the Church

We continue with similarities and differences between Protestant and Roman Catholic teachings.

The Church

Roman Catholic teaching is that Jesus trained his 12 leaders and chose Peter as the head and gave them the office of teaching, ruling, and sanctifying (making holy). The Catholic Church has the entirety of revealed truth “through the faithful preaching of the Gospel, the administration of the sacraments, and through government in love exercised by the apostles and their successors under the action of the Holy Spirit.”

Protestant teaching varies on this issue, but most groups would place their main emphasis on following the model of Jesus and the authority of the Bible. Most Protestants would agree that handing down the teachings of the apostles is essential, though they would not accept the validity or requirement of some succession of human leaders, beginning with Peter. Leaders within Protestant Churches would be based more on the biblical teachings of elders and deacons. Protestants would also vary as to what constitutes a sacrament.

The bottom line for Roman Catholics appears to be that the Catholic Church is the true Church set up by Jesus. Other Churches are recognized as places where Christ can work and bring salvation, and the Catholic Church is working on emphasizing the truths held in common with other Christian communities.

The most practical place where most Protestants have a challenge on the issue of the Church is the Roman Catholic practice of not inviting non-Catholic Christians to receive Holy Communion together. Some Protestant Churches (e.g. Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) also share this practice.