority of Russia. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kievans were christened in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the split in 1054, a separate confession arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her "Catholicos". In Greek it means "universal". The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some of the dogmas of Christianity, but also in the very history of development. The Western confession, compared to the Eastern one, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the Crusades, which brought much grief to the common population. The first of these was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades was the liberation of the "holy land" of Palestine and the "Holy Sepulcher" from the infidels. The actual one is the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - an ecclesiastical court for cases of apostates from the faith. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, during the existence of the Inquisition, more than 500 thousand people were tortured.

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be briefly discussed in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, with regard to the attitude of the Church towards the population, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood. The Western denomination has always been considered more dynamic, but at the same time aggressive, in contrast to the "calm" orthodox one.

Currently, Catholicism is the state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.

Protestantism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism also lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the XIV century. a split occurred. This was connected with the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of the German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion by citizens. In 1529, however, it was abolished. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word “Protestantism” comes from. This Christian direction is subdivided into two more branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is spread mostly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. In 1948 the World Council of Churches was created. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million people. There are several denominations of this Christian direction: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches is pursuing an active peacemaking policy. Representatives of this religion advocate detente of international tension, support the efforts of states in defense of peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy from Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, during the centuries of schism, significant differences arose in the traditions of the churches. The basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and the Son of God - they did not touch. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testaments, there are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rites and sacraments do not converge.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

	Orthodoxy		Catholicism	Protestantism
Control	Patriarch, Cathedral			World Council of Churches, Councils of Bishops
Organization	Bishops do not depend much on the Patriarch, they are mainly subordinate to the Council		There is a rigid hierarchy with subordination to the Pope, hence the name "Universal Church"	There are many denominations that have created the World Council of Churches. Holy Scripture is placed above the authority of the Pope
Holy Spirit	It is believed that it comes only from the Father		There is a dogma that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and from the Son. This is the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism.
	The statement is accepted that man himself is responsible for his sins, and God the Father is a completely impassive and abstract being.		It is believed that God suffers because of human sins.
Dogma of Salvation	By crucifixion, all the sins of mankind were atoned for. Only the original remains. That is, when committing a new sin, a person again becomes the object of God's wrath.		The man was, as it were, “ransomed” by Christ through the crucifixion. As a result, God the Father changed his anger to mercy regarding original sin. That is, a person is holy by the holiness of Christ himself.
	Sometimes allowed		Forbidden	Allowed but frowned upon
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin	It is believed that the Mother of God is not spared from original sin, but her holiness is recognized		The complete sinlessness of the Virgin Mary is preached. Catholics believe that she was conceived immaculately, like Christ himself. With regard to the original sin of the Mother of God, therefore, there are also quite significant differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Taking the Virgin to Heaven	It is unofficially believed that this event may have taken place, but it is not enshrined in dogmas.		The taking of the Mother of God to heaven in a physical body is a dogma	The cult of the Virgin Mary is denied
	Only liturgy is held		Both a mass and a Byzantine-like Orthodox liturgy can be held	The Mass was rejected. Divine services are held in modest churches or even in stadiums, concert halls, etc. Only two rites are practiced: baptism and communion
Marriage of clergy	Allowed		Only allowed in the Byzantine Rite	Allowed
Ecumenical Councils	Based on the decisions of the first seven		Guided by decisions 21 (last passed in 1962-1965)	Recognize the decisions of all Ecumenical Councils, if they do not contradict each other and Holy Scripture
	Eight-pointed with crossbeams at the bottom and at the top		A simple four-pointed Latin cross is used	Not used in worship. Worn by representatives of not all faiths
	Used in large quantities and are equated with the Holy Scriptures. Created in strict accordance with church canons		They are considered only decoration of the temple. They are ordinary paintings on a religious theme.	Not used
Old Testament	Recognized as Hebrew and Greek		Greek only	Only Jewish canonical
Absolution	The ceremony is performed by a priest			Not allowed
Science and religion	Based on scientists' assertion, dogmas never change.	Dogmas can be adjusted in accordance with the point of view of official science

Christian cross: differences

Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not too significant, but still discrepancies. They arose long ago, and, apparently, none of the churches expresses a special desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are differences in the attributes of different areas of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight-pointed. The orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifix most accurately conveys the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one personifies a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription "Jesus of Nazarene, King of the Jews." The lower slanting crossbar - a prop for the feet of Christ - symbolizes the "righteous measure".

