CHRISTIANITY
GENERAL INTRODUCTION,
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW,
SCRIPTURES, BELIEFS AND
SALVATION
GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDER AND ADHERENTS,
PRIMARY DIVISIONS
FOUNDER AND
ADHERENTS
JESUS OF NAZARETH
FOUNDER AND ADHERENTS


Christianity is the world
religion with the greatest
number of followers.
The name Christian
comes from the title
given to Jesus of
Nazareth – ‘the Christ’
which is a Greek word
which means ‘Messiah’.
FOUNDER AND ADHERENTS…


Christianity began in Palestine in the 1st
century CE as the claimed fulfillment of
God’s promises to the Jews.
The religion has now approximately 2
billion followers around the world.
PRIMARY DIVISIONS



There are many different types of Christianity
practiced, the major division is between Western
(itself divided into Roman Catholicism and
Protestantism) and Orthodox Christianity.
Christianity is a belief system that has had
immense cultural and political consequences.
Christianity comes from the life and teachings of
Jesus (5BCE-30CE approximately], a Palestinian
Jew.
HISTORICAL
OVERVIEW
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE EARLY CHURCH, PERSECUTION,
CHURCH FATHERS, CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE, THE
COUNCIL OF NICEA, MONASTICISM, THE PAPACY, THE
CRUSADES, THE GREAT SCHISM: THE WESTERN CHURCH
(ROMAN CATHOLIC) AND THE EASTERN CHURCH
(ORTHODOX), THE REFORMATION (PROTESTANTISM),
PENTECOSTALISM
JESUS OF NAZARETH


Christian history begins with Jesus of
Nazareth, a Jew who was born in a small
corner of the Roman Empire.
Little is known of his early life, but around
the age of 30, Jesus was baptized by John
the Baptist and had a vision in which he
received the blessing of God.
JESUS OF NAZARETH…



After this event, he began a ministry of
teaching, healing, and miracle-working.
He spoke of the "kingdom of God,"
condemned religious hypocrites and
interpreted the Mosaic law in new ways.
He spoke before crowds of people, but also
chose 12 disciples whom he taught
privately.
JESUS OF NAZARETH…
They eagerly followed him, believing him
to be the long-awaited Messiah who
would usher in the kingdom of God on
earth.
 At the time of Jesus' birth the Jewish
people were hoping for the arrival of a
Messiah.
 Those who followed Jesus later came to
believe that he was that predicted
Messiah.

JESUS OF NAZARETH…


Christians' believe that Jesus was both
human and divine – that although Jesus
was God, his divinity did not prevent him
also being fully human.
Jesus' mother, Mary, was a human woman.
Christians believe that she conceived
Jesus through the action of the Holy Spirit.
JESUS OF NAZARETH…



Jesus was put on trial by the Romans after
the Sanhedrin had found him guilty of
blasphemy on an account of insurrection.
Jesus was executed by crucifixion
(suspended by nails from a vertical cross
until he died) around 30 CE.
Crucifixion was a painful and degrading
form of execution, reserved for criminals.
JESUS OF NAZARETH…


Christians believe that Jesus rose from the
dead (The Resurrection) after his
execution, and was seen by many people
before he returned to be with God in
heaven.
Christians believe that Jesus' death by
crucifixion was an act of atonement - but
they differ as to what "atonement" actually
means.
JESUS OF NAZARETH…


The most common understanding of
atonement is that by dying on the cross,
Jesus made it possible for those who
believed in him to overcome the separation
from God that sin and death cause.
The New Testament details the significant
events of the life, teachings and works of
Jesus…
HEALING MIRACLES
Recipient
Matthew
Mark
Luke
Official's son
John
4:46-54
Possessed man
1:21-27
4:33-37
Peter's in-law
8:14-15
1:29-31
4:38-39
Many at sunset
8:16-17
1:32-39
4:40-41
Leper
8:1-4
1:40-45
5:12-15
Paralytic
9:1-8
2:1-12
5:18-26
Man at Bethesda
5:1-17
Withered hand
12:9-13
Crowd in Galilee
4:23-25
3:1-6
6:6-11
HEALING MIRACLES…
Recipient
Matthew
Few in Nazareth
Gentile's daughter
Mark
Luke
6:1-6
15:21-28
Deaf man
7:24-30
7:31-37
Multitude
15:29-31
Epileptic boy
17:14-21
9:14-29
9:37-42
Blind man
Blind/dumb man
Man of Bethsaida
Stooped woman
John
9:1-41
12:22-24
11:14-15
8:22-26
13:10-17
HEALING MIRACLES…
Recipient
Matthew
Mark
Luke
Lazarus raised
11:1-45
Ten Lepers
17:11-19
Crowds in Judea
19:1-2
Bartimaeus
20:29-34
Many in Jerusalem
21:14
10:46-52
Ear of Malchus
Resurrection
John
28:1-10
16:1-20
18:35-43
22:47-53
18:10-11
24:1-53
20:1-31
OTHER MIRACLES…
Other Miracles of Jesus Christ
Event
Matthew
Mark
Luke
Water to wine
2:1-11
1st catch of fish
5:1-11
Calms a sea
8:23-27
4:35-41
8:22-25
Feeds 5000
14:13-21
6:32-44
9:10-17
Walks on water
14:22-33
6:45-51
Feeds 4000
15:32-39
8:1-10
Money in fish
17:24-27
Tree withered
21:18-22
2nd catch of fish
John
6:1-13
6:15-21
11:12-24
21:1-14
PARABLES
•
Fables are knowingly untrue,
unrealistic fantasy stories
that illustrate previously
discovered human wisdom.
•
Parables are true or
realistic stories that
illustrate a deep spiritual
truth not previously
understood by man.
•
Myths are fantasy/untrue
stories that are accepted as
reality/truth themselves.
•
Parables clearly divide
between the story part and
the spiritual lesson being
taught.
PROVERB
VS
PARABLE
•
A short saying to be taken
literally itself to teach some
obvious human wisdom.
•
Parables are longer, more
illustrative and teach a
hidden truth.
ALLEGORY
VS
PARABLE
•
An allegory transfers the
properties of one thing to
another.
•
Parables compare two
separate things to one
another.
FABLE
VS
PARABLE
MYTH
VS
PARABLE
PARABLES…
Subject
Place
Reference
The Two Debtors
Capernaum
Luke 7:40-43
The Strong Man
Galilee
Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27;
Luke 11:21-22
The Evil Spirit
Galilee
Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26
The Sower
Seashore
Matthew 13:3-9,18-23;
Mark 4:39,14-20
Luke 8:5-8,11-15
Weeds In The Wheat
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
The Mustard Seed
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:31,32; Mark 4:30-32
Luke 13:18-19
The Growing Seed
Seashore of Galilee
Mark 4:26-29
The Yeast
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21
PARABLES…
Subject
Place
Reference
Hidden Treasure
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:44
The Pearl
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:45-46
Good And Bad Fish
Seashore of Galilee
Matthew 13:47-50
The Wicked Servant
Capernaum
Matthew 18:21-35
The Good Samaritan
Near Jerusalem
Luke 10:29-37
The Visitor At Midnight
Near Jerusalem
Luke 11:5-8
The Rich Fool
Galilee
Luke 12:16-21
The Unproductive Fig Tree
Galilee
Luke 13:6-9
PARABLES…
Subject
Place
Reference
The Great Banquet
Peraea
Luke 14:15-24
The Lost Sheep
Peraea
Matthew 18:12-14;
Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Coin
Peraea
Luke 15:8-10
The Lost Son
Peraea
Luke 15:11-32
The Good Shepherd
Jerusalem
John 10:1-18
The Dishonest Manager
Peraea
Luke 16:1-8
Lazarus And The Rich Man
Peraea
Luke 16:19-31
The Unworthy Servants
Peraea
Luke 17:7-10
The Persistent Widow
Peraea
Luke 18:1-8
PARABLES…
Subject
Place
Reference
Pharisee And Tax Collector
Peraea
Luke 18:9-14
Workers In The Vineyard
Peraea
Matthew 20:1-16
The Ten Minas
Jericho
Luke 19:11-27
The Two Sons
Jerusalem
Matthew 21:28-32
Owner Of The Vineyard
Jerusalem
Matthew 21:33-44
Mark 12:1-12
Luke 20:9-18
The Wedding Banquet
Jerusalem
Matthew 22:1-14
The Ten Virgins
Mount Of Olives
Matthew 25:1-13
The Talents
Mount of Olives
Matthew 25:14-30
THE EARLY
CHURCH
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES,
PENTECOST, PETER AND JAMES,
PAUL, JEW AND GENTILE, THE
FIRST COUNCIL
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES



