| a.k.a. | | Episcopal |
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| Number of Members | 77,000,000[1] | 80,000,000[2] |
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| How does one get saved? | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized. | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to save you, be baptized, and participate in the Eucharist. |
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| Who gets saved? | Those who God chooses to call and who don't resist Him will be saved and no one else. | 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. | 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. |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. | 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? | Bondage of the will: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. |
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| Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | Federalism: Yes, Adam represented all of the human race, and all are guilty of his 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. |
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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. | No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. |
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| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. |
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| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Sacramental union: No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ's body and blood are non-physically joined to the elements. | Consubstantiation: No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ's body and blood are present alongside them. |
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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? | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[3][4][5] | There is no purgatory, but Christians may need to be purified after death in some way.[6][7] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Most believe that, yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | No established doctrine |
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| What spiritual gifts are available today? | Most believe cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[8] | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.[9][10] |
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| What framework has God used in dealing with man? | | Covenant theology: God acts either within the covenant of works or the covenant of grace. |
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| What is the gift of tongues? | The gift of tongues is the ability to speak foreign human languages without knowing how.[11][12] | Varies widely |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | Varies widely | Most believe that any believer can be a pastor. |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.[13] |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | General sinfulness should be confessed to a priest. This is usually done as a group during a service. | General sinfulness should be confessed to a priest. This is usually done as a group during a service.[14] |
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| How should a church be structured? | Varies widely | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that diocese, who in turn is governed by a primate of an autonomous province. The Archbishop of Canterbury is first among equals and is appointed by the King of England. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
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| How does God's revelation come to us today? | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice. | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. |
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| How was the Bible written? | Varies widely[15][16] | Dynamic inspiration: God inspired the thoughts of the human authors, but the words were chosen by the authors. |
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| How many books are in the Bible? | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books, but the Apocrypha is regularly used for examples of life and instruction of manners. |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Varies widely[17][18] | No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.[19] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | The church as a whole speaks with God's authority at ecumenical councils.[20] | |
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| How was the earth created? | Varies widely | The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang. |
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| What is marriage? | Varies widely[21][22][23] | Varies widely |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[24][25] | Varies widely |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[26][27] | Most believe divorce is only permissible for adultery.[28] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry. | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.[29][30][31] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Most have no established doctrine. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod believes life begins at conception.[32][33][34] | Humanity begins at conception.[35] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[24][36] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[37][38] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
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| Should women cover their heads? | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[39][40][41] | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes. |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk. | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[42] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[43][44] | Most believe that yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[45][46][47] |
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| How should Christians musically worship God? | | Any style of worship music is acceptable. |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[48][49] | Varies widely[50][51] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | | Generally that demons can possess anyone.[52][53][54][55] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | | Yes, icons can be an aid to worship, but they are not used in liturgy.[56][57] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[3] | No established doctrine[7] |
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| When does the Tribulation happen? | | Preterism: The Tribulation happened in the 7th decade during the First Jewish–Roman War. |
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| When will the church be raptured? | | The church will not be raptured at any point. |
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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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