Table of differences of crosses

The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the topic "the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism." The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.

As you can see, in relation to the cross there is also a quite noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for the Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore they practically do not use it.

Icons in different Christian directions

So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) in relation to paraphernalia is quite noticeable. There are even greater discrepancies in these directions in icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

Below are the main differences.

The main difference between an Orthodox icon and a Catholic one is that it is written in strict accordance with the canons established back in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Usually such paintings have a very broad plot and are painted by ordinary, non-church artists.

Protestants consider icons to be a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.

Monasticism

With regard to leaving worldly life and devoting oneself to the service of God, there is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences, also quite noticeable.

For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and is subordinate only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. Monasteries are united in the so-called Orders, each of which has its own head and its charter. These associations may be scattered throughout the world, but nevertheless they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, unlike Orthodox and Catholics, reject monasticism altogether. One of the inspirers of this teaching - Luther - even married a nun.

Church Sacraments

There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. In both of these Churches, 7 sacraments are accepted. The difference is primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rites. Catholics believe that the sacraments are valid whether a person is in tune with them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, chrismation, etc., will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rites with some kind of pagan magical ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Everything else is considered superficial and rejected by representatives of this trend.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. Differences are only in the ways of performing the ceremony.

In Catholicism, it is customary for babies to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently, there has been some deviation from this rule. However, now the ROC is again returning in this rite to the ancient traditions established by the Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (the crosses worn on the body, like large ones, may contain the image of an “orthodox” or “Western” Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament, therefore, is not very significant, but it still exists.

Protestants usually perform the rite of baptism also with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is performed exclusively for adults.

Differences in the sacrament of the Eucharist

We have considered the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This is an attitude to the descent of the Holy Spirit and to the virginity of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant divergences have emerged over the centuries of schism. Of course, they are also present in the celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests take communion only with bread, and unleavened. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.

In Protestantism, not only members of the Church, but also anyone who wishes is allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this branch of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Contemporary Church Relations

The split of Christianity occurred almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, the churches of different directions failed to agree on unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you see, have survived to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

Relations between the two main confessions, Orthodox and Catholic, are also rather ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tensions remained between these two churches. The key concept in the relationship was the word "heresy".

Recently, this situation has changed a little. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the orthodox Sacraments as valid.

Orthodox priests did not officially establish such an attitude towards Catholicism. But the completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian denominations still persists. For example, our Russian theologian A. I. Osipov does not have a very good attitude towards Catholicism.

In his opinion, there is a more than noteworthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many saints of the Western Church almost crazy. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with the Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete submission. However, he repeatedly mentioned that among Western Christians there are wonderful people.

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these denominations. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore Eternal life for the righteous, is inevitable.

After the Great Separation of the Universal Church, two directions were formed in Christianity - Eastern and Western. Western Rite Christians began to call themselves Catholics. But over time, those who did not like something in the dogmas of faith appeared among them. Thus arose a Christian movement, which became known as Protestantism.

Orthodoxy - direction in Christianity, the way of life of people who agree with the dogmas of the Orthodox Church.
Protestantism - a direction in Christianity that separated from Catholicism during the Reformation as a sign of disagreement with the dogmas of the Catholic Church.

Comparison of Orthodoxy and Protestantism

What is the difference between Orthodoxy and Protestantism?

