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Difference Between Roman Catholic and Catholic

Roman Catholic vs Catholic

The main differences between Roman Catholics and Catholics are that Roman Catholics form the major Christian group, and Catholics are only a small group of the Christian community, also called as “Greek Orthodox.” It is believed that when Christianity started, only one church was followed. There was no difference of opinion or faith, and Christianity started spreading as a single religion.
Later it was decided that a location was required where a church representing all the Christians should be built. It would be the headquarters of all Christian teachings. Unfortunately, a difference of opinion arose and the groups split. Some followed the decision that the church was supposed to be built in Rome; others believed that it should be built in Constantinople. Those who followed and joined the group in Rome started calling themselves Roman Catholics while the others began calling themselves as Orthodox Catholics.
Roman Catholics trace their origin to Saint Peter. He was a disciple of Christ and was one of the 12 apostles. There is a difference in opinion about St. Peter’s importance and his role in the origin of Christianity.
Roman Catholics consider the Pope to be their spiritual leader; he is called by the Roman Christians as the Vicar of Christ. Catholics do not believe in any papal authority.
Catholics or Greek Orthodox do not recognize some of the books included in the Roman Catholic Bible. Catholics believe that teachings of Christ have remained unchanged. According to them, the Holy Scripture has not changed. They do not believe in additions made to the original scriptures.
The Catholics do not think of canons as laws. Canons are considered the rules by which a church is run. Roman Catholics take them as law and give the authority to the bishop to apply them.
The Roman Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Catholics do not support this theory. They believe that she was a mortal and was prepared to bear Christ.
Roman Catholics believe in purgatory; souls which are destined to go to Heaven need purification. The rest of the people go to hell. Catholics believe the souls go to the house of the dead, Hades, to wait for Christ to rise again. Once the body will rise, all the souls will unite with him.

Summary:

1.Roman Catholics are the largest Christian group; Catholics are a smaller group.
2.Roman Catholics and Catholics have a difference of opinion about the importance of
St. Peter in their origin.
3.Catholics do not believe in papal authority, Roman Catholics do.
4.Catholics believe in original, unchanged Holy Scriptures; Roman Catholics have added many books to their Bible.
5.Bishops are authorized to apply the canons on Roman Catholics; Catholics do not take canons as laws and do not give the authority to anyone to apply them.
6.Roman Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception; Catholics do not believe in the theory and consider Mother Mary a mortal.
7.Roman Catholics believe in Purgatory after death; Catholics do not believe in it.

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43 Comments

  1. Hello,
    I suggest you do a little more research; in brief the Catholic Church has different rites, the largest rite is the Roman Rite which is usually refered to as Roman Catholic, there are however other Eastern Rite Catholics in full communion with the See of Peter (the bishop of Rome).
    Note from the Vatican website the Catechism of the Catholic Church not the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
    There are other Eastern Rite Catholics who are not in Commuion with the See of Peter one of the largest of which is the Greek Orthodox Rite.

    From Catholic.com “One of the most tragic divisions within Christianity is the one between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches. Both have valid holy orders and apostolic succession through the episcopacy, both celebrate the same sacraments, both believe almost exactly the same theology, and both proclaim the same faith in Christ.” http://www.catholic.com/library/Eastern_Orthodoxy.asp

    • The difference between Catholics and Roman Catholics is that the former hold to the Revelation of Christ, once made to the saints, recorded in scripture, ( Jude. ) which is interpreted, explained and completed by the Holy Fathers within the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the first 800 years. The sad position is, whilst there is only One , Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, there are two claimants for this title, Orthodoxy and Rome! Interestingly there is at least two other groups who claim to be ,’Catholic,’ and apostolic, but do not claim to be the whole Body! They are the Traditional Anglicans of the Continuing Churches and the Oriental Orthodox. The Traditional Anglicans claim only to be a Communion of Catholic believers within the Body of Christ.
      Furtherto all this, there’s a growing body of opinion that ,’Rome,’ is no more than a Catholic Sect, being a spin off from the Council of Trent, (1545/ 64. See Farquhar Hook, Lives of the Archbishops.& others such as C.B.Moss or McCulloch.)