Within only 20 years of Jesus‘ death, his followers
had spread the Christian faith as far as Rome.
Followers of his teachings were first called
"Christians“ at Antioch around 43 AD.
Christians had also begun to write narratives of
Jesus' life and the work of the apostles, as well as
letters on matters of belief and practice.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES…



Together these writings constitute the Christian
scriptures, called the "New Testament."
As evidenced by its name, the New Testament is
regarded as a successor to, although not a
replacement of, the Hebrew scriptures (the "Old
Testament").
Our knowledge of the activities of the earliest
Christians comes from the New Testament
Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.
PENTECOST



The initiation of the Christian church is traceable
to Pentecost.
On the day of Pentecost (a Jewish festival also
known as the Feast of Weeks), the apostles were
assembled together when suddenly they heard a
great wind and saw what looked like tongues of
fire come to rest over each of their heads.
They each began to speak in languages other
than their own, and a crowd soon gathered
around the spectacle.
PETER AND JAMES


At the Pentecost event, Peter then stood up
and preached his first recorded sermon to
the crowd.
From this first instance it becomes
apparent that whereas Jesus' central
message was the kingdom of God, the
message of the apostles was the
resurrection of Jesus.
PETER AND JAMES…


The Apostle Peter is a prominent figure in
the early church.
Despite his moments of weakness during
Jesus' life, Jesus gave him the "keys of the
kingdom" and the responsibility to care for
the flock.

(Based on these passages and his historical
association with Rome, Catholic Christians regard
Peter as the first pope.)
PETER AND JAMES…


In Acts, Peter makes several public
speeches, performs many healings in the
name of Jesus, and receives an important
vision from God.
As the leader of the church in Jerusalem
and the author of an epistle bearing his
name, James the (half) brother of Jesus
also plays a prominent role.
PAUL



The Apostle Paul is easily the central figure of the
apostolic era.
His influence lies not in a leadership role like
Peter and James, but in his extensive missionary
and pastoral work.
His letters to new churches, some of which date
to the 50s AD, are the earliest Christian writings
we have and they constitute over half of the New
Testament.
PAUL…



Paul was a devoted Jewish teacher who
persecuted Christians, until he received a
blinding vision of the risen Christ on the road to
Damascus.
From that moment to his martyrdom, the Apostle
Paul was a devoted Christian missionary and
teacher.
Paul was certainly responsible for systematizing
Christian teachings and spreading Christianity
over a significant part of the Roman Empire.
JEW AND GENTILE



Jesus does not seem to have set out to found a
new religion, but simply reinterpret an ancient
one.
The relationship of Christianity to its parent faith,
Judaism, was the first issue faced by the early
church.
Christianity was initially regarded not as a new
religion but as a sect of Judaism, even by
Christians themselves.
JEW AND GENTILE…

But before long, Christianity distinguished
itself in a significant way: it accepted nonJews ("Gentiles") as religious equals.
THE FIRST COUNCIL


The relationship of Christianity to its parent
faith was the topic of what is sometimes
considered the first ecumenical council, the
Council of Jerusalem (circa 50 AD).
The council was prompted by Jewish
Christians in Antioch who were teaching
that Gentile Christians must be circumcised
and follow the law of Moses.
THE FIRST COUNCIL…



After much discussion, Peter spoke to the council,
reminding them of his vision and testifying that
God had confirmed this vision by "giving the Holy
Spirit to them, just as he did to us."
He concluded with what would become a
fundamental Christian doctrine: "We believe it is
through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are
saved, just as they are."
Paul and Barnabas supported this by describing
the signs and wonders that had accompanied
their work among the Gentiles.
PERSECUTION
EXTENT, REASONS, ROMAN
WAVES
EXTENT OF THE PERSECUTION


In its first three centuries, the Christian
church endured regular (though not
constant) persecution at the hands of
Roman authorities.
This experience, and its resulting martyrs
and apologists, would have significant
historical and theological consequences for
the developing faith.
EXTENT OF THE PERSECUTION…



