Globally, the number of Roman Catholics has soared to reach close to 1.05 billion. Of these population, 24 percent reside in the United States, whereby, in 2001, the country officially announced itself as a Catholic state (Univision – Global Catholic Poll, 2014). On the other hand, in stark contrast to Catholics, the Wesleyan-Holiness groups have a consolidated following of less than two million people. Compared to the Catholics, the Wesleyan groups present a decent following and certain doctrines that are similar to the Catholic faith. Such doctrines include the truth concerning God’s nature and the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, the Son of God, and redemption. The major differences concerning these two faiths lie in the place of the bible and the final authority for humankind. According to the Wesleyan faith, the Catholics venerate Mary and forbid a number of things including birth control, homosexual activity, abortion, adultery and so on. The Wesleyan faith affirms salvation by grace through absolute faith in God. However, Catholics see grace as an enabler of salvation, although they believe that individuals have to pay for obtaining salvation through service, suffering or discipline. Such differences including the age-old disagreement over the dogma of Catholics displayed through confessions to a priest remain as stark differences that divide these faiths. This paper analyzes the differences between these faiths, elaborating both their origins and history and their current practices and influence over the lives of believers.
The Roman Catholic Church commenced in AD 312 after the Roman Emperor at the time, Constantine, declared it a formal religion. Before this, the spread of Christianity took place after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the 120 believers on the day of Pentecost (Tracy & Ingersol, 2011). Soon after the hammer of intense persecution stroke Jerusalem like an anvil, the believers who had witnessed the Holy Spirit scattered across the Mediterranean world, preaching the gospel and spreading the word of God. This spread and the endorsement of Constantine led to the growth of Christianity at an accelerated rate. Subsequently, this resulted in the development of powerful centers of Christianity in cities such as Alexandria, Byzantium, Jerusalem, Antioch and many others. At this time, the Bishop of Rome attained recognition to the point of being referred to as the “first among equals,” a reverence in the fellowship of bishops. Rome became the heart of the empire depicting the largest and most drastic developments in the church. Soon, the church started building a reputation as the forerunners of unorthodox teachings. Between the years 325 and 787, the formation of an era constituting the seven councils occurred, leading to the clarification of Christian doctrines such as the Trinity; commensurately, leading to the formation of fundamental orthodox Christian beliefs (Tracy & Ingersol, 2011).
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Following the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church, this religious organization went through a period of political and religious powers, which shaped history, as we know it presently. Being influencers in almost all aspects of the society, the Catholic Church has exerted its influence in far-reaching ways. At a time when Hun and Attila made a threat to Rome, its Pope of the fifth century, Pope Leo I preserved the city while the civil emperor did nothing. Such bravery and action were the prerogatives of Popes in those times. This made the papacy to grow in recognition and influence. Ultimately, the church was in charge of both the religious and secular sets of power. This infusion of the church with the secular world made the papacy and other high religious offices political dustbins, whereby, no sacrifice, regarding character and honor, was high enough to pay. Popes started misusing their positions. They created and sold ecclesiastical positions to persons with the highest bid, or they gave these positions to family members or friends. Most of the relatives and family members of popes became bishops and cardinals. Promptly, by the end of the eighth century, popes ruled over numerous lands including most of Portugal, Spain, all of England, Bulgaria, Ireland, Sardinia, Sicily, and Corsica. From these territories, taxes were collected, and revenues energetically imposed.
Through the imposition of such levies, popes became materialistic and highly dominant in all religious and political matters. They turned to torture in a bid to silence their opponents, poisoned those who dared to oppose them, openly took mistresses and consequently sired children with them, and presided over convoluting and repugnant ceremonies that involved pagan rituals such as orgies among others. At this point of horrid abuse, monstrous lust, and inordinate ambition, the behavior of the papacy resulted in the Protestant Reformation and eventually the Counter-Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. This Reformation and Counter-Reformation brought about the formation of many Protestant movements and the modern Roman Catholic Church. This modern Catholic Church came to be through the occurrence of the Council of Trent and two other councils. The Council of Trent denounced all Protestantism and went forth to state that were it not for the misbehavior of high-ranking Catholic officials, the Protestant movement would not have been forged (Waterworth, 1848). The Vatican I council in 1869 to 1870 reinforced the powers of the pope and picked up the doctrines of papal infallibility, making it a specific dogma in the Catholic world. This infallibility of one individual is an outright contrast to Protestantism, the basis of the Wesleyan faith.
The Vatican II council shifted its focus on scripture as it gave it more prominence as a rule in which both practice and faith can be sought, and although the Catholic Church is steeped in tradition, the word of God is the final answer. In the past, traditions largely ruled the Catholic Church, and this resulted in senseless transgressions not governed by Christian teachings but by the desires of the flesh. The Vatican II council drastically changed numerous traditions that rank-and-file Catholics had not entirely anticipated. Many conservatives had the notion that these alterations added up to an overall compromise in their view of Protestants as heretics and the popular world as secular. Since this council, many have the view that the declarations made diminished the priesthood and that this resulted in an identity crisis among Catholic faithful around the world. On another perspective, the Vatican II council dispelled some of the mysticism associated with the upper echelons of ecclesiastical powers. This disruption brought an understanding of the inner workings of the Catholic Church and their central beliefs. After the secession of Protestants from the Catholic Church, the Bible became the principal point of reference, elevated to be the first among equals. Also, for the first time the study of the Bible was highly encouraged, and since then, even Catholics have joined this tradition; reading the scriptures in small groups often congregated secretly.
