World Religions
...hat he can only have one church. “Holy” infers that Jesus has made the church holy. This becomes confusing in the aspect that “holy” does not mean that all the members of the church are such, just the church itself. The term “Catholic” means universal. Jesus preaches to his disciples that they should go throughout and preach his doctrine. Catholicism is found throughout the world today. Catholicism is apostolic because Jesus appointed apostles to be the leaders of the church. Those after the first were their successors. The apostles were the first bishops. From the first century, there has been a chain of bishops that have passed down the traditions and teachings of the Scripture. The Baptist religion of today was influenced by the Anabaptists of the Reformation period. Roger Williams is given credit for forming the first Baptist congregation in Providence, Rhode Island (1639). The Baptist belief spread quickly throughout the United States. The Baptist view of life is one that is dedicated in following the preaching of Jesus Christ, and the commitment is passed on a personal contract between one’s self and God. Baptist followers belief that to come to this high level of dedication, one must be reborn again, converted into a new life, and to become one in the church community. Baptists believe that the church is a conversion and the result of Grace. The church is a gathered community of committed believers. The church is not the mother of their beliefs, or the source (as opposed to the Catholic tradition). It is holy because of the faith and the lives of those who have found themselves within the church community. The church does not have direct power of the individuals as far as their lives or their churchly affairs. An interesting aspect of the Baptist tradition is that the actual tradition and history are linked to that of the puritan and Victorian society ethics. Many Baptists are conservative in their morals and faith. They feel that one’s belief is absolutely a personal manifestation. Throughout history, many studies have shown that Baptists have repeatedly become impatient with the new technology being presented and the scientific discoveries that they have become aware of. Although many studies have been conducted in regarding the fact that Baptist followers are conservative, the 20th century has shown a different side to the Baptist believe. Many Baptist organizations have become very liberal in their beliefs. They are known for their liberal theology, style of worship, and social attitudes. This being such, the controversy continues with the diverse denomination. One could say that the best way to ascertain the differences between two beliefs is to attend services of each. One of the biggest differences in the services of a Baptist church and a Catholic church, is their traditions of Communion and the Roman Catholic Mass. Communion takes place usually on special occasions on the Baptist belief, perhaps on Christmas or during Easter. The difference here is the fact that Communion takes place at every Roman Catholic Mass held. The decoration of the two worshiping places differs greatly. Catholic churches often have immaculate decorations, which include paintings, icons, or statues on or near walls of the church. Baptist churches do not usually have such decorations, perhaps a cross. They are much more conservative in their choices of decoration. The biggest difference between the ...