Pentecostal vs. Catholic

Introduction

A Christian can be defined as a devotee or follower of Jesus Christ. It could be a Catholic, Protestant, Gnostic, Mormon, Evangelical, Anglican, or Orthodox, or it could be a follower of another religion. However, Catholicism, among the others, is the largest denomination of Christianity. Hence, it is not wrong to say that "all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians will be Catholics."

Some of the main differences can be based on the holy books used to worship, to which they confess their sins to seek forgiveness, the importance provided to the goddess or mother Mary, the pathway defined to attain salvation, and go to the final destination, which is heaven. The Pentecostal community communicates directly with the Lord through baptism with the Holy Spirit ideology. They are devoted to God, believing in the personal presence of God. They also believe that they are gifted at speaking and, hence, must be kind to use it properly. On the other hand, the Catholic community believes in Western Church practices. Catholicism, among others, is the largest denomination of Christianity. Hence, it is not wrong to say that "all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians will be Catholics."

Difference Between Pentecostal and Catholic in Tabular Form

Main parameters of comparison	Pentecostal	Catholics
Worship books used	Bible is the only book used in most churches.	Bible is used in different Catholic churches
Ideology or method of attaining salvation	God gives salvation to all, despite the sins his people have committed in the past.	Salvation is only possible for those who restrain themselves from committing sins, do good, and are kind to those around them.
Priest's Role	People of Pentecostal belief believe that every person has the right to talk directly to God without the necessity of an intermediary.	The priest plays a greater role in the Catholic section as he acts as an intermediary who helps in communication between the people and God. He aids the people in seeking forgiveness for their sins through regular confessions.
Relevance of mother Mary	Mother Mary was the "chosen" who was blessed to give birth to her son, "the Jesus" into the world.	However, in Catholic belief, mother Mary is worshiped as a distinct individual with equal importance to her son, "Jesus."
Group they belong to	Pentecostals belong to the group of protestants.	They include a separate worship group that is not included among the protestants.
Disagreement in beliefs	The Pentecostal community communicates directly with the Lord through baptism with the Holy Spirit ideology. They are devoted to God, believing in the personal presence of God. They also believe that they are gifted at speaking and, hence, must be kind to use it properly.	On the other hand, the Catholic community believes in Western Church practices. Catholicism, among others, is the largest denomination of Christianity. Hence, it is not wrong to say that "all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians cannot be Catholics."

What is Pentecostal?

Pentecostalism was a religious movement in the early 20th century that gave rise to the "Protestant churches". This community is unique in its belief that all Christians should seek a post-conversion religious experience and converse directly with God through the method of baptism with the Holy Spirit. This is a Christian movement that emphasizes the direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. The name "Pentecostal" is derived from its teaching on the Godhead, also referred to as the Oneness doctrine, a form of Modalistic Monarchianism. According to this community, which states that there is only one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are his transient forms. But they all come together to form the Pentecostal oneness. This might provide a sharp contrast to the ideology of the other three distinct and eternal persons posited by Trinitarian theology.

These believers solely believe in oneness and generally baptize in the name of Jesus Christ, as opposed to the Trinitarian formula of baptizing "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." This is a distinguishing difference between Pentecostalism and others. According to oneness believers, Jesus is the one name of all Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and thus all religious activities should be performed only in that one name.

History of Pentecostalism

The histories that date back to the 20th century describe how a group of believers was expelled from the Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles because of their constant insistence on the need for a spiritual revival. And that this search for revivals, a practice that has been more or less widespread in Protestant milieus since the advent of Methodism in the 19th century, involves special kinds of prayers and rituals that may be slightly more advanced than those that exist today.

Instead of breaking up and joining other Christian communities, this small group, which included the true and faithful devotees, started to conduct regular meetings and hold prayers ever since. It was under the direction of St. William. The first Pentecost was preached there, and they prayed for a similar outpouring of the Holy Spirit to that described in the Acts of the Apostles.

According to the historians, this initiative spread rapidly across the city and many other people joined the group. It has now become necessary for it to relocate to larger premises on Azusa Street, where the Apostolic Faith Mission has been set up.

The first religious service was on April 14, 1906. According to the stories, that spiritual experience, generally recognized as the beginning of Pentecostalism, was later to be called "Baptism in the Holy Spirit."

Besides their beliefs about the Godhead, Pentecostals also differ significantly from most other Pentecostal and evangelical Christians in matters of soteriology. Most Pentecostals and Evangelical Protestants believe that only faith in Jesus Christ is the essential element for salvation. Whereas, Oneness Pentecostals believe that salvation is by grace through faith and that true faith leads to repentance. And they support the necessity of full-submersion water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Many also tend to emphasize strict standards in dress, grooming, and other areas of personal conduct; teaching shared with traditional Holiness Pentecostals but not with other Finished Work Pentecostal groups.

