a.k.a. | | Episcopal |
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Number of Members | 39,000,000 | 80,000,000[1] |
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How does one get saved? | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you. | 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 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? | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. |
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Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[2] | 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 sprinkling 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.[3] | 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? | Total depravity: 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? | No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ is present in an unknown way. | 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.[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? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | No established doctrine |
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What spiritual gifts are available today? | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[3] | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.[8][9] |
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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.[10] | 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? | | Varies widely |
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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 two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.[11] | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.[12] |
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To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. | General sinfulness should be confessed to a priest. This is usually done as a group during a service.[13] |
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How should a church be structured? | Presbyterian: Churches should be governed by its own elders, who in turn are governed by a presbytery comprising the elders from the region, which is governed by a general assembly of commissioners from each presbytery. | 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? | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. | 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? | | 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[14] | No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.[15] |
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Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | |
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How was the earth created? | Varies widely[16][17] | 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[18][19][20] | Varies widely |
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Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely[21][20] | Varies widely |
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When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[22] | Most believe divorce is only permissible for adultery.[23] |
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May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[24] | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.[25][26][27] |
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When does a fetus become human? | Most believe humanity begins at conception. Some say it is unknown when humanity begins.[28][29][30] | Humanity begins at conception.[31] |
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Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[32][33] |
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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. |
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Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[34] | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[35] |
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Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[36] | Most believe that yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[37][38][39] |
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How should Christians musically worship God? | Any style of worship music is acceptable.[40] | 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.[41][42] | Varies widely[43][44] |
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Who can be demon-possessed? | | Generally that demons can possess anyone.[45][46][47][48] |
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Do icons glorify God? | Varies widely[49][50][51][52] | Yes, icons can be an aid to worship, but they are not used in liturgy.[53][54] |
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Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[5] | 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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