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Roman Catholicism in the Roman Catholicism in the Context of ChristianityContext of Christianity

Christianity

Eastern Church Western Church

Great Schism 1054 a.d.

The Eastern Orthodox ChurchThe Eastern Orthodox Church 22ndnd largest Christian largest Christian

communion –approx. 300 communion –approx. 300 million Orthodox Christian.million Orthodox Christian.

Orthodoxy is the largest Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in single religious faith in Belarus (85%), Bulgaria Belarus (85%), Bulgaria (83%), Cyprus (80%), (83%), Cyprus (80%), Georgia (89%), Greece Georgia (89%), Greece (95%), Romania (87%), (95%), Romania (87%), Serbia (84%), Russia (80%), Serbia (84%), Russia (80%), and Ukraine (80%)and Ukraine (80%)

The Eastern Orthodox ChurchThe Eastern Orthodox Church

Patriarch of Constantinople “first Patriarch of Constantinople “first among equals.”among equals.”

Sources of DoctrineSources of Doctrine

The Scriptures, both the Old and New The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments Testaments

Sacred Apostolic Tradition Sacred Apostolic Tradition The Seven Ecumenical CouncilsThe Seven Ecumenical Councils

Means of SalvationMeans of Salvation

The acceptance of Christ as the The acceptance of Christ as the Savior through confession in Christ Savior through confession in Christ as the True God is the highest gift as the True God is the highest gift given to the believer by the Holy given to the believer by the Holy Spirit. ...acceptance is his own choice Spirit. ...acceptance is his own choice through his own free will. This is why through his own free will. This is why one is responsible for his own fate.one is responsible for his own fate.

View of Other DenominationsView of Other Denominations

The Orthodox Church continuously The Orthodox Church continuously and without interruption is the true and without interruption is the true keeper of the truths of the Undivided keeper of the truths of the Undivided Church, without omissions or Church, without omissions or additions. additions.

Orthodox do not seek to proselytize Orthodox do not seek to proselytize non-Orthodox Christians, but non-Orthodox Christians, but Orthodox who join a different Orthodox who join a different Christian church are apostates. Christian church are apostates.

The Western ChurchThe Western ChurchThe Western Church

Roman Catholicism

Lutheran

Reformed

Evangelical

Reformed/Presbyterian Anglican/Episcopalian Methodist/Wesleyan

Baptist Pentecostal

Roman CatholicismRoman Catholicism

Largest Christian Largest Christian communion—1.2 billion communion—1.2 billion members.members.

17.77% of the total 17.77% of the total population in Africa, population in Africa, 63.10% in the Americas, 63.10% in the Americas, 3.05% in Asia, 39.97% in 3.05% in Asia, 39.97% in Europe, 26.21% in Europe, 26.21% in Oceania, and 17.40% of Oceania, and 17.40% of the world population. the world population.

Roman CatholicismRoman Catholicism

The head of the The head of the church is the church is the Bishop of Rome. Bishop of Rome. He is considered He is considered to be Christ’s to be Christ’s vicar on earthvicar on earth

The current pope The current pope is Benedict XVI.is Benedict XVI.

Sources of DoctrineSources of Doctrine

There are four sources of doctrine.There are four sources of doctrine.• The Bible The Bible • The church fathers The church fathers • The pope (ex cathedra declarations)The pope (ex cathedra declarations)• The Seven Ecumenical Councils and The Seven Ecumenical Councils and

other Catholic councilsother Catholic councils

Means of SalvationMeans of Salvation

Received at baptism; may be lost by Received at baptism; may be lost by mortal sin; regained by penancemortal sin; regained by penance

Prevenient grace helps one believe; Prevenient grace helps one believe; efficacious grace cooperates with the efficacious grace cooperates with the human will to do goodhuman will to do good

View of Other DenominationsView of Other Denominations

The sole Church of Christ which in the The sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, subsists in the Catholic and apostolic, subsists in the Catholic Church... Nevertheless, many elements of Church... Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible confines. (Catech. 870)outside its visible confines. (Catech. 870)

Those "who believe in Christ and have Those "who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.” (Catech. 838)with the Catholic Church.” (Catech. 838)

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Roman Catholicism in the Roman Catholicism in the Context of ChristianityContext of Christianity

Part IIPart II

Review: Three Patterns of ReligionReview: Three Patterns of Religion

The Prophetic: Focuses on the appearance The Prophetic: Focuses on the appearance of the sacred through a message.of the sacred through a message.

The Sacramental: Emphasizes the The Sacramental: Emphasizes the appearance of the sacred through physical appearance of the sacred through physical means.means.

The Mystical: Stresses the appearance of The Mystical: Stresses the appearance of the sacred to individuals who have the sacred to individuals who have achieved an “enlightened” state.achieved an “enlightened” state.