Internal organization of the church

In Orthodoxy, there is a territorial division into local churches, which, however, do not have significant differences in liturgical matters. In Protestantism, there is either centralization, as in Lutheranism or Anglicanism, or complete independence of communities from each other, as in Baptism. The Church is an invisible spiritual community of people.
Orthodox white clergy marry, but on the condition that this must happen before accepting the priesthood. Monks observe a vow of celibacy. Only men can be priests. In Protestantism there are no special conditions for the marriage of the clergy. They are the same as for ordinary citizens. In some areas, women are allowed to serve in the priesthood.
In Orthodoxy, monasticism is widespread. It does not exist in Protestantism.
Both children and adults are baptized in Orthodoxy. Godmothers and fathers must be chosen for children. At the baptism of adults, the presence of godparents is not necessary. In Protestantism, baptism is performed only on adults.

creed

The highest authority in matters of the Orthodox faith is Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. In addition, the Creed, the rules and decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the centuries-old practice of the Church. The absolute authority in Protestantism is Holy Scripture. In Orthodoxy, the person himself does not have the right to interpret the Holy Books. In most areas of Protestantism, extreme individualism in this matter is quite acceptable.
Orthodoxy deeply venerates the Most Holy Theotokos. She, according to the teachings of the Church, is devoid of any, even original sin. Many Orthodox prayers are addressed specifically to the Mother of God. In Protestantism, She is just a perfect woman.
There are seven Sacraments in Orthodoxy: baptism, chrismation, communion, unction, repentance, marriage, priesthood. There are two sacraments in Protestantism - baptism and communion. Quakers and Anabaptists don't even have them.
In Orthodoxy, there is a doctrine of the posthumous ordeals of the soul, that is, of its suffering for the sins committed during life. Orthodox pray for their dead. Protestantism rejects this doctrine. Only faith in the Last Judgment is accepted.

Church practice

Communion of the priesthood and the laity takes place on leavened (leavened) bread. Under the guise of bread, a person receives the Body of Christ, and under the guise of wine, His Blood. In Protestantism, communion is performed only with bread, moreover, its appearance does not matter.
Confession in the presence of a priest is obligatory in Orthodoxy. In the most exceptional cases, direct confession before God is allowed. Protestants believe that there should be no mediator between God and man and use direct repentance.

worship

The main service in Orthodoxy is the Divine Liturgy. In Protestantism, various forms of meetings of believers are used, and there is no special one, the same for everyone.
In Orthodoxy, icons, the cross and the relics of saints are revered. Protestantism, with few exceptions, rejects this.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between Orthodoxy and Protestantism is as follows:

Orthodox teaching is built on the authority of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. Protestant doctrine is built exclusively on Holy Scripture. Everything else is rejected.
Only men can be priests in Orthodoxy; in some areas of Protestantism, this is also allowed for women.
Protestantism rejects monasticism.
In Orthodoxy, both adults and children are baptized. In Protestantism, only adults.
In Orthodoxy there is a cult of the Most Holy Theotokos, in Protestantism it is customary to consider her just a perfect woman.
In Orthodoxy, seven sacraments are accepted, in Protestantism - only two. Anabaptists and Quakers do not recognize them either.
Protestantism does not accept the doctrine of the sufferings of the soul after death.
Communion in Orthodoxy is performed by the Body and Blood of Christ, in Protestantism - only by the Body.
Orthodox confess in the presence of a priest, Protestants recognize only direct repentance.
Protestants have no particular form of worship. In Orthodoxy, this is the Divine Liturgy.
Protestants do not recognize icons, the cross, and do not venerate the relics of saints.

Definition

Orthodoxy- a direction in Christianity, a way of life of people who agree with the dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

Protestantism- a direction in Christianity that separated from Catholicism during the Reformation as a sign of disagreement with the dogmas of the Catholic Church.

Comparison

Internal organization of the church

Orthodox white clergy marry, but on the condition that this must happen before accepting the priesthood. Monks observe a vow of celibacy. Only men can be priests. In Protestantism there are no special conditions for the marriage of the clergy. They are the same as for ordinary citizens. In some areas, women are allowed to serve in the priesthood.

In Orthodoxy, monasticism is widespread. It does not exist in Protestantism.

