How is the Catholic Church different from the Christian. Who are Protestants and how do they differ from Catholics and Orthodox?

Catholicism is one of the three main Christian denominations. In total there are three confessions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest of the three is Protestantism. It arose from an attempt to reform the Catholic Church by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

The division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism has rich history. The beginning was the events that took place in 1054. It was then that the legates of the then-reigning Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication against Patriarch Michael Ceroullarius of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. During the liturgy in the Hagia Sophia, they put him on the throne and left. Patriarch Michael responded by convening a council, at which, in turn, he excommunicated the papal ambassadors. The pope took their side, and since then the commemoration of popes at divine services has ceased in the Orthodox Churches, and the Latins have been considered schismatics.

We have collected the main differences and similarities between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, information about the tenets of Catholicism and features of the confession. It is important to remember that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, so neither Catholics nor Protestants can be considered “enemies” of the Orthodox Church. However, there are controversial issues in which each denomination is closer or further from the Truth.

Features of Catholicism

Catholicism has over a billion followers worldwide. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, not the Patriarch, as in Orthodoxy. The Pope is the supreme ruler of the Holy See. Previously, in the Catholic Church, all bishops were called that. Contrary to popular belief about the total infallibility of the Pope, Catholics consider only doctrinal statements and decisions of the Pope to be infallible. IN this moment Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church. He was elected on March 13, 2013, and this is the first Pope for long years, which . In 2016, Pope Francis met with Patriarch Kirill to discuss critical issues for Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In particular, the problem of persecution of Christians, which exists in some regions even today.

Doctrine of the Catholic Church

A number of dogmas of the Catholic Church differ from the corresponding understanding of the Gospel truth in Orthodoxy.

• Filioque is the Dogma that the Holy Spirit comes from both God the Father and God the Son.
• Celibacy is the dogma of the celibacy of the clergy.
• The Holy Tradition of Catholics includes the decisions taken after the seven Ecumenical Councils and the Papal Epistles.
• Purgatory is a dogma about an intermediate “station” between hell and heaven, where you can atone for your sins.
• The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and her bodily ascension.
• Communion of the laity only with the Body of Christ, the clergy with the Body and Blood.

Of course, these are not all differences from Orthodoxy, but Catholicism recognizes those dogmas that are not considered true in Orthodoxy.

Who are Catholics

The largest number of Catholics, people who practice Catholicism, live in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Interestingly, in each country, Catholicism has its own cultural characteristics.

Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

• Unlike Catholicism, Orthodoxy believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father, as stated in the Creed.
• In Orthodoxy, only monastics observe celibacy, the rest of the clergy can marry.
• The sacred tradition of the Orthodox does not include, in addition to the ancient oral tradition, the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, and the decisions of subsequent church councils, papal letters.
• In Orthodoxy there is no dogma about purgatory.
• Orthodoxy does not recognize the doctrine of the "treasury of grace" - an overabundance of the good deeds of Christ, the apostles, the Virgin Mary, which allow you to "draw" salvation from this treasury. It was this doctrine that allowed for the possibility of indulgences, which at one time became a stumbling block between Catholics and future Protestants. Indulgence was one of those phenomena in Catholicism that deeply revolted Martin Luther. His plans included not the creation of a new confession, but the reformation of Catholicism.
• In Orthodoxy, the laity Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ: “Take, eat: this is my body, and drink all of you from it: this is my blood.”

The final division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism took place in 1054. However, both the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church consider themselves only "the one holy, catholic (cathedral) and apostolic Church".

First of all, Catholics are also Christians. Christianity is divided into three main areas: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. But there is no single Protestant Church (there are several thousand Protestant denominations in the world), and the Orthodox Church includes several independent Churches.

Besides the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there is the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, etc.

The Orthodox Churches are governed by patriarchs, metropolitans and archbishops. Not all Orthodox Churches have communion with each other in prayers and sacraments (which is necessary for individual Churches to be part of the one Ecumenical Church according to the catechism of Metropolitan Philaret) and recognize each other as true churches.

Even in Russia itself there are several Orthodox Churches (the Russian Orthodox Church itself, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, etc.). It follows from this that world Orthodoxy does not have a unified leadership. But Orthodox believe that the unity of the Orthodox Church is manifested in a single dogma and in mutual communion in the sacraments.