    • A Catholic is surely one who believes in Christ’s Revelation once revealed to the Saints, ( S.Jude.) This being recorded in Scripture and explained, interpreted and completed by the Early Fathers with the guidance of the Holy Ghost through the Seven Ecumenical Councils!
      Catholics are Children of Revelation and it it through Christ’s teachings that we are saved. To be accepted as a Catholic, one has to be baptised by water and have an understanding of Christ’s revelation as taught by Him to the Apostolic College and passed by the apostles to the Bishops in Council!
      Roman Catholic is a term used by those Members of Christ who by adding to Christ’s Revelation,i.e. Papal Jurisdiction ( 1564 Trent,) and Papal Infallibility , (Vat. 1. 1870.) distorted the Catholic Faith and abandoned S.Paul’s injunctions to,’Keep the deposit’.

    • Peter was never a roman catholic or catholic, he remain in the early Church which was founded by Jesus Christ in 31AD.
      Roman catholic church started in 313AD.
      Please do some research and know the truth and the truth will set you free.

      • Peter was never a roman catholic or catholic, he remain in the early Church which was founded by Jesus Christ in 31AD.
        =====
        Very true regarding S.Peter, He is a member of the One. Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

        Regarding Constantine the Great’s contribution?
        He simply established the Church throughout the Roman
        Empire, very much as the Church in England is established by law in England.(All Henry the VIII did was place it upon the statute book in later medieval times.)

        The point I make is that according to Church history ,  the Holy Roman Church, is not the Catholic Church and is rather a sect emanating from the medieval council of Trent AD 1565!
        The Catholic Church being based on Christ’s Revelation,Scripture and the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

      • The Catholic Church with St. Peter and his successors safeguard both written word scripture and oral tradition. Most protestants follow Catholic Traditions like celebrating Christmas and attending services on Sunday defeating the protestants belief of bible alone and faith without works.

      • Thank you so much my sister in Christ Jesus…… I think I like something about the particular comments you’ve made here.
        I have not understood it this way beforee now.
        I really thank God for opening my eyes to see this.
        I think I have some other important to discuss with you please.

        My name is Kenneth Chikezie from Nigeria in West Africa.

        God bless you,

      • Please read more carefully. No one said Peter was Catholic. In Paul’s post above, he references the See (translated seat) of Peter, i.e. the papacy. This is a position and not a reference to Peter being Catholic. The pope is the bishop of the city of Rome. Again, no reference to St Peter being the bishop of Rome. Peter was dead before these terms were created by the ecumenical counsels. That statement actually means the Eastern Rite Catholics agree (in communion with) the Latin (roman) Rite Catholic Church.

  2. Why is the so called Catholic Church still pay homage to the Pope, and the past Popes are famous for their Maryology. And what about purgatory. Are you different in those beliefs?
    How about transubstanation and Mass? What about praying to other so called sainted people who are dead, which is called necromancy and forbidden by God? What about the Priesthood and Nuns not being allowed to marry in order to serve God. If you say that you are against these unbiblical doctrines then why don’t you break off from the Roman C. C. Jesus was very angry about the mix of false with the truth, which is actually using the Lords name in vain ( blasphemy). All you did was take down statues of Mary (idolatry), but not out of your hearts and I think this was done so that you would be more excepted in a protestant nation.
    The Catholic church is so guilty of the shedding of the blood of God’s true remant and misguiding the flock. You believe that it is in the past but God has not forgotten. The day of reckoning will come, so come out from among this falsehood. You are still in covenant with this so called “Roman Catholism” Your hands are dirty with this evil.

    • When Mary became Queen of England, she worked to bring England back to the Roman Catholic Church. One of her first acts was to arrest Bishop Ridley, Bishop Latimer, and Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. After serving time in the Tower of London, the three were taken to Oxford in September of 1555 to be examined by the Lord’s Commissioner in Oxford’s Divinity School.

      When Ridley was asked if he believed the pope was heir to the authority of Peter as the foundation of the Church, he replied that the church was not built on any man but on the truth Peter confessed — that Christ was the Son of God. Ridley said he could not honor the pope in Rome since the papacy was seeking its own glory, not the glory of God. Neither Ridley nor Latimer could accept the Roman Catholic mass as a sacrifice of Christ. Latimer told the commissioners, “Christ made one oblation and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and that a perfect sacrifice;
      neither needeth there to be, nor can there be, any other propitiatory sacrifice.” These opinions were deeply offensive to Roman Catholic theologians.

