Roman Catholicism
oman Catholicism identifies the system of belief that adheres to the faith, doctrine, and polity of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). It emphasizes the cooperation of human will with divine grace in salvation, the mediation of grace through sacraments, and the veneration of saints and relics. The RCC is headed by the Bishop of Rome, esteemed as the “father of fathers” or Pope, considered the successor of the apostle Peter, and is regarded as the supreme pontiff and vicar of Christ on earth. Roman Catholicism is built on an episcopal system of government and upholds orthodox doctrines regarding the Trinity, deity of Christ, and Incarnation. Central to Catholic worship is the Mass, believed to be a recapitulation of the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, and the belief in transubstantiation. The faith encompasses seven sacraments, including baptism, Eucharist, and penance, which are seen as the dispensary channels of God's grace. A distinctive feature of Roman Catholicism is the prominent role of the Virgin Mary, who is venerated and believed to have been conceived without sin and bodily assumed into heaven.
Roman Catholicism continued to grow despite the Reformation, particularly in the Americas, where it was dominant until Protestant expansion. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) modernized practices and sought to improve relations with Protestants. Under Pope John Paul II, Roman Catholicism gained a positive social image, became more vocal concerning civil rights, and blurred doctrinal differences with Protestants, advocating a “reunion” or alliance in the Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) initiative. All the while, not retracting one of the 33 anathemas decreed against Protestants by the Council of Trent (1545-1563).
Some have said that Protestant Christianity is merely a modification of Roman Catholicism, answering the same problems with different solutions. This perspective will not do. The Reformation has more to do with biblical Christianity than it does Roman Catholicism. While it does not deny the historical connection of the Roman Catholic Church to ancient Christianity, it is not a mere modification of the former, rather it is more of an awakening to the latter.
From Catholicism to Christ Recommended Resources
Doctrine and the Gospel
- Roman Catholic Salvation — the sacramental way of salvation against the gospel of faith alone, with the Way of Salvation chart.
- Salvation — Comparison Table — Rome’s way of salvation and Scripture set side by side.
- Roman Catholic Justification — how Rome defines the sinner’s standing before God, and why Trent condemned the evangelical answer.
- Justification — Comparison Table — Rome and Scripture set side by side.
- Roman Catholic Views on the Solas — the five solas as Rome receives and qualifies them.
- Faith and Works — grace that enables merit, or grace that excludes it.
- Mortal and Venial Sins — two kinds of sin, two remedies, and the one blood that cleanses from all.
- Grace — Comparison Table — grace as infused substance against grace as God’s free favor.
- Scripture — Comparison Table — Scripture and tradition as parallel authorities.
Worship, the Sacraments, and the Dead
- The Seven Sacraments — the system by which grace is said to be dispensed.
- The Mass — an altar, a priest, and a victim; and the collision with sola fide.
- Transubstantiation — the change of substance, and those who were burned for denying it.
- The Eucharist — Comparison Table
- Baptism — Comparison Table
- Purgatory — the debt that outlives pardon.
- Indulgences — the coin, the coffer, and the cross.
- Relics — bones and fragments, and the treasure of Wittenberg.
- Mary — the four Marian dogmas, Mediatrix and Queen, weighed by Scripture.
- Mary — Comparison Table
Authority and Office
- The Papacy — the office, its claims, and its occupants.
- The Popes During the Reformation — Alexander VI, Leo X, Adrian VI, Clement VII, and Paul III.
- Head of the Church — Comparison Table
- Traditions — what Rome receives alongside Scripture.
- Roman Catholic Dogmas — when Rome’s distinctive teachings took hold, and when they were defined.
- Roman Catholic Decrees — the canons, bulls, and constitutions that bound conscience.
- The Constitutions of Oxford — the 1408 decree forbidding translation of Scripture.
- De Haeretico Comburendo — the 1401 statute for the burning of heretics in England.
- Index of Prohibited Books — Rome’s catalog of forbidden reading, from 1559 to 1966.
History and Conflict
- The Counter-Reformation — Rome’s answer to the Reformation.
- Roman Catholic Councils — the general councils of the West, from Lateran I to Trent: Lateran I, Lateran II, Lateran III, Lateran IV, Lyons I, Lyons II, Vienne, Pisa, Constance, Basel-Ferrara-Florence, and Lateran V.
- The Council of Trent — the council that defined the difference.
- The Anathemas of Trent — the condemnations, never withdrawn.
- The Jesuits
- The Inquisitions
For Roman Catholic Friends
- From Catholicism to Christ — a guide for those considering the evangelical faith.
- Glossary of Catholic Terms — Rome’s vocabulary in Rome’s own words, weighed against Scripture.
- Recommended Resources — books and materials for further study.
