more on authority

The Roman Catholic Church has canon law. These are rules that govern the way the Church operates. The Catholic Church makes declarations about various issues of life, both within the Church and expectations for Catholics. Canon law is considered binding in all matters of faith and life. Again, the passing down of the teaching of the apostles through the papacy is central here.

For Protestants, the Bible is the ultimate authority of all matters of faith and life. Some Protestants take a much defined viewpoint of what the Bible teaches. Others use the Bible as a guide but have a more loose structure for interpretation. In most cases Protestant congregations there is a constitution that governs how the individual church operates. Protestant denominations will have rules and guidelines to follow; always with the understanding the Bible is the final say.

In matters of daily life, a Roman Catholic follows the canon law, informed by scripture reason, and conscience. The Protestant will more likely follow scripture, reason, and conscience, informed by guidelines from the church. Roman Catholics would be disciplined in specific ways spelled out by the law, while Protestant discipline varies. Some Protestant Churches are “covenant” churches, where specific guidelines are adhered to by members who sign what amounts to contracts. Other Protestant Churches are more loosely governed, with many following a guideline of based on Matthew 18:15-17. Almost all Protestants would have specific standards for pastors.