| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 52,000,000[1] | 1,360,000,000[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.[3][4][5] | 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.[6][7][8] |
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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. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy or by committing a mortal sin. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. | 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 triple immersion. | 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 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 corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[9] | Human nature is not totally corrupt but is wounded and inclined to evil.[10] |
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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.[9][11] | 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.[12] |
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| Are Christians required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial laws? | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians. | 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? | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. | "Christian perfection" is attainable in this life, but this does not mean one is sinless, as one will always commit minor "venial sins". |
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| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[13][14] | Transubstantiation: Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ. |
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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.[15] | Christians who die imperfectly purified must be purified through purgatory.[16] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did. | Immaculate conception: No, Mary was free of original sin and remained sinless throughout her life. |
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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, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[17][18][19] | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.[20] |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[21][22][23][24] | Mortal sins must be privately confessed to a priest at least annually.[25][26] |
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| How should a church be structured? | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that eparchy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. | 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. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
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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.[27] | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith. |
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| How many books are in the Bible? | Varies widely | There are 73 canonical books of the Bible: 39 protocanonical books, 7 deuterocanonical books, and 27 New Testament books. |
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| Is the Bible inerrant? | | No, the Bible was written inerrantly on matters of salvation but may contain errors in other matters. |
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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] |
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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. |
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| What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[30][31][32] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[33] |
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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 seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[34] | Divorce is never permissible. |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[35] | Divorce is never permissible. |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[36][37][38][39] | Humanity begins at conception.[40] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Varies widely[38][41][42][43] | No, contraceptives are not permissible.[44] |
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| Are blood transfusions 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.[45] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[46] | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[47] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[48] | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[49][50] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[51] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[52] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated. |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[53] | Some Christians first go to purgatory to be purified when they die.[16] |
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