Catholicism is one Universal Church. All parts of it different countries of the world are in communion with each other, share a single creed and recognize the Pope as their head. In the Catholic Church there is a division into rites (communities within the Catholic Church, differing from each other in the forms of liturgical worship and church discipline): Roman, Byzantine, etc. Therefore, there are Catholics of the Roman rite, Catholics of the Byzantine rite, etc., but they are all members of the same Church.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism:

1. So, the first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches lies in the different understanding of the unity of the Church. For the Orthodox, it is enough to share one faith and sacraments, Catholics, in addition to this, see the need for a single head of the Church - the Pope;

2. The Catholic Church confesses in the Creed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (the filioque). The Orthodox Church confesses the Holy Spirit, which proceeds only from the Father. Some Orthodox saints spoke of the procession of the Spirit from the Father through the Son, which does not contradict the Catholic dogma.

3. The Catholic Church confesses that the sacrament of marriage is for life and forbids divorce, the Orthodox Church in individual cases allows divorce.

4. The Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of purgatory. This is the state of souls after death, destined for paradise, but not yet ready for it. IN Orthodox teaching there is no purgatory (although there is something similar - ordeals). But the prayers of the Orthodox for the dead suggest that there are souls in an intermediate state for whom there is still hope of going to heaven after the Last Judgment;

5. The Catholic Church accepted the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This means that even original sin did not touch the Mother of the Savior. Orthodox glorify the holiness of the Mother of God, but believe that she was born with original sin, like all people;

6. The Catholic dogma about the taking of Mary into heaven body and soul is a logical continuation of the previous dogma. The Orthodox also believe that Mary is in Heaven in body and soul, but this is not dogmatically fixed in Orthodox teaching.

7. The Catholic Church adopted the dogma of the primacy of the Pope over the entire Church in matters of faith and morality, discipline and government. Orthodox do not recognize the primacy of the Pope;

8. The Catholic Church has proclaimed the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope in matters of faith and morality in those cases when he, in agreement with all the bishops, affirms what the Catholic Church has already believed for many centuries. Orthodox believers believe that only the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils are infallible;

9. Orthodox are baptized from right to left, and Catholics from left to right.

Catholics for a long time they were allowed to be baptized in either of these two ways, until in 1570 Pope Pius V ordered them to do it from left to right and nothing else. With such a movement of the hand, the sign of the cross, according to Christian symbolism, is considered to come from a person who turns to God. And when the hand moves from right to left - coming from God, who blesses the person. It is no coincidence that both Orthodox and Catholic priests cross those around them from left to right (looking away from themselves). For the one standing in front of the priest, it is like a blessing gesture from right to left. In addition, moving the hand from left to right means moving from sin to salvation, since left-hand side in Christianity, it is associated with the devilish, and the right one with the divine. And with the sign of the cross from right to left, the movement of the hand is interpreted as the victory of the divine over the devil.

10. In Orthodoxy, there are two points of view on Catholics:

The first considers Catholics heretics who distorted the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (by adding (lat. filioque). The second - schismatics (schismatics) who broke away from the One Catholic Apostolic Church.

Catholics, in turn, consider Orthodox schismatics who broke away from the One, Ecumenical and Apostolic Church, but do not consider them heretics. The Catholic Church recognizes that the local Orthodox Churches are true Churches that have preserved apostolic succession and the true sacraments.

11. In the Latin rite, it is common to perform baptism by sprinkling rather than immersion. The baptismal formula is slightly different.

12. In the Western rite for the sacrament of confession, confessionals are widespread - a place reserved for confession, as a rule, special cabins - confessionals, usually wooden, where the penitent knelt on a low bench to the side of the priest, sitting behind a partition with a lattice window. In Orthodoxy, the confessor and the confessor stand in front of the lectern with the Gospel and the Crucifix in front of the rest of the parishioners, but at some distance from them.

Confessionals or confessionals

The confessor and the confessor stand in front of the lectern with the Gospel and the Crucifixion

13. In the eastern rite, children begin to receive communion from infancy, in the western rite they come to the first communion only at the age of 7-8 years.

14. In the Latin rite, a priest cannot be married (with the exception of rare, specially stipulated cases) and is obliged to take a vow of celibacy before ordination, in the Eastern (for both Orthodox and Greek Catholics) celibacy is required only for bishops.