      Both Ridley and Latimer were burned at the stake in Oxford on this day, October 16, 1555. As he was being tied to the stake, Ridley prayed, “Oh, heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England, and deliver it from all her enemies.”
      Tyndale was educated at the University of Oxford and became an instructor at the University of Cambridge, where, in 1521, he fell in with a group of humanist scholars meeting at the White Horse Inn. Tyndale became convinced that the Bible alone should determine the practices and doctrines of the church and that every believer should be able to read the Bible in his own language.

      After church authorities in England prevented him from translating the Bible there, he went to Germany in 1524, receiving financial support from wealthy London merchants. His New Testament translation was completed in July 1525 and printed at Cologne and, when CATHOLIC authorities suppressed it, at Worms. The first copies reached England in 1526. Tyndale then began work on an Old Testament translation but was captured in Antwerp before it was completed; he was executed at Vilvoorde in 1536.

    • Also your so called St. Peter said to repent everyone of you and be baptized in the name of Jesus (not in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost) for the remission of sins. The name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost aren’t names. Their titles. But Peter said in THE NAME OF JESUS. There’s only ONE NAME. Father isn’t a name, it’s a type of person, son isn’t a name, it’s a position, holy spirit isn’t a name. Holy is an adjective and spirit is a thing. I have a spirit, but it’s not my name. But JESUS yes that’s a name. So in conclusion, REPENT and be ye baptized in THE NAME OF JESUS for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the holy ghost just like the first original believers did on the day of Pentecost. That’s the true plan of salvation. For Jesus said that repentance shall be preached in his name starting first in Jerusalem.

  3. Roman Catholic and Catholic both bow to Idols – Christian Religion in its true form PUTS NO OTHER gods before Christ . That being said, The Pope is NOT the Vicar Of Christ – he is an anti-Christ. Anyone who has ever spent more than one day researching the Roman Catholic Religion diligently can come to no other conclusion unless God has allowed them to be deceived because they choose to believe a lie without testing the spirit. Mary is NOT meant to be worshipped or bowed down and worship. (it’s an abomination to think the woman who was NOT part of the Godhead had or has anything to do with our salvation. IT is NOT in the BIBLE people) What did The Savior call Mary as he hung on the cross? He called her WOMAN! He did NOT call her the Blessed Mother or Mary mother of God ! HE CALLED HER WOMAN!

    • As a Catholic by baptism I worship God through Jesus Christ and Him Crucified> Roman Catholics are simply a sect, but a Catholic one.

      We do not worship the Lady Mary, nor any being . Through the Ecumenical Councils and guidance by the Holy Ghost we are taught that Mary is the Mother of God, the Theotokos. Also that she is All Holy, Immaculate and Ever Virgin. Not that she was immaculately conceived, but that she was cleansed at some time before the Nativity of Christ.
      We do not seek through the saints, or Holy People of God, to by-pass Our Lord, but appeal to the saints for their prayers. If we can be helped ,Good. There’s nothing lost. If not there can be no harm done.
      Worship is still for God.

      Anglican Catholic.

      • Very well explained sir. I admire your knowledge about this. Thank you.

      • How does the Anglican Church teach the spirit of or correct attitude towards the Holy Eucharist?
        I hear the fundamental differences between Catholic and Roman is, Catholic: in memory of, a remembrance only… and Roman: First and foremost the very real presence and (in mysterious means), the joining, partaking of Christ himself.

      • She is not ever virgin, she had other sons after Jesus, Jesus had brothers, you really need the true word of God.

    • Gary, I admire your desire to keep the Christian religion pure, however I highly encourage you to read more critically about what the Catholic Church truly teaches. The criticism you list here are all directed against a caricature of the Church.

      Catholic do not put another God before Christ. We do not believe the Pope is equal to Christ, we believe he is the universal pastor who maintains the authority that Jesus gave to Peter in Matthew 16:17-19, paralleling exactly the scene in Isaiah 22:20-22.

      Catholics do not believe Mary is meant to be worshiped or bowed down to; that is why we do not worship or bow down to her. We honor her with the highest respect due to a creature of God for having brought salvation – Jesus Christ – into history through her womb. What a marvelous role in salvation history! We also seek to imitate her complete faith in God, and to say “Be it unto me according to thy word” as she did at the annunciation. Don’t you think it would hurt Jesus if we didn’t love his mother as he did?