Among the Roman Catholic beliefs include the belief in a Triune God. This belief is also similar to the Wesleyan faith, whereby, God exists in three forms, which are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Roman Catholicism, this notion was introduced as an orthodox belief during the early Ecumenical Councils. Since then, on numerous occasions and in varied tests, this belief holds true in the Roman Catholic faith as much it does among Protestants. Catholics also believe in the incarnation. An incarnation refers to the embodiment of a deity or spirit in the flesh. This belief of incarnation among Catholics is also in orthodox doctrines concerning the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His nature, in that, He was fully human, yet fully God. The incarnation is also a fundamental belief in the Wesleyan faith and all Protestant movements and denominations. The belief in the Holy Spirit is also fundamental in the Catholic faith as it is in Protestantism. Catholics have the belief that the Holy Spirit is a full representation of God not just as the messenger of God the Father and the Son, but also as an equal worker in the hearts and minds of His people. In this respect, both Catholics and Wesleyans find themselves strong allies. Through the defense of the standards of the Trinity, Catholics, and Protestants are not at loggerheads.
Catholics also believe in the Lord’s Supper, which is the Holy Communion. This is among the issues that most Catholics and Protestants often dispute. Most arguments ensue not based on its validity and relevance, but on the way the ceremony should be carried out. On the perspective of Catholics, the bread and wine are believed to be the real body and blood of Christ. However, Protestants believe that this is a symbolization representing Jesus’ shed blood and broken body. These intricate details concerning the conduct of the Lord’s Supper have drawn numerous divisions among the Protestant movement, with each religious thought proposing their method, and the reasons for them to partake in this occasion. The Catholic Church also believes in baptism and teaches that through it, there is the obtaining of four fundamental blessings, which are forgiveness of sin, the regeneration of a new life in Christ, membership in the church, and a forged union with God. Here, baptism takes the form of immersion or through the pouring of water on an individual’s head. Other beliefs in the Catholic faith include; confirmation, which according to Catholics, is a third initiation rite that takes one on a path to heaven; penance, which represents confessions and reconciliations; the belief of a one true church, whereby the Roman Catholic Church believes to be the only true church; among other sacraments.
The Wesleyan Methodist Connection, known as the Wesleyan Church was created originally in 1843 in an organizing conference in New York State, Utica City. A group of ministers and other nonprofessionals split from the Methodist Episcopal Church, primarily due to their hard stance on slavery and other secondary issues. From this split, the Wesleyan Church and faith spread rapidly through to 1864 when senior pastors brought more converts most notably through revivals in western Canada (Germano, 2010). During this time when the Holiness Movement was in full effect, the Wesleyan faith grew profoundly making an immediate impact in Canada and North America. Among the core values of the Wesleyan church include the biblical authority, the making of disciples, the centeredness of the church, the likeness of a believer’s life to that of Jesus, the unity of diversity, and servant leadership. All these five are highly integral to Methodist principles and are the core foundational beliefs of the Wesleyan church. Just like the Catholic faith, they believe in the fundamental truths of Christianity and the religious adherence to God. Among these elemental religious articles include; having faith in the holy trinity, the nature of God’s unity in the three persons; the son of God; God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. In believing in God the Father, the nature of a God who seeks out contrite sinners and receives them once they are repentant is exemplified, while the Holy Spirit has its role in administering grace and assertions, which lead to the conviction of sin.
In contrast to Catholics, the Wesleyans believe that the Holy Scriptures are sufficient in authority concerning an individual’s salvation (Zavada, 2017). Here, the underlying premise is that since the bible has undergone immense transmission from the ancient world to the new world without the corruption or tampering of its underlying meaning, its assertion as being sufficient and infallible remains true. Moreover, the belief that Christ is the only negotiator between God and humankind invalidates the devotions to Mary that many Catholics observe, the worship of angels and the intercession of saints. This also invariably negates all teachings of any path to God, other than that through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the Wesleyan faith explicitly denotes 66 books that are the principal biblical canons of the church, commensurately negating the apocryphal books epitomized in Catholicism. Other beliefs of the Wesleyan faith include; the belief of God’s purpose for humanity; personal choice in the making of moral decisions; marriage and family as an institution of God, whereby, chastity before marriage and fidelity after is considered the norm; and repentance and faith
In conclusion, both these faiths represent a general pathway to the true meaning of being a Christian and its applications to the secular world. In both faiths, the underlying principle is the acceptance of the nature of God, His word and the ever-increasing presence of the Holy Spirit and His influence over the life of a Christian. According to Apostle James, faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Both these denominations represent faith in its essence, in that, both believe in God, His divine revelations, and their applicability to the everyday life of a Christian.
References
Univision – Global Catholic Poll. (2014). Global Survey Of Roman Catholics . Bendixen & Amandi International.
Tracy, W., & Ingersol, S. (2011). THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH . Presentation.
Waterworth, J. (1848). The Council of Trent The canons and decrees of the sacred and ecumenical Council of Trent . London: Dolman.
Germano, B. (2010). The Wesleyan Movement . Lecture, Emory University.
Zavada, J. (2017). What Does the Wesleyan Church Believe and Practice? . ThoughtCo . Retrieved 19 September 2017, from https://www.thoughtco.com/wesleyan-church-beliefs-and-practices-700126