15. great post in the Latin rite it begins on Ash Wednesday, and in the Byzantine rite on Maundy Monday.

16. In the Western rite, prolonged kneeling is customary, in the Eastern - prostrations, in connection with which benches with shelves for kneeling appear in Latin churches (believers sit only during Old Testament and Apostolic readings, sermons, offertoria), and for eastern rite it is important that there is sufficient space in front of the worshiper for prostration.

17. Orthodox clergy mostly wear beards. Catholic clergy are generally beardless.

18. In Orthodoxy, the departed are especially commemorated on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after death (the day of death is taken on the first day), in Catholicism - on the 3rd, 7th and 30th day.

19. One of the sides of sin in Catholicism is considered an insult to God. According to Orthodox view Since God is impassive, simple and unchanging, it is impossible to offend God, we harm only ourselves with sins (one who commits sin is a slave of sin).

20. Orthodox and Catholics recognize the rights of secular authorities. In Orthodoxy, there is a concept of a symphony of spiritual and secular authorities. In Catholicism, there is a concept of the supremacy of church power over secular. According to the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, the state comes from God, and therefore it should be obeyed. The right to disobey the authorities is also recognized by the Catholic Church, but with significant reservations. The Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church also recognizes the right to disobey if the authorities force them to deviate from Christianity or commit sinful acts. On April 5, 2015, Patriarch Kirill in his sermon on the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem noted:

“... The same is often expected from the Church that the ancient Jews expected from the Savior. The Church should help people, allegedly, to solve their political problems, to be ... a leader to achieve these human victories ... I remember the difficult 90s, when the Church was required to lead political process. Addressing the Patriarch or one of the hierarchs, they said: “Post your candidacies for the post of President! Lead the people to political victories! And the Church said: "Never!". Because our work is completely different… The Church serves those purposes that give people the fullness of life both here on earth and in eternity. Therefore, when the Church begins to serve political interests, the ideological fashions and predilections of this age ... she descends from that meek young donkey on which the Savior rode ... "

21. In Catholicism, there is a doctrine of indulgences (liberation from temporary punishment for sins in which the sinner has already repented, and the guilt for which has already been forgiven in the sacrament of confession). IN modern orthodoxy there is no such practice, although earlier “letters of permission”, an analogue of indulgences in Orthodoxy, existed in Constantinople Orthodox Church during the Ottoman occupation.

22. In the Catholic West, the prevailing opinion is that Mary Magdalene is the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee with chrism. The Orthodox Church categorically disagrees with this identification.

23. Catholics are obsessed with fighting any form of contraception, which is especially appropriate during the AIDS pandemic. And Orthodoxy recognizes the possibility of using some contraceptives that do not have an abortive effect, such as condoms and female caps. Of course, legally married.

24. Grace of God. Catholicism teaches that Grace is created by God for people. Orthodoxy believes that Grace is uncreated, eternal and affects not only people, but the whole creation. According to Orthodoxy, Grace is a mystical attribute and the Power of God.

25. The Orthodox use leavened bread for communion. Catholics are insipid. Orthodox receive bread, red wine (the body and blood of Christ) and warm water("warmth" - a symbol of the Holy Spirit), Catholics - only bread and white wine (to the laity - only bread).

Despite differences, Catholics and Orthodox profess and preach throughout the world one faith and one teaching of Jesus Christ. Once upon a time, human mistakes and prejudices separated us, but until now, faith in one God unites us. Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples. His students are both Catholics and Orthodox.

Catholicism is part of Christianity, and Christianity itself is one of the main religions of the world. Its directions include: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, with many types and branches. Most often, people want to understand what difference does Orthodoxy have from Catholicism, how does one differ from the other? Do such similar religions and churches that have the same root as Catholicism and Orthodoxy have serious differences? Catholicism in Russia and other Slavic states is much less widespread than in the West. Catholicism (translated from the Greek "katholikos" - "universal") is a religious direction, numbering about 15% of the total population. the globe(i.e., about a billion people profess Catholicism). Of the three respected Christian denominations (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism), Catholicism is rightfully considered the largest branch. Most adherents of this religious movement live in Europe, Africa, as well as in Latin America and USA. The religious trend arose as early as the first century AD - at the dawn of Christianity, during times of persecution and religious disputes. Now, 2,000 years later, Catholic Church took pride of place among the world's religious denominations. Establish a connection with God!

