Category |
Catholicism |
Scripture (Protestant view) |
Authority |
Bible + Tradition + Pope |
Bible alone |
Salvation |
Faith + Works + Sacraments |
Faith alone |
Mary |
Venerated; sinless; intercessor |
Honored as Jesus' mother; no worship |
Sacraments |
7 Sacraments (means of grace) |
2 Ordinances (symbolic acts) |
Church |
Institutional, hierarchical |
Spiritual body of believers |
Afterlife |
Heaven, Hell, Purgatory |
Heaven and Hell only |
Topic |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture (Bible Alone) |
Final authority |
Scripture + Tradition + Magisterium |
Scripture alone (2 Tim. 3:16–17) |
Infallibility of the Pope |
Pope is infallible when speaking ex cathedra on faith/morals |
No mention of papal infallibility; only God’s Word is perfect (Ps. 19:7) |
Apostolic succession |
Bishops are successors of the apostles with authority |
Apostolic authority was unique and not passed down institutionally (Acts 1:21–22) |
Topic |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture |
Means of salvation |
Faith + works (including sacraments) |
Justification by faith alone (Eph. 2:8–9; Rom. 3:28) |
Role of grace |
Grace is infused through sacraments; can be lost and regained |
Grace is a free gift; not earned or maintained by works (Rom. 11:6) |
Assurance of salvation |
Not usually assured; can be lost |
Believers can have assurance (1 John 5:13; Rom. 8:1) |
Topic |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture |
Immaculate Conception |
Mary was born without original sin |
All have sinned (Rom. 3:23); no biblical support |
Perpetual Virginity |
Mary remained a virgin forever |
Jesus had siblings (Matt. 13:55–56) |
Mary as Co-Redemptrix / Mediatrix |
Mary plays a role in salvation and intercession |
Christ is the only mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) |
Sacrament |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture |
Baptism |
Necessary for salvation; removes original sin (usually infant) |
Symbol of faith/obedience; tied to repentance and belief (Acts 2:38) |
Eucharist (Communion) |
Transubstantiation: bread/wine become literal body/blood of Christ |
A memorial of Christ’s sacrifice (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24–26); symbolic view in many Protestant traditions |
Confession |
Must confess to a priest for forgiveness |
Confess sins directly to God (1 John 1:9) |
Other sacraments |
7 sacraments total |
Only baptism and communion are instituted clearly (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:24) |
Topic |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture |
Church structure |
Hierarchical: Pope → Bishops → Priests → Laity |
The early church had elders and deacons (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3) |
The "One True Church" |
Roman Catholic Church claims to be the only true church |
The true Church is the body of all believers in Christ (Eph. 1:22–23) |
Topic |
Roman Catholicism |
Scripture |
Purgatory |
A place of purification before heaven |
Not found in the Bible; Heb. 9:27 says judgment follows death |
Prayers for the dead |
Encouraged, especially for souls in purgatory |
No biblical support for post-death prayers |
Heaven/Hell |
Eternal states; purgatory in between |
Heaven and hell are eternal (Matt. 25:46); no purgatory mentioned |