| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 1,360,000,000[1] | 52,000,000[2] |
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| How does one get saved? | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to save you, be baptized, participate in the Eucharist, and don't die with any unconfessed mortal sins.[3][4] | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[5][6][7] |
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| Who gets saved? | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. |
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| Can one lose his salvation? | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy or by committing a mortal sin. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. | The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins.[5] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. | Baptism should be by triple immersion. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. |
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| What is the trinity? | The Trinity is God existing as one god in three equal, eternal, cosubstantial persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. | The Trinity is God existing as one god in three equal, eternal, cosubstantial persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. |
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| What is the human nature? | Human nature is not totally corrupt but is wounded and inclined to evil.[8] | Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[9] |
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| Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, but we did inherit the consequences and a corrupt human nature from him, causing us all to sin.[10] | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, but we did inherit the consequences and a corrupt human nature from him, causing us all to sin.[9][11] |
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| Are Christians required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial laws? | No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians. |
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| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | "Christian perfection" is attainable in this life, but this does not mean one is sinless, as one will always commit minor "venial sins". | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. |
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| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Transubstantiation: Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ. | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[12][13] |
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| Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | No, the dead cannot be baptized. | No, the dead cannot be baptized. |
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| What happens if a saved person dies without being perfect? | Christians who die imperfectly purified must be purified through purgatory.[14] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[15] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Immaculate conception: No, Mary was free of original sin and remained sinless throughout her life. | Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did. |
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| What spiritual gifts are available today? | Most believe that all spiritual gifts are still available to believers. | |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | Priests must be unmarried men over 25 ordained by bishops. | |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.[16] | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[17][18][19] |
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| Should communion bread be leavened? | | Most believe leavened bread should be used in Holy Communion. Armenians use unleavened bread. |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Mortal sins must be privately confessed to a priest at least annually.[20][21] | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[22][23][24][25] |
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| How should a church be structured? | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that diocese, who in turn is governed by an archbishop, who is governed by the Pope. | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that eparchy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. |
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| How does God's revelation come to us today? | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith. | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[26] |
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| How was the Bible written? | | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[27] |
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| How many books are in the Bible? | There are 73 canonical books of the Bible: 39 protocanonical books, 7 deuterocanonical books, and 27 New Testament books. | Varies widely |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | No, the Bible was written inerrantly on matters of salvation but may contain errors in other matters. | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[27] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | The Pope speaks infallibly with God's authority when speaking ex cathedra.[28][29] | Nobody today can speak for God.[30] |
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| How was the Bible preserved? | | God has preserved the meanings of the Bible, but not every word.[27] |
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| How was the earth created? | The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang. | Generally creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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| What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[31] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[32][33][34] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is never permissible. | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[35] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Divorce is never permissible. | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[36] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception.[37] | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[38][39][40][41] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | No, contraceptives are not permissible.[42] | Varies widely[40][43][44][45] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[46][47] |
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| Should women cover their heads? | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[48] | |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[49] | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[50] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[51][52] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[53] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[54] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[55] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | Demons can possess anyone.[56] | Demons can possess unbelievers and Christians living in sin.[57][58] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated. | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated.[59][60] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Some Christians first go to purgatory to be purified when they die.[14] | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[61] |
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| When does the Tribulation happen? | | Futurism: The Tribulation will happen at a time in the future which no man knows the time of.[62] |
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| When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | | Amillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ is an indefinite period of time beginning on the day of Pentecost and ending at His Second Coming. |
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