Monasticism in Orthodoxy

Both children and adults are baptized in Orthodoxy. Godmothers and fathers must be chosen for children. At the baptism of adults, the presence of godparents is not necessary. In Protestantism, baptism is performed only on adults.

creed

Orthodoxy deeply venerates the Most Holy Theotokos. She, according to the teachings of the Church, is devoid of any, even original sin. Many Orthodox prayers are addressed specifically to the Mother of God. In Protestantism, She is just a perfect woman.

Sign of the Holy Mother of God

There are seven Sacraments in Orthodoxy: baptism, chrismation, communion, unction, repentance, marriage, priesthood. There are two sacraments in Protestantism - baptism and communion. Quakers and Anabaptists don't even have them.

In Orthodoxy, there is a doctrine of the posthumous ordeals of the soul, that is, of its suffering for the sins committed during life. Orthodox pray for their dead. Protestantism rejects this doctrine. Only faith in the Last Judgment is accepted.

Church practice

Confession in the presence of a priest is obligatory in Orthodoxy. In the most exceptional cases, direct confession before God is allowed. Protestants believe that there should be no mediator between God and man and use direct repentance.

worship

The main service in Orthodoxy is the Divine Liturgy. In Protestantism, various forms of meetings of believers are used, and there is no special one, the same for everyone.

In Orthodoxy, icons, the cross and the relics of saints are revered. Protestantism, with few exceptions, rejects this.

Findings site

Orthodox teaching is built on the authority of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. Protestant doctrine is built exclusively on Holy Scripture. Everything else is rejected.
Only men can be priests in Orthodoxy; in some areas of Protestantism, this is also allowed for women.
Protestantism rejects monasticism.
In Orthodoxy, both adults and children are baptized. In Protestantism, only adults.
In Orthodoxy there is a cult of the Most Holy Theotokos, in Protestantism it is customary to consider her just a perfect woman.
In Orthodoxy, seven sacraments are accepted, in Protestantism - only two. Anabaptists and Quakers do not recognize them either.
Protestantism does not accept the doctrine of the sufferings of the soul after death.
Communion in Orthodoxy is performed by the Body and Blood of Christ, in Protestantism - only by the Body.
Orthodox confess in the presence of a priest, Protestants recognize only direct repentance.
Protestants have no particular form of worship. In Orthodoxy, this is the Divine Liturgy.
Protestants do not recognize icons, the cross, and do not venerate the relics of saints.

Catholicism is part of Christianity, and Christianity itself is one of the main religions of the world. Its directions include: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, with many types and branches. Most often, people want to understand what difference does Orthodoxy have from Catholicism, how does one differ from the other? Do such similar religions and churches that have the same root as Catholicism and Orthodoxy have serious differences? Catholicism in Russia and other Slavic states is much less widespread than in the West. Catholicism (translated from the Greek "katholikos" - "universal") is a religious direction, numbering about 15% of the population of the entire globe (that is, about a billion people profess Catholicism). Of the three respected Christian denominations (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism), Catholicism is rightfully considered the largest branch. Most adherents of this religious movement live in Europe, Africa, as well as in Latin America and the USA. The religious trend arose as early as the first century AD - at the dawn of Christianity, during times of persecution and religious disputes. Now, after 2 thousand years, the Catholic Church has taken pride of place among the world's religious denominations. Establish a connection with God!

