I was raised in a Protestant church and have always tried to shape my beliefs directly from Scripture.
Lately, I’ve had some thoughtful conversations with Catholic family members (I married into a Catholic family) that have left me wanting to better understand where our beliefs differ, and why.
Some distinctions include Catholic teachings on:
Mary being sinless
- The Catholic Church teaches the Immaculate Conception, that Mary was conceived without original sin and remained sinless her entire life.
- In a Protestant church, I was taught that all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that only Christ was sinless. Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus but not revered as sinless or as a mediator.
Transubstantiation
- In the Eucharist, Catholics believe the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ, even though they still appear as bread and wine.
- As a Protestant, I was taught to see the Lord’s Supper as a symbolic remembrance. Some, like Lutherans, believe Christ is “truly present” but reject transubstantiation. I attended a Baptist church for many years, and they view it strictly as a memorial (Luke 22:19).
The role of works in salvation
- Catholics believe salvation involves both faith and works, empowered by grace. Baptism, the sacraments, and acts of love are seen as necessary responses to God’s grace.
- Protestants, especially in the Reformed tradition, emphasize sola fide, that we are justified by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8–9), and that good works are the fruit, not the root, of salvation.
As someone who leans heavily on the authority of Scripture, I’ve struggled to find verses that support these doctrines clearly. That’s why I’m reaching out, not to debate, but to understand. Are these differences mainly about interpretation, or something deeper?
It saddens me to think that some might see these differences as a wall to fellowship. I believe anyone who genuinely receives Christ as Savior and submits to Him as Lord has the hope of salvation. But I’ve also heard (from plenty of Catholic family members), from the Catholic perspective, my salvation may be questioned because of the Protestant view on faith and works.