Christianity and Catholicism. Story

Control
The idea of ​​Catholicism is closely connected with the apostles, especially with the apostle Peter. Saint Peter is considered the first pope, and each subsequent pope is considered his spiritual successor. This gives the leader of the church strong spiritual authority and authority to resolve disputes that could disrupt governance. The notion that church leadership is an unbroken lineage from the apostles and their teachings (“apostolic succession”) has contributed to the survival of Christianity through times of trial, persecution, and reformation.
The advisory bodies are:
Synod of Bishops;
College of Cardinals.
The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the organs of church administration. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests and deacons. In the Catholic Church, power rests primarily with the bishops, with priests and deacons serving as their co-workers and assistants.
All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, perform sacred marriages, and conduct funerals.
Only priests and bishops may administer the sacraments of the Eucharist (although others may be ministers of Holy Communion), Penance (Reconciliation, Confession) and the Anointing of the Sick.
Only bishops can administer the sacrament of the Priesthood by which people become priests or deacons.
Catholicism: Churches and their meaning in religion
The church is considered "the body of Jesus Christ". Scripture says that Christ chose 12 apostles to God's temple However, it is the Apostle Peter who is considered the first bishop. In order to become a full member of the Catholic Church Society, it is necessary to preach Christianity or undergo the sacred sacrament of baptism.

Catholicism: the essence of the 7 sacraments
The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around 7 sacraments:
baptism;
chrismation (confirmation);
Eucharist (communion);
repentance (confession);
unction (unction);
marriage;
priesthood.
The purpose of the sacraments of the faith of Catholicism is to bring people closer to God, to feel grace, to feel unity with Jesus Christ.
1. Baptism
The first and main sacrament. Cleanses the soul from sins, gives grace. For Catholics, the sacrament of Baptism is the first step in their spiritual journey.
2. Confirmation (confirmation)
In the rite of the Catholic Church, Chrismation is allowed only after 13-14 years. It is believed that it is from this age that a person will be able to become a full member of church society. Confirmation is given through the anointing with holy Chrism and the laying on of hands.
3. Eucharist (Communion)
Sacrament in memory of the death and resurrection of the Lord. The incarnation of the flesh and blood of Christ is presented to believers through the tasting of wine and bread during worship.
4. Repentance
Through repentance, believers free their souls, receive forgiveness for their sins, and become closer to God and the church. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees the soul and facilitates our reconciliation with others. In this sacred sacrament, Catholics find God's unconditional forgiveness and learn to forgive others.
5. Unction
Through the sacrament of anointing with oil (sacred oil), Christ heals believers who suffer from illness, giving them support and grace. Jesus showed great concern for the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity to deepen the faith of the community.
6. Marriage
The sacrament of marriage is to some extent a comparison of the union of Christ and the church. Marriage sanctified by God, filled with grace and joy, blessed for the future family life, parenting. Such a marriage is inviolable and ends only after the death of one of the spouses.
7. Priesthood
The sacrament, by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained, receive power and grace for the performance of their sacred duties. The rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
The difference between Orthodoxy from Catholicism and Protestantism and their similarities
Catholic beliefs do not really differ significantly from the other major branches of Christianity, Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. All three main branches hold the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and so on. But as far as certain doctrinal points are concerned, there are some differences. Catholicism differs in several beliefs, which include special power pope, the concept of purgatory, and the doctrine that the bread used in the Eucharist becomes the true body of Christ at the time of the priest's blessing.

Catholicism and Orthodoxy: differences

Being species of the same religion, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have not been found for a long time. mutual language, namely from the 13th century to the middle of the 20th century. Due to this fact, these two religions have received many differences. How is Orthodoxy different from Catholicism?

The first difference between Catholicism can be found in the structure of the organization of churches. So, in Orthodoxy there are many churches, separate and independent of each other: Russian, Georgian, Romanian, Greek, Serbian, etc. Catholic churches located in different countries around the world have a single mechanism and are subject to one ruler - the Pope.

It should also be noted that the Orthodox Church does not accept changes, believing that it is necessary to follow all the canons and honor all the knowledge that was transmitted by Jesus Christ to his apostles. That is, the Orthodox in the 21st century observe the same rules and customs as the Orthodox in the 15th, 10th, 5th and 1st centuries.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that in Orthodox Christianity the main divine service is Divine Liturgy, in Catholicism - Mass. The parishioners of the Orthodox Church conduct the service standing, while Catholics often sit, but there are services that they conduct on their knees. The Orthodox endow only the Father with the symbol of faith and holiness, the Catholics give both the Father and the son.