      Finally, that Jesus called Mary “Woman” twice in the Gospel of John may seem insulting or diminutive. However, the early chapters of John are clear parallels to the early chapters of Genesis, and relates Mary both to Eve and the woman in Revelation 12.

      I highly encourage you, as a bible-loving Christian, to check out this one short bible study: http://www.salvationhistory.com/studies/lesson/queen_wedding_at_cana_garden_in_eden
      Hopefully this clear up the confusion you have about the Catholic Church.

      In Christ,

      Stephen

      • My prayer for you is that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened. So that you will see what the hope of his calling.

        I suggest you read your Bible yourself. If you don’t have one go online and download one for free. There is no suggestion or anything close to what is being done in Catholic Church.

        Mary was not the only instrumental for Jesus coming. Others played in role in that. It was nothing but an honor for Mary to be the chosen vessel. How about Abraham who is even the initiator of it?

        Worship God only and leave out all these arguments. Today, God is looking for people the same he look for Mary. Will you let him find you? He wants to bring salvation to others, will you help him? Apostle said it was an honor that God chose him and he said whether dead or alive that Christ be glorified in me.

        It was not an achievement for Mary to be chosen it was God’s choice. Christianity is not a religion anyway. It is Christ living out his divine life through you.

      • Good hermeneutic study references.

      • Thank you! That was put in great words of explanation. Insulting Mary the mother of God is a disgrace. Jesus honored his mother and we too have to honor her. She is the mother of Christ who is the second Eve . Her role was to form a new covenant with God and destroy sin. She said let it be done to me according to your will. She excepted her role with our savior Jesus Christ to form the second covenant to save us . God chose her. Jesus is our savior and our God who came into the world through Mary to form this covenant to save us. We have to respect and love God for giving us another chance to free us from our sins. He did this through Mary and gave us his only Son Jesus Christ . Jesus loved and respected Mary his mother and we have to follow Christ.

    • Did you even read the article? Every Christian is catholic. Whether they are roman catholic, what we usually just call catholic, or catholic. As a methodist, I am a member of the catholic church because all churches are catholic, protestant or otherwise.

    • If you really want to know what Roman Catholics teach and believe get yourself a copy if the catechism of the Roman Catholic Church. It’s no secret, it’s all there. Educate yourself before your spout off about things you don’t know about or understand. Roman Catholics do not worship the Blessed Virgin or statues of holy people. Scripture says “….all generations will call me Blessed….”. It’s easy to be critical about the way someone else chooses to know GOD. Be happy they want to know and worship HIM.

    • Wow, I really agreed with your response. It’s really consistent with the scriptures. Thank you.

    • Says the man who divided the body of Christ into 40000 pieces, Gary bhai u r the anti christ not us please fix first your own denomination then comment on us, we are all the descendants of the apostles except u people who came from no where and call yourself Christian stick to your protestantism and keep on dividing leave us in peace don’t even come here

  4. Paul said, Did I baptize in my name or do others baptize in theirs? this Pope-ology though honorable in the ways of the world is a dishonor to Christ who is the Only High Priest of HIS CHurch which His Body..God does not live in dwellings nor does any church of human nature ‘own’ rights to his body as if they are selling Him like a Prostitute and only those who are accepted can share in eating his body and drinking his ‘literal’ blood ? God knows who He as Given The Faith too, so in the long run no matter what church a person attends it is not man’s right but God ‘s Righteouness in His Sovereign Power that Reigns Supreme with Christ as the Judge that will determine which end is up. The Ritualization and long winded prayers Christ himself said was meaningless for God Himself knows what we need before we even have the thought to enter our minds to pray. I am not catholic obviously but then again it’s hard to find ‘the perfect church’ anywhere namely because it doesn’t exist, but that doesn’t stop me from going nor would I want to. Man has screwed it up again as usual but that is our sinful nature for all to see. Don’t these denominations tell anyone anything? We don’t go to church to get to God as most probably already are aware, but the motivation and reason for why one is there will make all the difference in the world. It is by God’s Grace we are Saved by The Faith of God imputed to Us because of the Completed Work in Christ. Therefore, those In Christ are in The Completed Work and to manifest it or extend it to others so they too may be en-Abel’d to accept our testimony is to extend that work to others, therefore The Faith with The Works ..but a faith wihtout those works is meaningless; Christ IS the New Testament (Testimony) of Him-Self for us to See and Hear. The rest is superfluous and unnecessary complicating the process. Paul wrote I know only Christ and Christ crucified. Everyone’s a preacher ..but please no more Popes, second only to Dali lama’s.

