Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 5/28/2004

Question
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Followup To
Question -
A friend of mine told me that the Catholic religion is basically the same as the Methodist. I was wondering if that is true in a sense of belive. She also said the only difference is that the Catholics give praise to the Saints and the Methodist do not.How if any is the Methodist like the Catholics? She also commented that they also have a separate bible.
Answer -
         Peace

Dear Nancy Walker
  Well, I can safely say your friend is serious wrong when she says Catholics and Methodists are basicly the same.
  However, that does not mean they dont have somethings right. More or less depending on the type of Methodist she is talking about.
   Praise to saints? hmm we do honor them because they have been faithful friends of the Savior. We also ask them to pray with us. One of my favorite rosary prayer books was written by a United Methodist Minister, it called 10 for Joy and 5 for Glory.
    Catholics believe the Lord when He spoke of giving Himself in the Eucharist( see John 6), most Methodist traditions say He was speaking symbolicly. We acknowledge all seven sacraments, they reconize only 1 or 2.
     As for Bibles we have same New Testament but they lack 7 books and parts of 2 in Old Testament.
     
   We have somethings in Common, such we *basicly* teach the concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation. I say *basicly* because there is some important difference. Both Catholics and most Methodist churches have strong of social action.
  If have more direct questions I am willing to address them as well. If I cant find answer in my books, i have friends that were Methodists before becoming Catholic that might be able to help answer them


         your servant but His first
         george (rav) card

Thank you for the reply. I don't know where she got her information but, she seems to think she knows everything about each religion. A friend of mine told me the same thing you have. She is also Catholic. In her words the two religions are separate too. Maybe, I can explain it to her in a non-complicated way. If you have any suggestions please send. N.walker

Answer
         Peace


Dear Nancy

  Your Catholic friend is very correct to say Catholics and Methodist are two separate religions. Catholicism was found by Christ; Methodism was kinda founded by three men John and Charles Wesley and Samual Seabury.

I study Methodism in general for a few weeks using a Methodist catechism, with the help of United Methodist deacon, who was at a friends church. I still have the catechism. I have an idea, its in Q&A form. I can look of questions that we give different answers to and show those differences. Write me again about a week so i can find it and write something up. There are over 12 different types of
Methodist in the USA alone.


         your servant but His first
         george