Differs Catholicism and knowledge of life after death. IN Orthodox faith there is no such thing as purgatory, in contrast to Catholicism, although such an intermediate stay of the soul after leaving the body and before entering the judgment of God is not denied.

The Orthodox call the Mother of God the Mother of God, they consider her born in sin, as ordinary people. Catholics refer to her as the Virgin Mary, conceived immaculately and ascended to heaven in human form. On Orthodox icons, the saints are depicted in two dimensions to convey the presence of another dimension - the world of spirits. Catholic icons have an ordinary, simple perspective and the saints are depicted in a naturalistic way.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is in the shape and form of the cross. For Catholics, it is presented in the form of two crossbars, it can be either with the image of Jesus Christ, or without it. If Jesus is present on the cross, then he is depicted with a martyr's look and his feet are chained to the cross with one nail. At orthodox cross of four crossbars: to the two main ones, a small horizontal one is added at the top and an angled crossbar at the bottom, symbolizing the direction to heaven and hell.

Faith Catholicism differs in the commemoration of the dead. Orthodox commemorate on days 3, 9 and 40, Catholics - on days 3, 7 and 30. Also in Catholicism there is a special day of the year - November 1, when all the dead are commemorated. In many states, this day is a holiday.
Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that, unlike their counterparts in Protestant and Orthodox churches, Catholic priests take vows of celibacy. This practice is rooted in the early associations of the papacy with monasticism. There are several Catholic monastic orders, the most famous being the Jesuits, Dominicans and Augustinians. Catholic monks and nuns take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and dedicate themselves to a simple, worship-oriented life.

And finally, we can single out the process of the sign of the cross. In the Orthodox Church, they are baptized with three fingers and from right to left. Catholics, on the contrary, from left to right, the number of fingers does not matter.

Topic: Similarities and differences between Catholics and Orthodox.

1. Catholicism- from Greek word katholikos - universal (later - universal).

Catholicism is the Western version of Christianity. Appeared as a result of the church schism, prepared by the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern. The core of all the activities of the Western Church was the desire to unite Christians under the authority of the Roman bishop (pope). Catholicism finally took shape as a creed and church organization in 1054.

1.1 History of development.

The history of the development of Catholicism is a long process stretching for centuries, where there was a place for high aspirations (missionary work, enlightenment), and for the aspirations of secular and even world power, and a place for the bloody inquisition.

In the Middle Ages, the religious life of the Western Church included magnificent and solemn services, the worship of numerous holy relics and relics. Pope Gregory 1 included music in the catalytic liturgy. He also tried to replace the cultural traditions of antiquity with "saving church enlightenment."

Catholic monasticism contributed to the establishment and spread of Catholicism in the West.

Religion in the Middle Ages ideologically substantiated, justified and consecrated the essence of relations in a feudal society, where classes were clearly divided.

In the middle of the 8th century, an independent secular Papal State arose, i.e. at the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire, it was the only real power.

The strengthening of the secular power of the popes soon gave rise to their desire to dominate not only the church, but also the world.

During the reign of Pope Innocent 3 in the 13th century, the church reached its highest power, Innocent 3 managed to achieve the supremacy of spiritual power over secular, not least thanks to the crusades.

However, cities and secular sovereigns fought against papal absolutism, whom the clergy accused of heresy and created the Holy Inquisition, called upon to “uproot heresy with fire and sword.”

But the fall of the supremacy of spiritual power was inevitable. A new era of reformation and humanism was coming, which undermined the spiritual monopoly of the church, destroyed the political and religious solidity of Catholicism.

However, a century and a half after the French Revolution, the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815. restored the Papal States. Currently, there is a theocratic state of the Vatican.

The development of capitalism, industrialization, urbanization and the deterioration of the life of the working class, the rise of the labor movement led to the spread of an indifferent attitude towards religion.

Now the church has become a "church of dialogue with the world." New in its activities is the protection of human rights, especially the right to religious freedom, the struggle for the family and morality.

The area of ​​activity of the church is culture and cultural development.

In relations with the state, the church offers loyal cooperation, without the subordination of the church to the state and vice versa.

