Difference in Principles of Faith
The Catholics and the Protestant Churches believe and worship in one God, Three Persons existing as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. However, the principles of faith are different. The painful division between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants began five hundred years ago, when Martin Luther started the Reformation Movement on October 31, 1517.
Protestantism was formed on three fundamental principles of faith, namely, Scripture alone, Justification (Salvation) by faith alone and Universal priesthood of believers. Based on these principles, Christianity was split into three main branches, namely, Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
According to Wikipedia, in 2016, the percentage of believers in USA is as follows:
- Roman Catholicism 23%
- Protestant Denominations 48.9%
- Mormonism 1.8%
- Judaism (Jews) 2.1%
- Muslim 0.8%
- Other Religions 5.2%
- No Religion 18.2%
Mormonism (Mormons) is an extreme group of believers, who are also known as “The Church of Christ of Latter-day-Saints”.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are another group of extremism, who do not believe that God exists as three persons. With their nontrinitarian belief, they are distinct from mainstream Christianity.
With this brief summary of Protestantism, I will share next week about the specific Catholic beliefs, which the Protestant Churches do not accept.
God bless you
Fr. Arul Joseph V
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