What is the Difference Between Catholic and Christian

The main difference between Catholic and Christian is that a Christian is a follower and a believer of the teachings and the life and death of Jesus Christ, while a Catholic is a believer and a follower of  Catholicism, which is the most wide-ranging denomination of Christianity. In simple words, all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics

Many people find it confusing to identify the distinctions between Christians and Catholics. To make it simple, Christianity is the founding Abrahamic Religion, and Christianity encapsulates Catholicism, Protestantism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Key Areas Covered

1. Who is a Catholic 
     – Definition, Features
2. Who is a Christian
     – Definition, Features 
3. Similarities Between Catholic and Christian
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Catholic and Christian
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Catholic, Christian

Who is a Catholic

A Catholic is a follower and a believer of Catholicism, which is the largest denomination of Christianity. Therefore, it is possible to say that all Catholics are Christians. A Catholic follows the Catholic religion, which is transmitted through the succession of Popes. The Pope holds the leadership of the Catholic church. Focusing on the denominations of Christianity, the Catholic church is the largest of the Christian churches, and nearly 60% of the Christians are Catholics.

Catholics believe that the Bible is inspired by the word of God. From the birth of Christianity, it is the Catholic Church that precisely stated the canon of Scripture and what it really meant to be a faithful believer and a follower of Jesus Christ. For hundreds of years,  the Catholic Church and the priests served the duty of preserving the Bible and other written religious documents, mainly through libraries and monasteries.

Who is a Christian

In simple words, a Christian is a follower and a believer of the teachings and the life and death of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, the marker and sign towards a new life in Christ is baptism. Therefore, in order to become a Christian, a person needs to change the path and the flow of his or her life and give up the following and prioritizing their personal ambitions and desires.

Christians fundamentally believe in repentance and the new faith restored in God as they believe God is always ready to forgive and give every person another chance for a new beginning. Christians believe that this is God’s gift to followers.

It is the belief of the Christians that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and that Jesus Christ inhabited Earth as a human 2,000 years back. They further believe the words in the Bible, which state that the conception of  Jesus happened miraculously and that Jesus lived for nearly 30 years before he started the three years of voyaging around the region of the Middle East, making people aware of God, teaching people about God and healing the sick.

Similarities Between Catholic and Christian

• Catholics and Christians believe in the existence of Jesus Christ and in His second coming.
• Both Catholics and Christians believe that Jesus was God’s Son who was present on Earth in human flesh and blood.
• They both agree and believe in the existence of one true God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
• Both Catholics and Christians believe that when a man dies, he is brought back to life in order to be judged on the way he lived on Earth
• They also share the belief that a man after death faces eternity either in Heaven or in Hell.

Difference Between Catholic and Christian

Definition

A Christian is a follower and a believer of the  teachings and the life and death of Jesus Christ, while a Catholic is a believer and a follower of  Catholicism, which is the most wide-ranging denomination of Christianity

Clergy

In Catholicism, we can meet deacons, monks, nuns, priests, and bishops, while in Christianity, we meet priests, bishops, ministers, monks, and nuns.

Place of Worship

Church, chapel, cathedral, and basilica are the places of worship in Catholicism while in Christianity, the places of worship include church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, home bible study, personal dwellings.

Conclusion

The main difference between a Catholic and a Christian is that a Christian is a follower and a believer of the teachings, and the life and death of Jesus Christ, while a Catholic is a believer and a follower of  Catholicism, which is the most wide-ranging denomination of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics.

Reference: 

1. “What Do Catholics Believe?” Diocese of Lansing.
2. “What Is a Christian?” Christianity.

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