It has been calculated that between the first persecution
under Nero in 64 to the Edict of Milan in 313, Christians
experienced 129 years of persecution and 120 years of
toleration and peace.
The Roman persecutions were generally sporadic, localized,
and dependent on the political climate and disposition of
each emperor. Moreover, imperial decrees against Christians
were often directed against church property, the Scriptures,
or clergy only.
It has been estimated that more Christians have been
martyred in the last 50 years than in the church's first 300
years.
TOTAL PERSONS, AD 33-2000
All persons born since AD 33: 36.7 Billion
All persons evangelized since AD 33: 12.1 Billion (33% of human race)
All Christians since AD 33: 8.3 Billion (23% of human race)
All martyrs killed since AD 33: 69.4 million
Martyrs as % all Christians ever: 0.8%
Martyrs among all Christian leaders ever: 2.0%
SITUATION BY AD 2000 (p.a.= per year)
Martyrs in 20th century (1900-2000): 45.4 Million
Martyrs since 1950: 13.3 Million
Average annual martyrs since 1950: 278,000
Recent annual martyrs: 171,000
Current annual martyrs: 160,000
Countries heavily involved in AD 2000: 50
REASON FOR THE PERSECUTION



The Roman Empire was generally quite tolerant in
its treatment of other religions. The imperial policy
was generally one of incorporation - the local
gods of a newly conquered area were simply
added to the Roman pantheon and often given
Roman names.
Even the Jews, with their one god, were generally
tolerated.
So why the persecution of Christians?
REASON FOR THE
PERSECUTION…


To understand the Roman distrust of
Christianity, one must understand the
Roman view of religion.
For the Romans, religion was first and
foremost a social activity that promoted
unity and loyalty to the state - a religious
attitude the Romans called pietas, or piety.
REASON FOR THE
PERSECUTION…



The early Roman writers viewed Christianity not
as another kind of pietas, piety, but as a
superstitio, "superstition."
In this context, the word "superstition" has a
slightly different connotation than it has today: for
the Romans, it designated something foreign and
different - in a negative sense.
Religious beliefs were valid only in so far as it
could be shown to be old and in line with ancient
customs; new and innovative teachings were
regarded with distrust.
REASON FOR THE
PERSECUTION…


On a more social, practical level, Christians
were distrusted in part because of the
secret and misunderstood nature of their
worship.
Words like "love feast" and talk of "eating
Christ's flesh" sounded understandably
suspicious to the pagans, and Christians
were suspected of cannibalism, incest,
orgies, and all sorts of immorality.
ROMAN WAVES OF
PERSECUTION
1. Persecution under Nero (c. 64-68). Traditional
martyrdoms of Peter and Paul.
2. Persecution under Domitian (r. 81-96).
3. Persecution under Trajan (112-117). Christianity
is outlawed but Christians are not sought out.
4. Persecution under Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-180).
Martyrdom of Polycarp.
5. Persecution under Septimus Severus (202-210).
Martyrdom of Perpetua.
ROMAN WAVES OF
PERSECUTION…
6.
Persecution under Decius (250-251). Christians are
actively sought out by requiring public sacrifice. Could buy
certificates (libelli) instead of sacrificing. Martyrdoms of
bishops of Rome, Jerusalem and Antioch.
7. Persecution under Valerian (257-59). Martyrdoms of
Cyprian of Carthage and Sixtus II of Rome.
8. Persecution under Maximinus the Thracian (235-38).
9. Persecution under Aurelian (r. 270–275).
10. Severe persecution under Diocletian and Galerius (303324).
CHURCH FATHERS




The term church fathers refers to Christian writers and
theologians of the first eight centuries of the Christian church,
especially the period of development up to 451 AD.
The church fathers are sometimes further divided into
Apostolic Fathers, who wrote in the first century, and the
Ante-Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, who wrote before and
after the Council of Nicea (325 AD), respectively.
The period during which the church fathers wrote is known as
the Patristic Period and the academic study of these writers
is called Patristics.
Both terms derive from the Latin word pater, meaning
"father."
CHURCH FATHERS…


The church fathers are of great importance to
Christianity because they formulated nearly all of
the Christian doctrine that is accepted by
Christians today.
They interpreted the Bible in light of challenges
from Greek thought and various heretical
movements, determined Christianity's relationship
to Judaism, elaborated on theological concepts
such as the Trinity and salvation, and established
the structure and organization of the church.
CONVERSION OF
CONSTANTINE
END OF PERSECUTION
CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE


A major turning point in Christian history occurred
when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted
to Christianity. Whether this conversion was
sincere or politically motivated, historians can only
speculate. But the result was the end of
persecution of Christians.
In 313 Constantine issued the "Edict of Milan,"
which commanded official toleration of Christianity
and other religions.
COUNCIL OF
NICEA
325 AD
COUNCIL OF NICEA (325 AD)



The newly converted Emperor Constantine had
hoped Christianity would be the uniting force of
his empire.
He was thus distressed to hear of the dispute over
Arianism, which held that Christ was greater than
man but inferior to God.
In 325, Constantine called the Council of Nicea
with full confidence that the bishops could work
out their differences.
COUNCIL OF NICEA…



The Council of Nicea condemned the teachings of
Arius and adopted a creed outlining correct belief
about the Son's relationship to the Father.
The council was the first to include bishops from
several different regions, and is thus considered
the first "ecumenical council" of the church.
Although many other local synods were held,
seven important councils were attended by
representatives of churches throughout the
empire, and were therefore "ecumenical."
COUNCIL OF NICEA…


All three main branches of Christianity Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and
Protestant - consider the decisions of these
seven councils to be authoritative.
Roman Catholics recognize several more.
THE COUNCIL OF NICEA…
Modern

Wording
We believe in one God, The Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus
Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of
the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true
God from true God, begotten, not made, of one
being with the Father…
THE COUNCIL OF NICEA…

…Through him all things were made. For us and
for our salvation he came down from heaven: by
the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate
from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For
our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
THE COUNCIL OF NICEA…

On the third day he rose again in accordance
with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He
will come again in glory to judge the living and
the dead, and his kingdom will have no end…
THE COUNCIL OF NICEA…

…We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and
the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is
worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through
the Prophets…
THE COUNCIL OF NICEA…

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic
Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the
forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection
of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
AMEN.
MONASTICISM
MONASTICISM


Monasticism (from the Greek monos, meaning
"single" or "alone") usually refers to the way of
life--communitarian or solitary--adopted by those
individuals, male or female, who have elected to
pursue an ideal of perfection or a higher level of
religious experience through leaving the world.
Monastic orders historically have been organized
around a rule or a teacher, the activities of the
members being closely regulated in accordance
with the rule adopted.
MONASTICISM…