Christianity and Catholicism. History

In the first thousand years of Christianity, the word "Catholicism" did not exist, simply because there were no branches of Christianity, the faith was one. The history of Catholicism began in the Western Roman Empire, where in 1054 the Christian Church was divided into two main directions: Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Constantinople became the heart of Orthodoxy, and Rome was declared the center of Catholicism, the reason for this division was the split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Since then, the religious movement began to actively spread to the countries of Europe and America. Despite the subsequent multiple split of Catholicism (for example, Catholicism and Protestantism, Anglicanism, Baptism, etc.), it has become one of the largest denominations of the present time.
In the XI-XIII centuries, Catholicism in Europe gained the strongest power. Religious thinkers of the Middle Ages believed that God created the world, and it is unchanging, harmonious, reasonable.
In the XVI-XVII there was a collapse of the Catholic Church, during which a new religious direction appeared - Protestantism. What is the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism? First of all, in the organizational issue of the church and in the authority of the Pope.
The clergy belonged to the most important estate in connection with the mediation of the church between God and people. The religion of Catholicism insisted on the fulfillment of the commandments of the Bible. The church considered the ascetic a role model - a holy man who renounced worldly goods and riches that humiliate the state of the soul. The contempt of earthly riches was replaced by heavenly riches.
The church considered it a virtue to support low-income people. Kings, nobles close to them, merchants and even poor people tried to participate in charitable deeds as often as possible. At that time, a title appeared for special churches in Catholicism, which is assigned by the pope.
social doctrine
The Catholic doctrine was based not only on religious, but also on humanistic ideas. It was based on Augustinism, and later Thomism, accompanied by personalism and solidarism. The philosophy of the teaching was that, in addition to the soul and body, God gave people equal rights and freedoms that remain with a person all his life. Sociological as well as theological knowledge has helped build a developed social doctrine of the Catholic Church, which believes that its teachings were created by the apostles and still retain their original origins.
There are several doctrinal issues on which the Catholic Church has a distinct position. The reason for this was the split of Christianity into Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Devotion to the mother of Christ, the Virgin Mary, who, according to Catholics, gave birth to Jesus without sin, and her soul and body were taken up to heaven, where she has a special place between God and His people.
The unshakable belief that when the priest repeats the words of Christ from the Last Supper, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus, although there is no outward change.
Catholic teaching has a negative attitude towards artificial methods of contraception, which, according to the church, interfere with the birth of a new life.
Recognition of abortion as the destruction of human life, which, according to the Catholic Church, begins at the moment of conception.

Control
The idea of Catholicism is closely connected with the apostles, especially with the apostle Peter. Saint Peter is considered the first pope, and each subsequent pope is considered his spiritual successor. This gives the leader of the church strong spiritual authority and authority to resolve disputes that could disrupt governance. The notion that church leadership is an unbroken lineage from the apostles and their teachings (“apostolic succession”) helped Christianity survive through times of trial, persecution, and reformation.
The advisory bodies are:
Synod of Bishops;
College of Cardinals.
The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the organs of church administration. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests and deacons. In the Catholic Church, power rests primarily with the bishops, with priests and deacons serving as their co-workers and assistants.
All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, perform sacred marriages, and conduct funerals.
Only priests and bishops may administer the sacraments of the Eucharist (although others may be ministers of Holy Communion), Penance (Reconciliation, Confession) and the Anointing of the Sick.
Only bishops can administer the sacrament of the Priesthood by which people become priests or deacons.
Catholicism: Churches and their meaning in religion
The church is considered "the body of Jesus Christ". The scripture says that Christ chose 12 apostles for God's temple, but it is the apostle Peter who is considered the first bishop. In order to become a full member of the Catholic Church Society, it is necessary to preach Christianity or undergo the sacred sacrament of baptism.

