What is the difference between Catholic and Protestant?
Catholics and Protestants share the core Christian creeds but differ on authority (Scripture alone vs Scripture plus church tradition), justification (faith alone vs faith formed by works), the role of Mary and the saints, the number of sacraments, and the papacy.
The Reformation (1500s) protested practices and doctrines Reformers believed had drifted from Scripture — hence "Protestant."
Key differences: Protestants hold sola scriptura and sola fide; Catholics add church tradition and the magisterium, and understand justification as a process involving cooperation.
Both affirm the Trinity, the deity and resurrection of Christ, and the creeds. The differences are real and serious, but so is the shared confession of Jesus as Lord.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.