The practice is ancient, having existed in
India almost 10 centuries before Christ.
It can be found in some form among most
developed religions: Hinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, Taoism, the Sufi branch of Islam,
and Christianity.
In the time of Christ, the ESSENES at
Qumran were Jewish monks.
MONASTICISM…



Technically, monasticism embraces both the life of
the hermit, characterized by varying degrees of
extreme solitude, and the life of the cenobite, that
is, the monk living in a community offering a
limited amount of solitude.
Monasticism always entails ASCETICISM, or the
practice of disciplined self-denial.
This asceticism may include fasting, silence, a
prohibition against personal ownership, and an
acceptance of bodily discomfort.
MONASTICISM…



Almost always it includes poverty, celibacy, and
obedience to a spiritual leader.
The goal of such practices is usually a more
intense relationship with God, some type of
personal enlightenment, or the service of God
through prayer, meditation, or good works.
Christian monasticism began in the deserts of
Egypt and Syria in the 4th century AD…
MONASTICISM…




Saint ANTHONY the Great was connected with the first
Egyptian hermits;
Saint Pachomius (d. 346), with the first communities of
cenobites in Egypt.
Saint BASIL the great (fl. 379), bishop of Caesarea,
placed monasticism in an urban context by introducing
charitable service as a work discipline.
Monasticism has flourished both in the Roman
Catholic church and in the Eastern Orthodox
churches from earliest Christian times to the
present.
THE PAPACY
THE PAPACY

The title "Pope" is an informal one; the formal title
of the pope is "Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus
Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church,
Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop
and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant
of the Servants of God," although this is rarely
seen or used in full.
THE PAPACY…

The status and
authority of the Pope
in the Catholic Church
was dogmatically
defined by the First
Vatican Council in its
Dogmatic Constitution
of the Church of Christ
(July 18, 1870).
THE PAPACY…

The powers of the Pope are defined by the
Dogmatic Constitution (ch.3, s.8) such that
"he is the supreme judge of the faithful, and
that in all cases which fall under
ecclesiastical jurisdiction recourse may be
had to his judgment“…
THE PAPACY…

and that "the sentence of the apostolic see
(than which there is no higher authority) is
not subject to revision by anyone, nor may
anyone lawfully pass judgment thereupon"
(can. 331 defines the power of the Pope as
"supreme, full, immediate and universal
ordinary power in the Church, and he can
always freely exercise this power").
THE CRUSADES
THE CRUSADES




The Crusades were expeditions of Christian
Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries for
the recovery of the Holy Land.
They are a part of the thousand years' conflict
between Christianity and Islam.
A traditional numbering scheme for the crusades
gives us nine during the 11th to 13th centuries.
There were frequent "minor" crusades throughout
this period, against not only Muslims, but also
Christian heretics and personal enemies of the
Papacy or other powerful monarchs.
THE GREAT
SCHISM
THE GREAT SCHISM



Eastern Orthodoxy as a distinct branch of Christianity arose
as a result of the first major divide in Christendom occurred in
the 11th century with the "Great Schism“ between East and
West.
Religiously, the two regions had different views on topics
such as the use of images (icons), the nature of the Holy
Spirit, and the date on which Easter should be celebrated.
Culturally, the Greek East has always tended to be more
philosophical, abstract and mystical in its thinking, whereas
the Latin West tends toward a more pragmatic and legalminded approach.
THE GREAT SCHISM…




The political aspects of the split date back to the Emperor
Constantine, who moved the capital of the Roman Empire
from Rome to Constantinople.
Upon his death, the empire was divided between his two
sons, one of whom ruled the western half of the empire from
Rome while the other ruled the eastern region from
Constantinople.
These various factors finally came to a head in 1054 AD,
when Pope Leo IX excommunicated the patriarch of
Constantinople (the leader of the Eastern church).
In response, the patriarch anathematized (condemned) the
Pope, and the Christian church has been divided into West
("Roman Catholic") and East ("Greek Orthodox") ever since.
THE
REFORMATION
BACKGROUND, MARTIN LUTHER
AND “THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF
PROTESTANTISM”
BACKGROUND
JOHANN TETZEL AND THE SALE
OF INDULGENCES
JOHANN TETZEL AND
INDULGENCES



Johann Tetzel, a Dominican monk, appeared in Germany and
went from place to place selling certificates of indulgence.
In the fall of 1517, Tetzel promised his listeners that they
could obtain remission for their sins and for the sins of loved
ones who had died and gone to purgatory.
Consequently, pious people collected their savings and
rushed to Tetzel to purchase his documents, for that seemed
to be the requirement of Christian charity — that loved ones
might be released from the torments of purgatory and
admitted to heaven itself.
JOHANN TETZEL AND
INDULGENCES…




In fact, Tetzel led people to believe that they could obtain
forgiveness merely by dropping their coins in his box and
taking the certificates he offered.
In order to popularize the sale, Tetzel recited a jingle: ‘As
soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul out of purgatory
springs.’
People seemed to come from everywhere, seeking to liberate
loved ones from the flames of punishment.
Purgatory, in the teaching of the medieval church, was
portrayed as a place of temporal punishment for sin; the
length of time a soul would spend there would be determined
by the number and severity of his offences, and when one
had been purged fully, he would be released to go to heaven.
JOHANN TETZEL AND
INDULGENCES…


Word of Tetzel’s activities soon reached
Wittenberg University, where Dr Martin
Luther, Professor of Theology, received it
with consternation.
Luther went to the door of the castle church
in Wittenberg, a document in one hand, a
hammer in the other, and fastened to that
door a list of ninety-five protests against the
sale of indulgences.
JOHANN TETZEL AND
INDULGENCES…



According to Roman Catholic teaching, the church had
custody of a Treasury of Merits which were acquired by great
saints who had exceeded the good works required for their
salvation.
The excess of merit became a source from which the church
could dispense merit to those who were deficient, and an
indulgence became a means by which needy sinners could
obtain merit from the Treasury.
In the 1460’s Pope Sixtus IV declared that benefits gained
through indulgences could be transferred to departed
believers who had gone to purgatory.
JOHANN TETZEL AND
INDULGENCES…



Luther, aflame with indignation, challenged the
sale of indulgences and demanded that the entire
matter be discussed by the scholars of the
University.
He invited his academic colleagues to a public
disputation to consider the Ninety-five Theses, or
objections, which he had raised against the sale.
Luther thereby launched a protest which attracted
supporters, and soon those who had joined in his
protest became known as ‘Protestants’.
MARTIN LUTHER
THE REFORMATION