  5. So you believe that the pope is “equal” to Christ?
    just as bad

    • I dint hear that LOL?? Please respond with specificity. 🙂

    • You are such a dumbass the pope is ordained by God to spread his word to the entire world which is by holy scripture. He is not an idol ,but someone who is given authority by God and the Roman Catholic church to spread the gospel. What do you Peter the apostle did. Peter was historically roman catholic. He set the foundation for the Roman Catholic church which is the Vatican in rome. Hence why he is buried in the catacombs of the vatican.

  6. See Revelation 2 and 3 and the Churches and Catholic rituals all through it being Condemned by God; the Catholic church has a long history of incorrect understanding of scirpture and not only holds to wrong understanding but then CREATES more of it’s own to substantiate that calim while is is understood the Law would be written on our hearts so that you will need no one to teach you? Does anyone actually read the bible any more or what? Though that too is a bit difficult considering how many mistranslations from form other ones there are. The Catholic Church refers to The QUeen of Heaven, a pagan god of ancient times and claims Mary is the Mother of God when it was cleared in Colossians that our Maother is the Holy Jeruslam.. “But the Jerusalem above is Free; She is our Mother. 27 For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”…enough, that church has caused more problems and is now promoting New Age teachings at the UN…get out while you can and learn about who Jesus Is .

    • 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. OR jest ignore them He said 🙂 THAT’$ the ONE i choose. 🙂

    • The truth is all of you are being deceived,RELIGION IS MASS CONFUSION! This is why all of you are arguing hypocrites. WORSHIP GOD ONLY! NOT TO JESUS,Mary,saints etc. Jesus aka the son of God aka the light of this world THE MORNING STAR JESUS is the “SUN” of God. God sent Jesus to test the masses! Jesus said it himself that people should not pray or worship him, only give praise to God and God alone! WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT THE CREATION!!! Yet all of you go to church(God doesn’t live inside a house made from the hands of man and God told us to remember the Sabbath(Saturday) yet all of you worship the son “sun” jesus on SUNday!

      My name is Adam amd I am a true son of the living God EL. May God bless you

  7. This is Jonathan I like st.john paul as my patron saint thank you

  8. GOD IS A HEGEMONY BRANQUEAMENTO DEIFY ROMAN CATHOLIC RACIST.

  9. Peter was never a catholic, he remain in the early church. And its called in the name of God, means Church Of God.

  10. I think a Christian should hold on to the Word of God that’s consistent with the bible & teachings of the Apostles in the new testament concerning the new creation in Christ. Only the Word of God can liberate us from religion. Christianity is not a religion & will never be one of the religions of the world. Christ Jesus didn’t die & established another religion. He came & died to raise sons of God! Glory to God!

  11. The Roman Catholic Church does not add books to the Canon. The Canon was proclaimed at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. It was set at the Council of Rome and has never changed. Please present the facts. The Canon was set and Rome has never and will never change it. It is a done deal. God bless. History matters as does truth.

  12. You people are saying that we should not honor Mary right? Have you forgotten that Jesus Christ respect his mother in the marriage in cana? Have you forgotten that Jesus said we should respect our mother and our father? Remember what bible says about Mary, that generation we call her blessed, listen Roman Catholic are doing right things, remember the that true bible is with the with the Roman Catholic, remember that Constantine fight supported Roman Catholic church, and later convated roman catholic has a Christian.

  13. We criticised the catholic church of worshipping Mary but we worshipped our pastor’s wife than Christ himself. Why do we always put aside the sole aims of Christianity which is LOVE? Christianity is not a religion but a way of life of Christ.

  14. I am a Roman Catholic by both baptism and confirmation and I would like you to send more information on both the Roman Catholic Church and Coptic catholic church Esstern Orthodox catholics

  15. I am a Roman Catholic by virtue of my baptism and confirmation and I would like you to send more information on both the Roman Catholic Church and Coptic catholic church Eastern Orthodox catholics

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