Catholicism: the essence of the 7 sacraments
The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around 7 sacraments:
baptism;
chrismation (confirmation);
Eucharist (communion);
repentance (confession);
unction (unction);
marriage;
priesthood.
The purpose of the sacraments of the faith of Catholicism is to bring people closer to God, to feel grace, to feel unity with Jesus Christ.
1. Baptism
The first and main sacrament. Cleanses the soul from sins, gives grace. For Catholics, the sacrament of Baptism is the first step in their spiritual journey.
2. Confirmation (confirmation)
In the rite of the Catholic Church, Chrismation is allowed only after 13-14 years. It is believed that it is from this age that a person will be able to become a full member of church society. Confirmation is given through the anointing with holy Chrism and the laying on of hands.
3. Eucharist (Communion)
Sacrament in memory of the death and resurrection of the Lord. The incarnation of the flesh and blood of Christ is presented to believers through the tasting of wine and bread during worship.
4. Repentance
Through repentance, believers free their souls, receive forgiveness for their sins, and become closer to God and the church. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees the soul and facilitates our reconciliation with others. In this sacred sacrament, Catholics find God's unconditional forgiveness and learn to forgive others.
5. Unction
Through the sacrament of anointing with oil (sacred oil), Christ heals believers who suffer from illness, giving them support and grace. Jesus showed great concern for the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity to deepen the faith of the community.
6. Marriage
The sacrament of marriage is to some extent a comparison of the union of Christ and the church. The marriage union is sanctified by God, filled with grace and joy, blessed for the future family life, the upbringing of children. Such a marriage is inviolable and ends only after the death of one of the spouses.
7. Priesthood
The sacrament, by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained, receive power and grace for the performance of their sacred duties. The rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
The difference between Orthodoxy from Catholicism and Protestantism and their similarities
Catholic beliefs do not really differ significantly from the other major branches of Christianity, Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. All three main branches hold the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and so on. But as far as certain doctrinal points are concerned, there are some differences. Catholicism differs in several beliefs, which include the special authority of the pope, the concept of purgatory, and the doctrine that the bread used in the Eucharist becomes the true body of Christ during the blessing of the priest.

Catholicism and Orthodoxy: differences

Being types of one religion, Catholicism and Orthodoxy did not find a common language for a long time, namely from the 13th century to the middle of the 20th century. Due to this fact, these two religions have received many differences. How is Orthodoxy different from Catholicism?

The first difference between Catholicism can be found in the structure of the organization of churches. So, in Orthodoxy there are many churches, separate and independent of each other: Russian, Georgian, Romanian, Greek, Serbian, etc. Catholic churches located in different countries around the world have a single mechanism and are subject to one ruler - the Pope.

It should also be noted that the Orthodox Church does not accept changes, believing that it is necessary to follow all the canons and honor all the knowledge that was transmitted by Jesus Christ to his apostles. That is, the Orthodox in the 21st century observe the same rules and customs as the Orthodox in the 15th, 10th, 5th and 1st centuries.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that in Orthodox Christianity the main divine service is the Divine Liturgy, in Catholicism it is the Mass. The parishioners of the Orthodox Church conduct the service standing, while Catholics often sit, but there are services that they conduct on their knees. The Orthodox endow only the Father with the symbol of faith and holiness, the Catholics give both the Father and the son.

Differs Catholicism and knowledge of life after death. In the Orthodox faith, there is no such thing as purgatory, unlike Catholicism, although such an intermediate stay of the soul after leaving the body and before entering the judgment of God is not denied.

The Orthodox call the Mother of God the Mother of God, they consider her born in sin, like ordinary people. Catholics refer to her as the Virgin Mary, conceived immaculately and ascended to heaven in human form. On Orthodox icons, saints are depicted in two dimensions to convey the presence of another dimension - the world of spirits. Catholic icons have an ordinary, simple perspective and the saints are depicted in a naturalistic way.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is in the shape and form of the cross. For Catholics, it is presented in the form of two crossbars, it can be either with the image of Jesus Christ, or without it. If Jesus is present on the cross, then he is depicted with a martyr's look and his feet are chained to the cross with one nail. The Orthodox have a cross of four crossbars: a small horizontal one is added to the two main ones at the top and a crossbar at an angle below, symbolizing the direction to heaven and hell.

Faith Catholicism differs in the commemoration of the dead. Orthodox commemorate on days 3, 9 and 40, Catholics - on days 3, 7 and 30. Also in Catholicism there is a special day of the year - November 1, when all the dead are commemorated. In many states, this day is a holiday.
Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that, unlike their counterparts in Protestant and Orthodox churches, Catholic priests take vows of celibacy. This practice is rooted in the early associations of the papacy with monasticism. There are several Catholic monastic orders, the most famous being the Jesuits, Dominicans and Augustinians. Catholic monks and nuns take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and dedicate themselves to a simple, worship-oriented life.

And finally, we can single out the process of the sign of the cross. In the Orthodox Church, they are baptized with three fingers and from right to left. Catholics, on the contrary, from left to right, the number of fingers does not matter.