Religious purists objected
strongly to the new secular
or materialist spirit growing
up with the Renaissance.
One of these was the
German professor-priest
Martin Luther who in 1517
issued a challenge the
church over this new
interest in worldly affairs.
THE REFORMATION…



Luther wanted the church to return to the pure
(spiritual) ways of the early church--and back away
from all this recent interest in power and wealth-which was rapidly corrupting it.
Also, he wanted faith initiatives to be returned to the
individual believer. Priesthood belonged to the
believer--not to the religious hierarchy.
To press home this challenge, Luther translated the
Bible into German--to give the common people
access to all priestly authority: the Word of God.
THE REFORMATION…




For Luther, a personal breakthrough occurred as the
message sank into the head of this Augustinian professor
concerning Paul's teaching (Galatians and Romans) about
divine Grace and forgiveness received through the simple
faith of the believer--and not through the demands of any
religious law or requirements of a religious system.
So "liberated" was he that he felt that his discovery had to be
brought to the world.
For Luther the reform movement was related to the matter of
a sinner's personal justification before God.
Luther showed little interest in making broader changes
within Christianity beyond the throwing off of Roman spiritual
authority--with its traditions of works-righteousness.
THE THREE
PRINCIPLES OF
PROTESTANTISM
SOLA SCRIPTURA, SOLA GRATIA
AND SOLA FIDE
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION



Martin Luther’s protest was not entirely negative,
and the word ‘Protestant’ is actually not a negative
term.
It is derived from the Latin preposition pro,
meaning ‘for’, an the infinitive testare, ‘to witness’.
A Protestant then is one who witnesses for — a
Protestant witnesses for Jesus Christ and the
Word of God.
INTRODUCTION…



Protestantism then is not merely a protest against
ecclesiastical corruption and false teaching; it is a
revival of the biblical faith, a revival of New
Testament Christianity, with a positive emphasis
upon the doctrines of Scripture, grace and faith.
Phrased in the beautiful Latin of the 16th century,
Protestantism proclaims sola Scriptura, ‘Scripture
only’, sola gratia, ‘grace only’, and sola fide, ‘faith
only’.
These are the three principles of Protestantism.
SOLA SCRIPTURA
SOLA SCRIPTURA

Luther disputed the sale of indulgences and
other superstitions of the medieval church
because he realized that they had no
foundation in Scripture.
SOLA SCRIPTURA…

Among Protestant declarations of confidence in the truth and
trustworthiness of Scripture, that of The New Hampshire
Confession of Faith is as majestic as it is unequivocal.
Article I of that Baptist affirmation states:

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely
inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it
has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without
any mixture of error, for its matter; that it reveals the principles
by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to
the end of the world, the true centre of Christian union, and the
supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and
opinions should be tried.
SOLA GRATIA
SOLA GRATIA



Protestantism, because it stands upon Scripture,
teaches that sinful man has no hope for salvation
by his own efforts.
Protestantism, therefore, denies all schemes of
salvation which promote human works and
religious ceremonies as the means of eternal life
and forgiveness.
It insists that salvation comes by the pure,
unmerited favor of God, by grace alone. Sola
gratia is a cardinal teaching of the Protestant faith.
SOLA GRATIA…




True Protestantism takes its doctrine of salvation directly from
the Bible and therefore declares that salvation is the
unmerited, undeserved and unsolicited gift of God.
This is the teaching that, upon hopeless, helpless sinners, to
whom he owes nothing, God has taken pity and bestowed his
favor graciously.
Sinners who do not deserve it, who have earned nothing but
the wrath of God, have the inestimable privilege of enjoying
the favor of God, because God, from the sheer goodness of
his heart, has chosen to be kind to those who deserve only
his judgment.
What man could not do for himself, God has done for him
freely by his grace in Jesus Christ.
SOLA FIDE
SOLA FIDE





Protestantism affirms the Bible as its only
authority and grace as the only means of
salvation.
That, however, leaves one question still
unanswered.
How may a person receive this salvation?
Or, stated in other terms, how may a person be
right with God?
This was the question that perplexed Luther and
drove him to the brink of despair.
SOLA FIDE…


Luther’s studies in the monastery and the
university and during his childhood upbringing had
encouraged him to regard God as a grim judge,
so he was terrified at the prospect that he might
not be among God’s chosen people.
The study of the Bible was part of Luther’s
responsibility as a priest and theologian, but even
this sacred exercise at first seemed only to
deepen his sense of woe.
SOLA FIDE…



As he encountered the biblical emphasis on the
righteousness of God, Luther realized that the perfectly
righteous God demands righteousness in men.
But, try as he might, Luther could not achieve the
righteousness that his Creator required; the troubled monk
continued sinking into mental and spiritual misery because he
could not satisfy the divine demands and could not appease
the wrath of the God against whom he had sinned.
The righteous God whom Luther met in Scripture remained in
his thinking the accusatory magistrate whose laws he had
broken.
SOLA FIDE…


At the University of Wittenberg Martin Luther was entrusted
with the responsibility of lecturing through portions of the
Bible, and in 1515, two years before the posting of the
Ninety-five Theses, he initiated a series of lectures on the
Epistle to the Romans.
In this great treatise of Paul, Luther discovered the heart of
the gospel in chapter 1, verses 16 and 17:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then
for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is
revealed, a righteousness that is through faith from first to last,
just as it is written: ‘He who through faith is righteous will live.”
SOLA FIDE…




The righteousness which Luther needed, but was
powerless to produce, he found revealed in the
gospel of Christ.
He discovered that it is a righteousness that
comes from God!
The righteousness that God requires is a
righteousness that God himself supplies, through
faith in his Son.
Here is the heart of the Christian faith — sinful
man is justified, that is, obtains right standing
before God sola fide, through faith alone.
PENTECOSTALISM
PENTECOSTALISM



The dividing line between Pentecostal churches
and the mainline Protestant churches has been
their new form of religious experience highlighted
by speaking in tongues.
Pentecostalism has become the fastest growing
segment of Christianity. "It is growing at a rate of
13 million a year, or 35,000 a day. With nearly a
half billion adherents, it is, after Roman
Catholicism, the largest Christian tradition."
It is estimated that there are more than 500 million
Pentecostals members worldwide.
PENTECOSTALISM…