1.2 Features of dogma, cult and structure

religious organization of Catholicism.

2. I recognize the Catholics as the source of the doctrine Holy Bible(Bible) and holy tradition, which (unlike Orthodoxy) includes the decisions of the ecumenical gatherings of the Catholic Church and the judgments of the popes.

3. Adding to the Filioque Creed The Holy Spirit comes from God the Father. The addition consisted in the assertion that the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father and from God the Son (Orthodoxy rejects the filioque).

4. A feature of Catholicism is the exalted veneration of the Mother of God, the recognition of the legend of the immaculate conception of Mary by her mother Anna, and her bodily ascension to heaven after death.

5. The clergy take a vow of celibacy - celibacy. It was established in the 13th century in order to prevent the division of land between the heirs of the clergyman. Celibacy is one of the reasons why many Catholic priests today refuse to be ordained.

6. Dogma about purgatory. For Catholics, this is an intermediate place between heaven and hell, where the souls of sinners who have not received forgiveness in earthly life, but are not burdened with mortal sins, burn in a cleansing fire before gaining access to heaven. Catholics understand this test in different ways. Some interpret fire as a symbol, others recognize its reality. The fate of the soul in purgatory can be facilitated, and the period of its stay there is shortened. good deeds”, performed in memory of the deceased by relatives and friends who remained on earth. "Good deeds" - prayers, masses and material donations in favor of the church. (The Orthodox Church rejects the doctrine of purgatory).

7. Catholicism is characterized by a magnificent theatrical cult, a wide veneration of relics (the remains of "Christ's clothes", pieces of "the cross on which He was crucified", nails "with which He was nailed to the cross", etc.), the cult of martyrs, saints and blessed.

8. Indulgence - a papal letter, a certificate of remission of both committed and uncommitted sins, issued for money or for special services to the Catholic Church. Indulgence is justified by theologians by the fact that the Catholic Church allegedly has a certain stock of good deeds performed by Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints, which can cover the sins of people.

9. The church hierarchy is based on divine authority: the mystical life originates from Christ and descends through the pope and the entire structure of the church to its ordinary members. (Orthodoxy refutes this assertion).

10. Catholicism, like Orthodoxy, recognizes 7 sacraments - baptism, chrismation, communion, repentance, priesthood, marriage, unction.

2. Orthodoxy- one of the directions of Christianity, was formed in the 4th - 8th centuries, and gained independence in the 11th century as a result of the church schism, prepared by the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern (Byzantium).

2.1 History of development.

Orthodoxy did not have a single church center, because church power was concentrated in the hands of 4 patriarchs. As it decays Byzantine Empire each of the patriarchs began to head an independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church.

The beginning of the establishment of Orthodoxy in Rus' as the state religion was laid Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. By his order, in 988, the Byzantine clergy christened the inhabitants of the capital of the ancient Russian state of Kyiv.

Orthodoxy, just like Catholicism, justified and sanctified social inequality, the exploitation of man, called on the masses to humility and patience, which was very convenient for secular power.

The Russian Orthodox Church for a long time depended on the Constantinople (Byzantine) Church. Only in 1448 did she gain autocephaly. Since 1589, in the list of local Orthodox churches, the Russian was given the honorable 5th place, which it still occupies.

To strengthen the position of the church within the country, at the beginning of the 17th century, Patriarch Nikon carried out a church reform.

Inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the liturgical books were corrected, the church service was somewhat shortened, bows to the ground were replaced by waist ones, they began to be baptized not with two, but with three fingers. As a result of the reform, a split occurred, which led to the emergence of the Old Believer movement. Moscow Local Councils 1656 - 1667 cursed (anathematized) the old rites and their adherents, who were persecuted using the state repressive apparatus. (The curse of the Old Believers was abolished in 1971).

Peter 1 reorganized the Orthodox Church in constituent part state apparatus.

Just like Catholicism, Orthodoxy actively intervened in secular life.

During the revolution and the formation of Soviet power, the influence of the church was reduced to nothing. In addition, temples were destroyed, the clergy were persecuted and repressed. In the Soviet Union it is necessary to be an atheist - such was the party's line on the issue of freedom of conscience. Believers were looked upon as feeble-minded, condemned and oppressed.

Entire generations grew up in disbelief in God. Faith in God was replaced by faith in the leader and in a "bright future."

