Question

Discuss the three major Christian factions and the differences between them.（about 200 words)

Answer 1

The three major denominations of Christianity are Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox. While these three agree on who Jesus is (God in human form) and the fact that he gave his life to pay for our sins and bring us back to God, there are some important differences.

On the authority of the Church, Catholics believe that theirs is God’s only true church, and that their Church, through its Pope and its Councils, has authority to make rulings on what all Christians should believe and how they should practice. Protestants believe that the individual need not follow the beliefs and practices of any particular denomination; all can decide for themselves and choose a church where the teaching seems right to them. As far as I know, the Orthodox churches are not as authoritarian as the Catholics, but someone who is more familiar with them should give a clearer answer.

On the authority and accuracy of the Bible, Catholics believe that the Bible is not the only authority for Christian beliefs and practices; it is subject to the interpretation and additional rulings of the Church. They teach that numerous parts of the Bible are “stories God wants us to know,” but not necessarily historically accurate stories of how things really happened. Protestants believe that the Bible is the one and only trustworthy source of authority for Christian beliefs and practices, and most Protestant denominations, up until the last 150 years, taught that the Bible is accurate and literally true. Orthodox churches emphasize the Bible less than the Protestants, and they are not known for handing down rulings about what Christians should believe and do. I’m not sure how they balance the authority of the church and the Bible.

On the way to reach eternal life in heaven, Catholics believe that a combination of faith, sacraments (significant ceremonies) and good living are required. They believe that deceased holy men and women, such as Saint Mary and Saint Peter, can help them reach heaven. They believe that after death, those Christians who did not live good lives will have to have their sins purged through torment before they can enter heaven. Protestants disagree with all these points. They teach that only faith is required to reach heaven (but that true faith produces good living), that God is the only one who can get us to heaven, and that there are only two destinations after death: a heaven of bliss and a hell of torment. I believe that the Orthodox views are closer to the Catholic views, and that membership in the Orthodox community through the sacrament of baptism is considered the way to reach heaven.