Pentecostals claim that all individual Christians should
experience "baptism in the Holy Spirit."
Proof of "Spirit baptism" generally comes when the person
receives the gift of speaking in tongues--that is, speaking in
an unknown language.
Pentecostals take their name from the New Testament
reference to the disciples speaking in tongues on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2).
Pentecostals also believe that they can receive other gifts of
the Holy Spirit. These gifts include the power of physical
healing and the abilities to prophesy and to interpret what is
said when someone speaks in an unknown tongue.
SCRIPTURES
OLD TESTAMENT, NEW
TESTAMENT, APOCRYPHA AND
“TRADITION”
OLD TESTAMENT



The word "testament" (Hebrew berîth, Greek
diatheke), means "covenant."
The term "old testament" thus refers to the
covenant which God entered into with Abraham
and the people of Israel, and "new testament"
refers to the covenant the earliest Christians
believed God has entered into will all believers
through Christ.
Because the old covenant was embodied in the
Jewish scriptures, it was an easy step to use the
term "Old Testament" to signify those scriptures.
OLD TESTAMENT…


Protestant Christians recognize only the
books of the Old Testament that were
included in the Jewish Bible, while Catholic
and Orthodox Christians include several
more books, known as the "Apocrypha" as
part of the canonical Old Testament.
How are Christians to regard the Old
Testament, given that it is essentially the
sacred text of another religion?
OLD TESTAMENT…


The answer lies in Christianity's view of its
relationship to Judaism.
The early Christians decided that while Judaism
was the true revelation of God and the foundation
of Christianity, Christianity represented a new era
of God's dealings with the world so the extensive
body of Jewish law was no longer binding.

Religious principles and ideas (such as the notion of a
sovereign God who is active in human history) are
appropriated; religious practices (such as dietary laws and
sacrificial routines) are not.
OLD TESTAMENT…





The New Testament has greater clarity than the old,
especially with regard to invisible and spiritual things.
The Old Testament presents only images of truth, whereas
the New Testament presents it directly.
The laws of the Old Testament lack the ability to effect
change from within, but the gospel of the New Testament
provides this in the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament evokes a response of fear and trembling,
but the New Testament produces freedom and joy.
The Old Testament was revealed only to Israel; the New
Testament is a revelation to all of mankind.
NEW TESTAMENT


The 27 books of the New Testament were written by various
authors at various times and places.
Unlike the Old Testament, the New Testament was written in
a narrow span of time, over the course of around a century,
possibly more.

The Gospels: Gospels are not biographies of Jesus in the
modern sense of a detached, academic account of a person's
life. In fact, this genre of literature was unknown to the ancient
world. Narratives were written to inspire, teach a lesson, warn,
or persuade, not to simply inform. The purpose of the Gospel
narratives seems to be twofold: to recount the events in the
extraordinary life of Jesus, and do so in such a way that its
hearers will respond in faith.
NEW TESTAMENT…



The Acts of the Apostles: The history of the early
Christian church after the death of Christ is related here.
The Epistles: These writings contain various letters
written either to individuals or to early Christian
congregations. Many of these epistles expound important
theological points and give insight into the developing
Christian church.
Prophecy: The book of Revelation gives vivid details of
future events (or of 1st century events, the RC position)
APOCRYPHA


The term "apocrypha" was coined by the fifth-century biblical
scholar St. Jerome and refers to the biblical books included
as part of the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old
Testament), but not included in the Hebrew Bible.
Several works ranging from the fourth century B.C.E. to New
Testament times are considered apocryphal--including Judith,
the Wisdom of Solomon, Tobit, Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus),
Baruch, First and Second Maccabees, the two Books of
Esdras, various additions to the Book of Esther (10:4-10), the
Book of Daniel (3:24-90;13;14), and the Prayer of Manasseh.
APOCRYPHA…



The apocrypha have been variously included and
omitted from bibles over the course of the
centuries.
Protestant churches generally exclude the
apocrypha (though the King James version of
1611 included them).
The Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches
include all of the apocrypha (except for the books
of Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh), but refer
to them as "deuterocanonical" books.
TRADITION
INTRODUCTION AND THE
MAGISTERIUM
INTRODUCTION
TRADITION


One of the great differences between Protestant
and Catholic doctrine is in the area of Tradition.
The Protestant church maintains that the Bible
alone is intended by God to be the source of
doctrinal truth (2 Tim. 3:16).
The Catholic Church, however, says, "Sacred
Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single
sacred deposit of the Word of God . . ."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph
97. Note, all citations in this article are from this
Catechism).
Catechism of the Catholic Church
21
Universal
Councils,
1000x
Papal
Documents,
256x
Canon
Law,
197x
Trent
(1545-63)
Vatican 1
(1869-70)
Vatican 2
(1962-65)
Church
Liturgy,
114x
Summa,
48x
Roman
Catechism
(Trent)
27x
TRADITION…

The Catholic Church reasons thus:



"The apostles left bishops as their successors.
They gave them ‘their own position of teaching
authority.'" (Paragraph 77)
"This living transmission, accomplished through
the Holy Spirit, is called tradition..." (Par. 78)
"Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted
and honored with equal sentiments of devotion
and reverence." (Par. 82).
TRADITION…



Within the Catholic scope of Tradition, many
doctrines have been "revealed" to the Church
over the centuries.
For example, there is the veneration of Mary, her
immaculate conception and her bodily assumption
into heaven.
There is also the apocrypha, transubstantiation,
praying to saints, the confessional, penance,
purgatory, and more. Protestantism as a whole
differs with Catholicism in these additions.
TRADITION…



Though the Catholic Church officially states that Sacred
Tradition should not and does not contradict Scripture,
Protestants see much of the teaching from this Sacred
Tradition as doing just that.
It isn't enough for the Catholic to say that their church is the
true church, that they have the apostolic tradition, that they
hold the keys to the truth, and that they have revealed
doctrines consistent with biblical revelation.
Likewise, it isn't enough for a Protestant to pass judgment
upon Catholic doctrines simply because they are Catholic
and are derived via Sacred Tradition.
THE
MAGISTERIUM
SOLEMN AND ORDINARY
THE MAGISTERIUM


The solemn Magisterium is that which is
exercised only rarely by formal and authentic
definitions of councils or popes.
Its matter comprises dogmatic definitions of
ecumenical councils or of the popes teaching ex
cathedra, or of particular councils, if their decrees
are universally accepted or approved in solemn
form by the pope; also creeds and professions of
faith put forward or solemnly approved by pope or
ecumenical council.
THE MAGISTERIUM…



