Protestants and Catholics have had a frosty relationship since the breakup of the church. The breakup was a result of the many years of ideological imbalance that the proponents of the two Christian blocs subscribed to. In this blog post, we will look into the reasons why they broke, the regrouping of the protestants (following the split), and the buildup to their split.
Protestants vs Catholics: The real reasons why they broke up
The Protestants and Catholics parted ways in the early 16th century. Prior to the breakup, the church was united under the leadership of the Pope. This split led to a lot of [political, economic, and social] changes not just in Europe but in the world.
Historical Background: The Protestant Reformation (Regrouping)
Prior to the breakup in the 16th century, the world church, in this case, the Catholic Church, was a unified entity with the Pope as its leader. However, there arose divergent views from different quarters about the political, religious, moral, and economic authority the Catholic Church had aggregated to herself over Europe and, by extension, the world.
There were genuine worries and protests from people like the German monk Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and Huldrych Zwingli over the large-scale corruption the Church was engulfed in, which allegedly resulted in the unexplained wealth being linked to the leaders of the church. Another issue that led to the breakup was the sale of indulgences by the church leaders- this meant that wealthy individuals were buying forgiveness while alive with the intention to go to purgatory when they die [be forgiven and eventually go to heaven].
Top reasons why there are the Protestants and Catholics
There have been various reasons listed by many religious scholars as being the foundation of the catalyst that led to the separation of the protestants from the Catholics. In this section of the blog post, we will analyze some of these reasons so as to get an understanding of why the split happened in the first place.
1. The Eucharist
"Drink this, for it is my blood which will be poured for you and many."
"Eat this, for it is my body which will be shared for you and many."
The above is highly believed and adhered to strictly by the Catholics in a transubstantiation manner. This means that the wine and bread Jesus ate with his disciples during the last supper were figuratively his flesh and blood.
Meanwhile, the protestants saw it differently. They believed that it meant that Jesus Christ guaranteed his presence (aside from the Pentecost) through the sharing of the bread and wine during the last supper, which they believe was very important in the spreading of the gospel.
2. Veneration of Mary and recognition of the saints
The Catholics did not just recognize the womb that gave birth to Jesus, but venerated her as a result of the role she played in the earthly works of Jesus. It was her subtle pressure that led to Jesus's first miracle on earth, where he turned water into wine at the wedding of Cana. Considering how difficult or impossible it was for Jesus to turn her request down.
Also, the Catholics do not just recognize the existence of the saints; they see them as great intercessors. This is mostly associated with the war the angels fought in heaven so as to defeat satan and his agents. In addition, the angels have their various works which the Catholics leverage on during prayers.
However, the protestants have a different opinion from the Catholics. They recognize Mary as a vessel through which Jesus came into the world. They are of the opinion that Jesus would have gone ahead to perform his first miracle on earth since that was part of his mission on earth.
The protestants are of the opinion that angels are God's messengers (judging by the message Angel Gabriel was sent to deliver to Mary).
3. Salvation
According to the Catholics, salvation comes by faith, works, and by practicing the 7 sacraments of the church, and these sacraments are: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony.
However, the protestants differed a little here, as they believed salvation comes only by having faith in Jesus Christ. Also, they believed only in two (2) sacraments- the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of communion.
Also, the protestants felt that the doctrines guiding the other five (5) sacraments the Catholics believe in were belt-tightening human doctrines, felt that religion should be flexible and not a one-size-fits-all.
4. Pope and Tradition
The Catholics believe that the Pope is the head of the church on earth. They equally believe that the church tradition, which stood the test of time, ought to be adhered to strictly.
The protestants, on the other hand, are of the opinion that no human deserves the right to be appointed as the head of the church (as they believe that Jesus is the head of the church).
Also, the protestants are of the school of thought that church tradition that cannot be linked to the Bible should not be followed.
In conclusion, the theological and ideological differences that existed between the Catholics and protestants are going to be mended in the coming years; however, there may be instances where they can work together in advancing or spreading the word of God.