After the collapse Soviet Union temples began to be restored, people calmly visit them. The murdered clergy are counted among the holy martyrs. The church began to cooperate with the state, which began to return previously requisitioned church lands. Priceless icons, bells, etc. are returning from abroad. A new round of strengthening Orthodoxy in Russia began.

2.2 The doctrine of Orthodoxy and comparison with Catholicism.

Their differences and similarities.

1. Orthodoxy does not have a single church center, like Catholicism, and consists of 15 autocephalous and 3 autonomous local churches. Orthodoxy denies the dogma of Catholics about the primacy of the Pope of Rome and his infallibility (see paragraph 1 on Catholicism).

2. The religious basis is made up of Holy Scripture (Bible) and sacred tradition (decisions of the first 7 ecumenical councils and the works of the Church Fathers of the 2nd - 8th centuries.

3. The creed obliges to believe in one God, acting in three persons (persons): God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit (Holy). The Holy Spirit is declared to come from God the Father. Orthodoxy did not adopt the Filioque from the Catholics (see paragraph 3).

4. The most important dogma of the incarnation, according to which Jesus Christ, while remaining a god, was born of the virgin Mary. The Catholic cult of veneration of Mary is not recognized in Orthodoxy (see paragraph 4).

5. The clergy in Orthodoxy is divided into white (married parish priests) and black (monastics who take a vow of celibacy). Among Catholics, the vow of celibacy is given by the entire clergy (see paragraph 5).

6. Orthodoxy does not recognize purgatory (see paragraph 6).

7. In Orthodoxy, importance is attached to rituals, the cult of saints, the remains of saints are revered - relics, icons, i.e. the same as the Catholics, however, there are no relics in Orthodoxy (see paragraph 7).

8. In Orthodoxy there is a concept of remission of sins after confession and repentance. Orthodoxy does not recognize the indulgence of Catholics (see paragraph 8).

9. Orthodoxy denies the church hierarchy of Catholics, their divinity, succession from the apostles (see paragraph 9).

10. Like Catholicism, Orthodoxy recognizes all seven Christian sacraments. Orthodoxy and Catholicism also have common norms of church life (canons) and the most important components of ritualism: the number and nature of the sacraments, the content and sequence of services, the layout and interior of the temple, the structure of the clergy and its appearance, the presence of monasticism. Divine services are conducted in national languages, and dead languages ​​\u200b\u200bare used (Latin).

Bibliography.

1. Protestanism: an atheist's dictionary (Under the general editorship of L.N. Mitrokhin. - M: Politizdat, 1990 - p. 317).

2. Catholicism: an atheist's dictionary (Under the general editorship of L.N. Velikovich. - M: Politizdat, 1991 - p. 320).

3. Pechnikov B.A. Knights of the Church. M: Politizdat, 1991 - p. 350.

4. Grigulevich I.R. Inquisition. M: Politizdat, 1976 - p. 463

Christianity belongs to one of the world religions along with Buddhism and Judaism. Over a thousand-year history, it has undergone changes that have led to branches from a single religion. The main ones are Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Catholicism. Christianity also has other currents, but usually they are sectarian and are condemned by representatives of generally recognized trends.

Differences between Orthodoxy and Christianity

What is the difference between these two concepts? Everything is very simple. All Orthodox are Christians, but not all Christians are Orthodox. The followers, united by the confession of this world religion, are separated by belonging to its separate direction, one of which is Orthodoxy. To understand how Orthodoxy differs from Christianity, one must turn to the history of the emergence of world religion.

Origins of religions

Christianity is believed to have originated in the 1st century BC. from the birth of Christ in Palestine, although some sources claim that it became known two centuries earlier. The people who preached the belief were waiting for God to come to earth. The doctrine absorbed the foundations of Judaism and philosophical directions At that time, he was strongly influenced by the political situation.

The preaching of the apostles greatly contributed to the spread of this religion. especially Paul. Many pagans were converted to the new faith, and this process continued for a long time. At present, Christianity has the most a large number of followers compared to other world religions.

Orthodox Christianity began to stand out only in Rome in the 10th century. AD, and was officially approved in 1054. Although its origin can be attributed already to the 1st century. from the birth of Christ. Orthodox believe that the history of their religion began immediately after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, when the apostles preached a new creed and attracted more and more people to religion.

