| a.k.a. | Calvinist | |
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| Number of Members | 75,000,000 | 1,360,000,000[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, participate in the Eucharist, and don't die with any unconfessed mortal sins.[2][3] |
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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 or by committing a mortal sin. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[4] | 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 can be by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. | 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.[5] | 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. | Human nature is not totally corrupt but is wounded and inclined to evil.[6] |
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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.[7] |
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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. | "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? | No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ is present in an unknown way. | 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.[8][9] | Christians who die imperfectly purified must be purified through purgatory.[10] |
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| 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. |
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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.[11] | Most believe that all spiritual gifts are still available to believers. |
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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.[12] | |
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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.[13] | |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | Experienced men above reproach, faithful to their wives and with with obedient children if applicable, and able to teach are to be appointed as pastors. | 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 ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.[14] |
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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. | Mortal sins must be privately confessed to a priest at least annually.[15][16] |
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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 an archbishop, who is governed by the Pope. |
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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. | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith. |
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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.[17] | |
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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 73 canonical books of the Bible: 39 protocanonical books, 7 deuterocanonical books, and 27 New Testament books. |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[17] | 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? | Nobody today can speak for God. | The Pope speaks infallibly with God's authority when speaking ex cathedra.[18][19] |
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| How was the earth created? | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. | 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.[20] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[21] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[22][23] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[24][25] | 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.[26] | Divorce is never permissible. |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception.[27][28] | Humanity begins at conception.[29] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[30] | No, contraceptives are not permissible.[31] |
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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.[32] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Varies widely | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[33] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[34] | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[35][36] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[37] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[38] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. | Demons can possess anyone.[39] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | Most believe no, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. Icons of Christ are especially prohibited.[40][41][42] | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated. |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[8][43] | Some Christians first go to purgatory to be purified when they die.[10] |
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