Various Christian denominations and faith communities have different opinions and beliefs about many doctrines and practices. In my opinion, it is okay for non-Catholic Christians to believe or not believe (but Catholics must accept the teachings of the church) any of the doctrines listed in this article if ...
We should not divide over these and should respectfully accept other Christian's choices about these.
I wholeheartedly believe that the Catholic Church is the true church founded by Jesus and the apostles, and I am 100% loyal and faithful to her teachings and laws.
These lists are organized by what group believes them.
Catholic only
- Catholic church merely hands-down the faith from the apostles
- Papacy - the Orthodox communities don't accept this
- Philosophical basis (Thomas Aquinas) of doctrine (but the Orthodox church doesn't accept this)
- Marian doctrines (Orthodox church has different views about some of these)
- Non-christians can not be saved (early Catholic teaching -- this has changed)
- Purgatory
- Indulgences
- Treasury of merit
- Apparitions
- Emphasis on celibacy
- Suffering
- Certain moral teachings -- contraception is a moral sin, abortion is murder
- No divorce (yet anullments are freely offered)
- Remarriage not allowed if former spouse is living (unless anullment)
- Consecrated life is better
- Infallible teaching magisterium
- Relics
Catholic and Orthodox
- Church = hierarchy, institution
- 7 sacraments
- Baptism necessary for salvation
- Eucharist (but I should mention that there is a lot of evidence in scripture and the early church fathers)
- Ecclesiastical offices (bishop, presbyters)
- No salvation outside of church
- Saints -- but they have different lists of Saints
- Certain moral teachings
- Prayer to angels
- Prayer to dead
- Doctrinal development
- Salvation through the church
- Clergy/laity
- Monasticism
- Emphasis on celibacy (Orthodox has less emphasis than Catholic)
- Liturgical calendar
- Fasting (Orthodox more than Catholic)
- Canon law
- Penance
- Excommunication
- Divorce and remarriage allowed in extreme cases (Catholics only if annulment is granted)
- Focus on church, church inwardly focused (salvation through sacraments)
- Church is external instution, ruled by bishops as direct successor of apostles, in possession of true tradition (how to distinguish the defenders of truth against heresy?)
- Local churches subject to universal instutitional church (they have different views about this)
- Church membership
- Priesthood which offers sacrifice (Cyprian)
- Unity of church = unity of bishops
- Holy orders
- Sacramentals
- Images, statues, icons
All Protestants accept these (amazing how few there are in this category)
- Scripture only - this was invented late (Wycliffe) - I agree that scripture is a very key aspect, but must consider church fathers before 382 AD when in agreement
- Saved by faith only
Some Protestants
- Lord's supper -- real presence
- Lord's supper -- symbolic
- Ecclesiastical offices (bishop, presbyters) - some denominations
- Young-earth creationism
- End-time scenarios -- there was no consesus in early church
- Worship -- liturgical vs. sermon-based
- Doctrinal development -- it's hard to justify doctrines which aren't in Bible or church fathers
- Dogma's must be in Bible -- scripture only
- Global vs. local flood
- Moral teachings
- Divorce and remarriage
- Contraception
- Sacraments
- Baptism (non-sacramental)
- Fellowship
- Kingdom is now
- Millennium
- Asceticism
- Only Christians are saved
- Tithing
- Women priests / ministers
- Saints
- Clergy/laity
- Liturgical calendar
- Calvinism
- Depravity of man
- Local churches subject to universal instutitional church (of that particular denomination)
- Church membership
- Predestination
- Sacraments are merely symbols
- Church = kingdom of God/heaven
- Emphasis on fellowship -- this a good thing
- Emphasis on evangelism -- this a good thing
- Angels (interact with us)
- Modern scripture theories (but not those that deny inspiration, inerrancy, and assume that the Bible is myth, etc)
- Non-christians cannot be saved
- King James only
- Word-Faith movement (a lot of bad doctrine)
- Fasting
- Forms of prayer
- Head coverings for women
- Charismatic
- Speaking in tongues
- Speaking in tongues as evidence of baptism of Holy Spirit
- Gifts of the Spirit
- Prophecy is for today / prophecy is not for today
- Fasting
- Martyrdom
- Free will
- Faith vs reason
- Canon law
- Anti-instutition (house church)
- Body, soul, spirit of man
- Infant baptism
- Rebaptism (presumably because first baptism is invalid for various reasons)
- Rules for divorce
- Lose salvation vs. eternal security
- Church/state cooperation
- Exorcism
Non-mainstream Protestants
- Annihilation -- 7th Day Adventists
- Soul sleep -- 7th Day Adventists
- Sabbath -- 7th Day Adventists
- Modern-day prophets
- Follow Old Testament 10 commandments
- Modalism (many Christians consider this as heretical) -- United Pentecostal Church and others
Home | North Forest | Top of page
|