By II-III centuries. Orthodoxy opposed Gnosticism, which rejected the authenticity of history Old Testament and interpreter New Testament in a different way, which does not correspond to the generally accepted. Also, opposition was observed in relations with the followers of the presbyter Arius, who formed a new trend - Arianism. According to them, Christ did not possess a divine nature and was only an intermediary between God and people.

On the creed of nascent Orthodoxy big influence provided by the Ecumenical Councils supported by a number of Byzantine emperors. Seven Councils, convened over the course of five centuries, established the basic axioms subsequently accepted in modern Orthodoxy, in particular, confirmed the divine origin of Jesus, disputed in a number of teachings. This strengthened the Orthodox faith and allowed more and more people to join it.

In addition to Orthodoxy and small heretical teachings, rapidly fading in the process of developing stronger trends, Catholicism stood out from Christianity. This was facilitated by the split of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern. Huge differences in social, political and religious views led to the collapse one religion into Roman Catholic and Orthodox, which at first was called Eastern Catholic. The head of the first church was the Pope, the second - the patriarch. Their mutual excommunication of each other from the common faith led to a split in Christianity. The process began in 1054 and ended in 1204 with the fall of Constantinople.

Although Christianity was adopted in Rus' in 988, it was not affected by the process of schism. The official division of the church did not take place until several decades later, but at the baptism of Rus', Orthodox customs were immediately introduced, formed in Byzantium and borrowed from there.

Strictly speaking, the term orthodoxy was practically not found in ancient sources; the word orthodoxy was used instead. According to a number of researchers, earlier these concepts were given different meaning(orthodoxy meant one of the Christian directions, and Orthodoxy was almost a pagan faith). Subsequently, they began to attach a similar meaning to them, made them synonyms and replaced one with another.

Fundamentals of Orthodoxy

Faith in Orthodoxy is the essence of all divine teaching. The Niceno Constantinopolitan Creed, drawn up during the convocation of the Second Ecumenical Council, is the foundation of doctrine. The ban on changing any provisions in this system of dogmas has been in force since the time of the Fourth Council.

Based on the Creed, Orthodoxy is based on the following dogmas:

Desire to deserve eternal life in paradise after death is the main goal of professing the religion in question. True Orthodox Christian must all his life follow the commandments handed down to Moses and confirmed by Christ. According to them, one must be kind and merciful, love God and neighbors. The commandments indicate that all hardships and hardships must be endured meekly and even joyfully, despondency is one of the deadly sins.

Differences from other Christian denominations

Compare Orthodoxy with Christianity can be done by comparing its main directions. They are closely related to each other, as they are united in one world religion. However, there are huge differences between them on a number of issues:

Thus, the differences between directions are not always contradictory. There are more similarities between Catholicism and Protestantism, since the latter appeared as a result of the split of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. If desired, the currents could be reconciled. But this has not happened for many years and is not foreseen in the future.

Relation to other religions

Orthodoxy is tolerant of confessors of other religions. However, without condemning and peacefully coexisting with them, this movement recognizes them as heretical. It is believed that of all religions, only one is true; its professing leads to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. This dogma is contained in the very name of the direction, indicating that this religion is correct, opposite to other currents. Nevertheless, Orthodoxy recognizes that Catholics and Protestants are also not deprived of the grace of God, because, although they glorify Him differently, the essence of their faith is one.

By comparison, Catholics consider the only way to salvation to be the practice of their religion, while others, including Orthodoxy, are false. The task of this church is to convince all dissenters. The Pope is the head of the Christian Church, although this thesis is refuted in Orthodoxy.

The support of the Orthodox Church by the secular authorities and their close cooperation led to an increase in the number of followers of the religion and its development. In a number of countries, Orthodoxy is professed by the majority of the population. These include:

A large number of churches and Sunday schools are being built in these countries, and subjects dedicated to the study of Orthodoxy are being introduced into secular general educational institutions. Popularization also has a downside: often people who consider themselves Orthodox have a superficial attitude to the performance of rituals and do not observe the prescribed moral principles.

You can perform rites in different ways and relate to shrines, have different views on the purpose of your own stay on earth, but in the end, everyone who professes Christianity united by faith in one God. The concept of Christianity is not identical with Orthodoxy, but includes it. Maintain moral principles and be sincere in your dealings with Higher Powers is the foundation of any religion.