The Oneness Pentecostal movement first emerged in America following the doctrinal disputes within the nascent Finished Work Pentecostal movement. This movement holds records with an estimated 24 million adherents today. However, it is important to know that despite the ideology of "Jesus only", this community does not deny the existence of the Father or Holy Spirit.

What is Catholic?

Catholicism forms the largest denomination of Christianity. The Catholic community believes in the Western Church's practices. As a result, it is not incorrect to state that all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians can be Catholics.'

Roman Catholicism, along with Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism, forms one of the three major branches of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church traces its history back to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Over centuries, it has developed a highly sophisticated theology being followed. Also, the large organizational structure headed by the papacy

The number of Roman Catholics in the world is nearly 1.1 billion. There are more Roman Catholics than all other Christians combined and more Roman Catholics than all other religions combined. Some analysis shows that even though there are more Muslims than Roman Catholics, the number of Roman Catholics is greater than that of the individual traditions of Shii and Sunni Islam.

Roman Catholicism

Its history, structure, beliefs, and practices, as well as the large number of people who adhere to their theology, are essential components of culture and religion, regardless of how one answers the ultimate questions of life. Roman Catholicism is described and interpreted in varying perspectives and methodologies. As a result, it has become a complex institution. The organizational structure begins with the topmost position being the pope, which later expands to the believers.

Among the other world religions, Roman Catholicism encompasses a multi-colored life. When the church approached the end of the first millennium, by then it had already become the legatee of the spiritual, administrative, and intellectual resources of the early centuries. The Eastern Orthodox Church has a large share in the development of Christianity, as did the Roman Catholic Church during the early centuries. Hence, the Middle Ages may be defined as the period that gave immense rise to the Roman Catholic forms already established. These historical discoveries help us to understand the relevance of these institutions in the early Christian centuries.

Differences Between Pentecostalism and Catholicism in Points

The use of worship books

For Catholics, the most commonly used holy book is the "holy bible" in all their churches, along with other holy books. On the other hand, Pentecostals use only the Holy Bible for their worship.

The Priest's Role

Catholics use a mediator who passes the prayers to God. Also, a priest acts like an intermediary who helps people communicate with God and confess their sins to seek forgiveness. On the other hand, Pentecostals pray directly to God, even to seek forgiveness. Priests play no vital role in the later worshipping section.

Salvation-seeking ideology

Mother Mary's Importance

In terms of relevance, the role of mother Mary may also differ. In Catholic belief, Mary has a greater role. And, Catholics also pray separately for the mother-to-be to marry along with the worship of Jesus (her son). Whereas, in Pentecostalism, Mother Mary is the chosen woman who was blessed to bring her son Jesus into the earth or the world.

Belief Distinction

The Pentecostal community communicates directly with the Lord through baptism with the Holy Spirit ideology. They are devoted to God, believing in the personal presence of God. They also believe that they are gifted at speaking and, hence, must be kind to use it properly. On the other hand, the Catholic community believes in Western Church practices. Catholicism, among others, is the largest denomination of Christianity. Hence, it is not wrong to say that "all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians cannot be Catholics."

Conclusion

Catholics and Protestants (Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, and others) believe similarly in some things and may have different beliefs in others.

Some of the main differences can be based on the holy books used to worship, to whom they confess their sins to seek forgiveness, the importance provided to the goddess or mother Mary, the pathway defined to attain salvation, and go to the final destination, which is heaven.

In the former section, the most common use is the holy bible in most churches, On the other hand, Pentecostals use only the Holy Bible for their worship. Catholics use a mediator who passes the prayers to God. Also, a priest is an intermediary who aids people in communicating with God and confessing their sins to seek forgiveness. On the other hand, Pentecostals pray directly to God, even to seek forgiveness. Priests play no vital role in the later worshipping section.

The ideology of attaining salvation is also quite different. According to Catholics, any sin committed prevents them from going to heaven, where God exists. On the other hand, Pentecostals believe that Jesus saves them all from whatever happens and finally helps them reach their destination of paradise or heaven. The role of Mother Mary may also be different in relevance given. In Catholics' belief, Mary has a greater role. Along with their worship of Jesus (her son), Catholics pray separately for the mother-to-be to marry. In contrast, mother Mary is the chosen woman who was blessed to bring her son Jesus into the earth, or the world, according to Pentecostalism.

References

Introduction
Pentecostal vs. Catholic
Difference Between Pentecostal and Catholic in Tabular Form
What is Pentecostal?
What is Catholic?
Differences Between Pentecostalism and Catholicism in Points
Conclusion
References

Difference Between Pentecostal and Catholic

Introduction