The ordinary Magisterium is continually exercised by the
Church especially in her universal practices connected with
faith and morals, in the unanimous consent of the Fathers
and theologians, in the decisions of Roman Congregations
concerning faith and morals, in the common sense) of the
faithful, and various historical documents in which the faith is
declared.
All these are founts of a teaching which as a whole is
infallible.
They have to be studied separately to determine how far and
in what conditions each of them is an infallible source of truth.
The Magisterium
Scripture
Remote and
Fixed
Tradition
Roman Catholics admit to a two
fold rule of faith, a remote rule
and a proximate rule. The
remote rule is the word of God,
written or handed down by
tradition. The proximate rule is
the living and infallible (i.e.
incapable of error) Magisterium
of the church, which
Magisterium sets forth the word
of God in an authoritative and
trustworthy manner.
Proximate and
Developing
-A Manual of Dogmatic Theology
(A. Tranquerey, 1959)
Ecclesial Faith and the Magisterium
Assisted
by
The Holy
Spirit
Church receives the decision
of the “M” as corresponding
to its faith.
Adapted from, Handbook of Catholic
Theology (Herder & Herder, 1995).
Presents as
Revealed
Truth to the
Church
Infallibility
Protestant
Catholic
The absence of actual
error and the inability to
err.
A Divine gift to permit the
definitive teaching of the Church.
God-Bible
1.
2.
3.
God-Bible
God is true, Rom.
3:4
God breathed out
Dissent:
the Scriptures, 2
non de fide
Tim. 3:16
definitions
Therefore, the
Scriptures are true,
Jn. 17:17
Magisterium-Teachers
Ordinary
ExtraOrdinary
Nondefinitive
Definitive
(ex
cathedra)
Assent: religious submission of the will and mind, de fide definitions
Adapted from, New Dictionary of Theology, Liturgical Press (1987) and Handbook of
Catholic Theology
BELIEFS
COMPARATIVE WITH WORLD
RELIGIONS AND COMPARATIVE
WITH MAJOR DIVISIONS
COMPARATIVE
THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS
CHRISTIANITY AND WORLD
RELIGIONS
Hinduism
Buddhism
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Pantheism
Atheism
Unitarian
theism
Triune
theism
Unitarian
theism
Universe
Illusion
Transient
reality
Good
creation of
God
Good
creation of
God
Good
creation of
God
Human
Condition
Essentially
divine, but
trapped in
samsara due
to ignorance
and karma
Impermanent
phenomenon,
& trapped in
samsara, life
of suffering
due to desire
and karma
Created in
God’s
image, but
subject to
judgment in
failing to
obey Torah
Created in
God’s image,
but alienated
from God
due to sin,
subject to
judgment
Created to
be God’s
servant, but
subject to
judgment for
failure to
submit to
will of Allah
Reality
CHRISTIANITY AND WORLD
RELIGIONS…
Hinduism
Buddhism
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Salvation &
Destiny
Deliverance
from
samsara by
knowledge,
works or
devotion
Deliverance
from
samsara by
eliminating
desire
through
following 8fold path
Deliverance
from
judgment by
observing the
Torah
Deliverance
from
judgment
through faith
in God’s
provision and
atonement
Deliverance
from
judgment by
submitting to
the will of
Allah through
following 5
pillars of faith
History
Cyclical,
meaningless
Cyclical,
meaningless
Linear,
leading to
coming of the
Messiah
Linear,
leading to
redemption
of creation
Linear,
leading to
day of
judgment
We are all
part of God
There is no
God
Jesus is not
God &
Messiah
Jesus is God
and Messiah
Jesus is not
God
Person of
Jesus
COMPARATIVE
THE MAJOR DIVISIONS
THE BIBLE


The Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern
Orthodox Church and the Protestant churches
accept the Christian Bible as the central written
source of doctrine and belief.
Catholics and Orthodox believe the Scriptures
must be interpreted in accordance with tradition
through the teaching authority of the church; most
Protestants also value tradition but emphasize
the authority of the Bible itself and the freedom of
the individual believer to interpret the Bible for
themselves.
CHURCH AUTHORITY


Roman Catholics believe the Pope is the
heir to the Apostle Peter, chosen by Christ
to be the head of the Church on earth. As
such he claims authority over the entire
Christian church.
The doctrine of Papal Infallibility (1870)
states that the Pope is infallible when he on
rare and special occasions defines a
doctrine regarding faith and morals.
CHURCH AUTHORITY…


Catholics accept the authority of church
councils (after ratification by the Pope).
Orthodox and most Protestants accept
the doctrinal definitions of the first seven
ecumenical councils of the undivided
Christian church (4th-8th centuries), but
Protestants stress the authority of the
Bible over any doctrinal definitions and
some reject all creedal statements.
TRINITY



Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics affirm One God in
three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Christ is one
person with two natures, divine and human.
Orthodox believe the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the
Father (John 15:26); Catholics and Protestants believe the
Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from both the Father and the
Son.
The Western Church, from which both Catholics and
Protestants derive, added the phrase filioque “and from the
Son” to the wording of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
(381) to express this doctrine at the Third Synod of Toledo
(589).
SIN AND SALVATION



Because of the Fall of the first humans into sin (original sin),
all humans are subject to sin and death and need the Savior,
Jesus Christ, to atone for their sins before God.
Jesus accomplished this through his death and resurrection,
which defeated the power of death so that humans too could
gain eternal life.
Catholics and Orthodox believe that Christians are saved
through faith in Christ and good works (i.e. a process).
Salvation requires the aid of God’s grace, channeled in part
through the sacraments of the church, and the cooperative
free will of the believer.
SIN AND SALVATION…



Orthodox see salvation as the process of being
restored to the original “god-likeness” of the first
humans before the Fall.
Protestants assert that salvation, understood
as “justification,” is “by grace through faith
alone”; good works are a consequence of a
loving response to God, not a means to
salvation (i.e. moment-in-time event).
Some Protestants (Calvinists) believe that
God has predestined some people to salvation,
others to damnation.
THE SACRAMENTS



A common view among Protestants is that sacraments are
symbolic acts which remember the life of Christ and honor his
commands; Orthodox, Catholics, and some other
Protestants also understand the sacraments as a means by
which God’s grace is imparted to believers.
Most Protestants accept two sacraments, Baptism and the
Eucharist (communion or Lord’s Supper); Catholics and
Orthodox accept seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the
Eucharist, Penance or Reconciliation (confession), Marriage,
Holy Orders (becoming a priest), and Anointing of the Sick or
Extreme Unction.
Baptism is the first step of initiation into the church,
symbolizing (Protestant) being “born again” into the new life
in Christ.
THE SACRAMENTS…

