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| All Christian denominations have basically the same beliefs. |
Differences
Between Christian Religions
by Chris Rowling
There
are hundreds of denominations of Christianity. It would be easy to think that
there are some stark differences between them, but in fact their basic beliefs
are similar. The splits have been caused mainly by political differences rather
than by disagreements over the faith itself.
Catholic
The Roman Catholic Church
is the largest Christian religion in the world.
It
considers itself a pre-denominational Church, or the original Christian
church.
Catholicism
has some clear differences from other Christian denominations. These include
the election of the pope as God's representative on Earth, and the ability of
priests to absolve sin.
The
Virgin Mary and saints have a more central role in Catholicism than in other
Christian faiths.
It is a very traditional religion,
with a belief that faith must be backed up with charitable work.
Protestant
Protestants rejected
traditional Catholicism, and their religions could be seen as a stripped-down
form of the Christian faith.
The
main difference is the belief in the Scripture alone and that anybody, not just
priests and cardinals, can interpret the Bible.
This
means Protestants have no single representative of God comparable to the Pope.
They have religious leaders, but their theological roles are very different.
Anglican and Episcopalian
The
Anglican faith was founded in England under King Henry VIII, who split from
Catholic Rome so he could divorce and remarry. The British Empire spread
Anglicanism to many countries.
This
religion is very similar to the Roman Catholic Church in terms of the service,
and it is often referred to as the middle way between Catholicism and
Protestantism.
In the
United States, the Anglican Church is commonly called Episcopalian.
Baptists and Evangelicals
The Baptist and Evangelical
faiths are the two largest denominations outside of the Catholic and Protestant
faiths.
They
have such a foothold in the United States is because many of the pilgrims who
sailed from England to America were Baptists escaping persecution.
Baptists
and Evangelicals follow a very similar doctrine, with no church head, leading
the faith up to interpretation.
Many
people in these faiths strongly oppose gambling, alcohol, and certain music and
movies, and they make up a large part of what is called the Christian right.
Methodist
The Methodist denomination
split from the Anglican faith in the 18th century. Methodism was another faith
that was persecuted in Britain and made its way to America. It is much more
traditional in nature than other Protestant faiths, with a strict belief in
adherence to the Gospels.
Pentecostal
The Pentecostal Church
visibly different from other Christian denominations. Its services are a lot
more charismatic, with more singing and movement. This is because of a belief
in a personal experience of God through baptism and the Holy Spirit.
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is another
branch of the Protestant faith that broke away because of what was seen as a
breach of morality in other denominations. Like Methodists,
Baptists
and Evangelicals, Presbyterians place a strict adherence on the Gospel and
minimize the roles of church leaders.
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Chris Rowling has been a
professional writer since 2003. He has written news and features for
publications covering insurance, pensions and financial markets as well as
articles for local newspapers such as the "Richmond and Twickenham
Times" and the "Hounslow Chronicle." Rowling graduated in 2002
from St. Mary University, London, and took a postgraduate degree in journalism.
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