You are here:

Catholics/Why do Catholics and Protestants believe different things?

Advertisement

Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 1/30/2008


Question
I am a Catholic, and have been reading and learning a lot about my religion in a Theology class. But until now, I didn't realize how many, and how big the differences in beliefs are between Catholics and Protestants. For example, Protestants don't believe in Transubstantiation, Purgatory, or Prayer to Saints, while Catholics do. And while Catholics use Scripture and tradition as their Authority, Protestants use Scripture alone. Some even veiw Catholics as non-Christian. Why are there such contrasting beliefs between the two religions, and what made it that way?

Answer
Hi, Mary:

Glad to see that you are doing some in-depth studies, and discovering some important facts...
I would think that somewhere along the way in your religion studies class, they will surely cover some of the history of the split of the Protestant sects off from unity and full communion with the Catholic Church in the "Reformation"?
It is difficult to generalize "protestants" as a group, because they believe a variety of different opinions along a broad spectrum of Christian doctrines and practices.
For example, you point out that "protestants" don't believe in Transubstantiation; but the basis behind this goes even deeper, at a level where they deny the Sacrament of Holy Orders of the Ordained Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  Some movements in the Anglican church, for example, came to discover the historic roots in the early Church Fathers, of the necessary authority structure established by Jesus Christ in the sacred ministry of the Apostles, and having the Christian people united under the authority of the Bishop as successor of te Apostles.  But sadly, they had lost the succession of this power and authority in the historical deformations that came into the Anglican church centuries earlier under zealous fanatics who wiped out every vestige of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Pride and human rebellion against the Authority that Christ established in the Catholic Church has given us the present state-of-affairs...

Fr. Timothy Johnson

Catholics

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.