| a.k.a. | Friend | |
|---|
| Number of Members | 400,000 | 1,360,000,000[1] |
|---|
| How does one get saved? | Varies widely | 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.[2][3] |
|---|
| Who gets saved? | No established doctrine | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| Who gets baptized and why? | Baptism not practiced. | The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. |
|---|
| How should baptism be done? | Baptism not practiced. | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. |
|---|
| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | There is "that of God in everyone". | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| What is the human nature? | There is "that of God in everyone", making humans inherently good. | Human nature is not totally corrupt but is wounded and inclined to evil.[4] |
|---|
| Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | No established doctrine | 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.[5] |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | Christian perfection is possible and a major goal of Quakers. | "Christian perfection" is attainable in this life, but this does not mean one is sinless, as one will always commit minor "venial sins". |
|---|
| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Communion not practiced. | Transubstantiation: Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ. |
|---|
| Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | No, the dead cannot be baptized. | No, the dead cannot be baptized. |
|---|
| What happens if a saved person dies without being perfect? | Perfection must take place during life, not after death.[6] | Christians who die imperfectly purified must be purified through purgatory.[7] |
|---|
| Did Mary ever sin? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Immaculate conception: No, Mary was free of original sin and remained sinless throughout her life. |
|---|
| What spiritual gifts are available today? | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers. | Most believe that all spiritual gifts are still available to believers. |
|---|
| What are the requirements for clergy? | | Priests must be unmarried men over 25 ordained by bishops. |
|---|
| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church does not have any ordinances more sacred than any other practice.[8] | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.[9] |
|---|
| 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. | Mortal sins must be privately confessed to a priest at least annually.[10][11] |
|---|
| How should a church be structured? | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members. | 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. |
|---|
| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
|---|
| How does God's revelation come to us today? | Varies widely[12] | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith. |
|---|
| 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 73 canonical books of the Bible: 39 protocanonical books, 7 deuterocanonical books, and 27 New Testament books. |
|---|
| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Varies widely[13] | No, the Bible was written inerrantly on matters of salvation but may contain errors in other matters. |
|---|
| Who can speak with God's authority today? | | The Pope speaks infallibly with God's authority when speaking ex cathedra.[14][15] |
|---|
| How was the earth created? | The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang. | The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang. |
|---|
| What is marriage? | Varies widely | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[16] |
|---|
| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
|---|
| When is divorce permissible? | | Divorce is never permissible. |
|---|
| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | | Divorce is never permissible. |
|---|
| When does a fetus become human? | Most believe humanity begins sometime between conception and birth.[17] | Humanity begins at conception.[18] |
|---|
| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | No, contraceptives are not permissible.[19] |
|---|
| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
|---|
| Should women cover their heads? | | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[20] |
|---|
| Should Christians drink alcohol? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided.[21][22] | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[23] |
|---|
| Should Christians fight in wars? | No, Christians should never fight.[24][25] | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[26][27] |
|---|
| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[28] |
|---|
| Who can be demon-possessed? | | Demons can possess anyone.[29] |
|---|
| Do icons glorify God? | | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated. |
|---|
| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | No established doctrine | Some Christians first go to purgatory to be purified when they die.[7] |
|---|