It is often administered to infants or adult converts
by all three Christian divisions; among the
Protestants, some groups insist that only adult
believers should be baptized. Views on the
Eucharist vary:

Catholicism teaches the doctrine of transubstantiation, in
which the elements of the bread and wine change into the
Body and Blood of Christ while merely appearing to
remain bread and wine; the change happens when the
priest speaks the words of institution as uttered by Christ
at the Last Supper.
THE SACRAMENTS…


The Orthodox also believe the bread and wine (“the
gifts”) become the Body and Blood but decline to explain
the mystery of the change; they include a prayer in the
liturgy asking the Holy Spirit to change the gifts.
Among the Protestants, Lutherans and
Anglicans believe Christ is really present in the
bread and wine; others see Christ as being
spiritually present; finally, other Protestants view
the Eucharist as a commemorative meal.
PRIESTHOOD-MINISTRY


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Orthodox and Catholics recognize three ranks of priesthood
(in ascending order): deacons, priests (presbyters—literally
“elders”), and bishops; bishops are literally “overseers.” The
highest ranking bishop in the Catholic Church is the Pope,
who has authority over all others.
The highest ranking bishops in the Orthodox church are
called Patriarchs; they preside over independently
administered churches which are united in doctrine.
Protestants vary in their administrations (and doctrine); they
generally do not understand the priesthood in the same way
as the Catholics and Orthodox.
PRIESTHOOD-MINISTRY…
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Professional clergy among the Protestants are often called
“ministers” or “pastors” rather than “priests”; “elders” also play
a role in church governance among some groups (like the
Presbyterians); some Protestants retain the rank of bishop,
others do not.
While all three Christian divisions affirm “the priesthood of all
believers” which emphasizes the dignity and function of the
laity, it may be said to be most characteristic of
Protestantism.
Women are accepted as clergy in many Protestant churches
but not in the Orthodox or Catholic churches.
SAINTS
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Catholics and Orthodox honor the memory and ask for the
prayers of Christians (particularly Mary, the mother of Jesus)
whom they believe have died but gained eternal life in Christ
(saints); this practice affirms the belief that death does not
separate the members of the Body of Christ (the Church).
Similarly, Orthodox and Catholics also pray for the Christian
dead, but only Catholics believe in Purgatory (that prayers
help those who die with their sins forgiven but not yet
expiated by temporal punishment who must spend some time
after death in an intermediate state before entrance into
heaven).
Protestants reject the above doctrines and practices.
SAINTS…
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The Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary
(1854), meaning that she was conceived without the stain of
original sin, and in her bodily Assumption (1950).
The Orthodox recognize the Assumption (but not the
Immaculate Conception); however, they do not hold it as a
doctrine.
Orthodox and Catholics venerate (but do not worship) icons
or images of Christ and the saints, as well as saints’ relics;
most Protestants do not condemn Christian art as such but
generally do not use images in their worship.
Orthodox usually use two-dimensional icons; Catholics
often use statues as well.
SALVATION
ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND
PROTESTANTISM
CATHOLICISM
Salvation
=
Lifelong
Process
JUSTIFICATION
Through
the Sacrament of
BAPTISM
Resulting in the
Removal of
Original Sin
Starting Point
Of Salvation
For Infants
Spiritually
Alive
State of the Soul
And the
Infusion of
Sanctifying
Grace
Spiritually
Dead
Salvation
=
Lifelong
Process
JUSTIFICATION
Through
the Sacrament of
BAPTISM
Resulting in the
Removal of
Original Sin
And the
Infusion of
Sanctifying
Grace
GOOD
WORKS
Spiritually Alive
State of the Soul
Starting Point For
Adults
FAITH
“YES”
Spiritually Dead
Cooperates
With
Grace?
FIRST
ACTUAL
GRACE
“NO” = Death
MASS & OTHER
SACRAMENTS
INCREASED
JUSTIFICATON
HOW TO GET HERE
Salvation
Cooperates
With
Grace?
“YES”
FIRST
Confession &
Communion
DEATH
“NO”
SIN
=
Lifelong
Process
FAITH + GOOD
WORKS + MERIT
Starting
Point
For
Adults
JUSTIFICATION
Through
the Sacrament of
BAPTISM
GOOD
WORKS
FAITH
“YES”
Cooperates
With
Grace?
FIRST
ACTUAL
GRACE
“NO” = Death
MASS & OTHER
SACRAMENTS
“NO”
Cooperates
With
Grace?
INCREASED
JUSTIFICATON
“NO”
“YES”
AT
DEATH?
“YES”
Salvation
=
Lifelong
Process
SIN
SERIOUS?
CONSCIOUS?
DELIBERATE?
“YES”
MORTAL SIN
DE-JUSTIFICATION
THROUGH
MORTAL SIN
FAITH + GOOD
WORKS = “MERIT
STORED UP”
(I.E. “INCREASE”)
“NO”
VENIAL
SIN
RE-JUSTIFICATION
THROUGH
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
ABSOLUTION
ACTS OF
PENANCE
TEMPORAL
PUNISHMENT
“STORED UP”
Fast, Charitable Act,
Gift to the Poor, Devotional
Exercise: “Hail Mary,” or
“Our Father”
PROTESTANTISM
The Dynamics
of Salvation
General
Call:
Hearing
Preaching
of the
Gospel,
Rom. 10:17
Effectual
Call:
Willing
Repentance
And
Faith,
Acts 20:21;
Gal. 3:2;
Matt. 16:24
Rev. 22:17
Reconciliation
Forgiveness
Of sin and
Imputation of
Righteousness,
Eph. 1:7;
2 Cor. 5:18, 21;
1 Pet. 3:18
Justification
Declared
“not guilty,”
Rom. 5:1
Adoption
Holy Spirit Convicting, John 16:8
New
Birth,
John
1:11-12
Having Been
Separated
by God
We Live as
Surrendered
to God
1 Cor.
6:19-20;
1 Pet. 2:9
Rom.
12:1-2;
Gal. 2:20;
2 Cor. 3:18
Spiritual
Spiritual
God has made us holy in salvation.
Sanctification is the lifelong
Growth
Service
process of “living out” the work
God has done “within” (Phil. 2:12-13).
Holy Spirit Empowering,
Rom. 8:13; Eph. 3:20
Holy Spirit Confirming,
Rom. 8:14; 1 Jn. 5:11-13
The Dynamics of Biblical
Sanctification