The Western ChurchThe Western ChurchThe Western Church

Roman Catholic

Lutheran

Reformed

Evangelical

Anglican/Episcopalian Presbyterian/Reformed Methodist/Wesleyan

Baptist Pentecostal

LutheranLutheran 87 million Lutherans world

wide. Countries with the most

number of Lutherans: Germany 12,937,410 USA 7,504,244 Sweden 6,751,952 Indonesia 5,630,968 Tanzania 5,302,727 Ethiopia 5,299,822 Finland 4,493,994 Denmark4,492,216 Norway 4,013,362 Madagascar3,000,000

Lutheran ChurchLutheran Church

Indentifies with Indentifies with the theology of the theology of Martin Luther Martin Luther (1483-1546)(1483-1546)

Sometimes Sometimes considered the considered the father of father of ProtestantismProtestantism

Sacred Text: Holy Bible (Sacred Text: Holy Bible (Old TestamentOld Testament and and New TestamentNew Testament only). only). ApocryphaApocrypha can can be "useful" reading and can help to be "useful" reading and can help to increase one's faith. increase one's faith.

Creeds and Confessions: Apostles' Creed, Creeds and Confessions: Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, Book of Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, Book of Concord (includes Augsburg Confession, Concord (includes Augsburg Confession, Small Catechism, Large Catechsim)Small Catechism, Large Catechsim)

Means of SalvationMeans of Salvation

Faith in Christ is the only way to Faith in Christ is the only way to obtain personal reconciliation with obtain personal reconciliation with God: that is, forgiveness of sins. God: that is, forgiveness of sins.

ReformedReformed

Reformed Tradition can be divided Reformed Tradition can be divided into three groups:into three groups:• Anglican/EpiscopalAnglican/Episcopal• Presbyterian/ReformedPresbyterian/Reformed• Methodist/WesleyanMethodist/Wesleyan

ReformedReformed

Indentifies with the Indentifies with the theology of John theology of John Calvin (1509-1564).Calvin (1509-1564).

Anglican/EpiscopalAnglican/Episcopal

Approx. 80 million Approx. 80 million members of the members of the worldwide Anglican worldwide Anglican communion.communion.

Head is the Head is the Archbishop of Archbishop of Canterbury* Canterbury* (The formal (The formal head is Queen Elizabeth.)head is Queen Elizabeth.)

Anglican/EpiscopalAnglican/Episcopal

Tends toward a Tends toward a liberal liberal interpretation of interpretation of Scripture.Scripture.

Tends toward Tends toward liturgical formality liturgical formality and and sacramentalism.sacramentalism.

Presbyterian/ReformedPresbyterian/Reformed

Originated in Originated in Switzerland and Switzerland and Scotland.Scotland.

Approx. 75 million Approx. 75 million members members worldwide worldwide (40 million (40 million Presbyterian & 35 Presbyterian & 35 million Reformed)million Reformed)

Presbyterian/ReformedPresbyterian/Reformed

Tends toward a conservative Tends toward a conservative interpretation of Scripture.interpretation of Scripture.

Emphasizes a congregational Emphasizes a congregational structure. structure.

Retains traditional Christian Retains traditional Christian sacraments and liturgical settings sacraments and liturgical settings but emphasizes proclamation.but emphasizes proclamation.

Methodist/ WesleyanMethodist/ Wesleyan

Founded by John Founded by John Wesley (1703-Wesley (1703-1791).1791).

Approx. 75 million Approx. 75 million members members worldwide each.worldwide each.

Sacred Texts: Holy Bible (Sacred Texts: Holy Bible (Old TestamentOld Testament and and New TestamentNew Testament only) only)

Creeds and Confessions: Apostles' Creeds and Confessions: Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Westminster Creed, Nicene Creed, Westminster Confession Confession

Tends to retain some of the Tends to retain some of the sacramental/liturgical heritage of sacramental/liturgical heritage of Anglicanism.Anglicanism.

Means of SalvationMeans of Salvation

"We are able to choose God because "We are able to choose God because God first chose us." God first chose us."

““The final destiny of each person is The final destiny of each person is determined by God's grace and that determined by God's grace and that person's response, evidenced person's response, evidenced inevitably by a moral character which inevitably by a moral character which results from that individual's results from that individual's personal and volitional choices.” personal and volitional choices.”

(Wesleyanism.org)(Wesleyanism.org)

EvangelicalEvangelical

BaptistBaptist

Traces beginnings Traces beginnings back to early 17back to early 17thth century.century.

Approx. 90 million Approx. 90 million worldwide (47 worldwide (47 million in U.S.)million in U.S.)

BaptistBaptist Theology of believer's Theology of believer's

baptism (as opposed baptism (as opposed to infant baptism).to infant baptism).

Salvation through faith Salvation through faith alone.alone.

Scripture alone as the Scripture alone as the rule of faith and rule of faith and practice. practice.

Stresses the autonomy Stresses the autonomy of the local church. of the local church.

Rejects use of Rejects use of authoritative creeds.authoritative creeds.

PentecostalismPentecostalism There are an There are an

estimated 250 estimated 250 million Pentecostals million Pentecostals world wide.world wide.

There is no one There is no one founder of founder of Pentecostalism. It Pentecostalism. It grew out of the grew out of the Wesleyan Wesleyan movement in the movement in the late 19late 19thth and early and early 2020thth century. century.

PentecostalPentecostal Places a special Places a special

emphasis on immediate emphasis on immediate or direct personal or direct personal experience of God.experience of God.

Stresses a baptism in Stresses a baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit and extraordinary spiritual extraordinary spiritual gifts.gifts.

Pentecostalism covers a Pentecostalism covers a wide range of groups wide range of groups and theologies. Some and theologies. Some are Trinitarian; others are Trinitarian; others are non-Trinitarian.are non-Trinitarian.