Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Oct 1, 1914

Vital Differences Between Protestantism and Romanism

A RECENT number of the Presbyterian contrasts the vital differences between these two systems of faith as follows:—

Protestantism believes that the Bible is the only and infallible rule of faith and practice. Romanists hold the Bible is infallible, but not the only rule. There are traditions and continued revelations given to the church through the Pope, and these are of equal authority.

Both Protestants and Catholics believe in the triune God. But the Protestants believe that God alone can answer prayer, and he alone should receive worship, and to give worship to any other is blasphemy; and further, God is to be worshiped only as appointed in his Word. Catholics worship Mary, and offer prayers to her and the saints, and they also worship God by images, which is forbidden in his Word.

Protestants believe that, according to the Bible, all sin is a capital offense, and its penalty is death. Roman Catholics believe that there are two kinds of sin and two kinds of punishment for sin. One punishment is eternal, and the other is temporal.

Protestants believe that the only escape from the guilt and punishment for sin is through the atonement of Christ, and this is here and now freely offered to all, and those who accept pass from all condemnation, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. Catholics believe that the atonement of Jesus saves from eternal punishment, but the temporal punishment must be paid by man himself, either in this world or in purgatory.

These essential differences lead to still other cardinal differences, both in conduct and in faith and any attempt to reconcile them means only the submission or withdrawal of the protest.

The editor cites the fact that Catholicism believes in the union of church and state, while this is opposed to the principles of Protestantism in general, and to American Protestantism in particular. The Catholic Church makes a strong bid for the Catholic vote. He concludes with the following exhortation:—

Therefore Protestantism must become all the more positive and determined to resist and resent any effort looking toward the betrayal of Protestantism or subsidizing it to Catholicism.