Practice beside Scripture
Thirty-one practices and teachings, Catholic, Protestant and shared, each placed by how its holders and its critics read Scripture.
How to read the chart
Each row is a practice or teaching. The filled dot is where its holders place it; the ring is where its critics place it, on one scale from Stated to Not found. Where they agree, one mark. Open a row for each side’s reason in a sentence and the passage, read in context on the page that treats it.
The ratings are our reading of each side’s own case, not a measurement. They test Protestant practices exactly as they test Catholic ones. There are more Catholic rows because Catholic teaching defines more beyond the shared faith, and most Protestant positions are the refusal of those; the count is not a score.
- Where its holders place it
- Where its critics place it
- Both place it here
The practices
Held by Catholics
Most are also held by the Orthodox.
The pope as Peter’s successor, head of the whole churchCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Peter is the rock and holds the keys, and is told to feed the sheep; an office like that outlives its first holder.
Its critics: The passages give Peter a first place; none mentions a successor or Rome.
In context: Matthew 16:13-20. Quoted against it: Ephesians 2:19-22.
The pope teaching without error when he defines a doctrineCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Jesus promised the Spirit would guide into all truth, and prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.
Its critics: The promise of John 16 is to the apostles in the room; no text extends it to a line of bishops.
In context: John 16:12-15. Quoted against it: Galatians 2:11-14.
An unwritten apostolic Tradition, held beside Scripture todayCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Paul tells a church to hold the traditions taught “by word, or by letter”; that a separate stream survives today is drawn by reasoning.
Its critics: Those traditions were the apostles’ own teaching, now written; no text says a separate stream survives.
In context: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15. Quoted against it: Mark 7:5-13.
The bread and wine changed in substance into Christ’s body and bloodCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Jesus said “This is my body”, and in John 6, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life”, and let disciples leave rather than soften it.
Its critics: Christ’s presence is argued among Protestants; a change of substance is a 1215 definition no text states.
In context: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, John 6:47-58. Quoted against it: John 6:60-69.
The Mass as the sacrifice of the cross made presentCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Paul sets the Lord’s table beside the altars of Israel and of idols; Malachi foretells a pure offering among the nations.
Its critics: Hebrews says Christ offered once, sat down, and “there is no more offering for sin”.
In context: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. Quoted against it: Hebrews 10:10-18.
Asking saints in heaven to pray for usCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: The elders in heaven hold bowls of incense, “the prayers of the saints”, and a cloud of witnesses surrounds us.
Its critics: Every prayer in Scripture is addressed to God, and no believer asks a departed saint for anything.
In context: Revelation 5:6-10. Quoted against it: Deuteronomy 18:9-14.
Mary conceived without original sinCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Gabriel greets her as “you highly favored one”, a grace already complete.
Its critics: Paul says “all have sinned”, and Mary calls God her Savior.
In context: Luke 1:26-38. Quoted against it: Romans 3:21-24.
Mary taken body and soul into heavenCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: The crowned woman of Revelation 12, with Enoch and Elijah taken up before her.
Its critics: Scripture is silent on the end of Mary’s life.
In context: Revelation 12:1-6.
Mary a virgin all her lifeCatholics, the Orthodox, and the ReformersIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Jesus gives his mother into a disciple’s care at the cross; “until” need not mean afterwards, and the “brothers” can be kin.
Its critics: Matthew says Joseph did not know her until the birth, and the Gospels name his brothers and sisters beside his mother.
In context: Matthew 1:18-25. Quoted against it: Mark 3:31-35.
Purgatory, a cleansing after deathCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: A saved worker suffers loss “but as through fire”, and 2 Maccabees prays for the dead.
Its critics: The fire tests work on the Day; Paul expects to be with Christ at once. The US bishops’ own Bible note says 1 Corinthians 3:15 does not envisage purgatory.
In context: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Quoted against it: Hebrews 9:27-28.
IndulgencesCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Christ gave Peter, and the Church, power to bind and loose.
Its critics: Christ’s one offering leaves nothing to be done: “there is no more offering for sin”.
In context: Matthew 16:13-20. Quoted against it: Hebrews 10:10-18.
Confessing grave sins to a priest for absolutionCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: The risen Jesus gave the apostles power to forgive and retain sins; that sins must be told to a priest is drawn from it.
Its critics: No passage shows anyone confessing privately to an apostle for absolution; believers in Ephesus confessed their deeds openly (Acts 19:18), and James says confess to one another.
In context: John 20:19-23. Quoted against it: Hebrews 4:14-16.
An ordained priesthood that offers the sacrificeCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Those who preside at the one offering share Christ’s one priesthood; Paul calls his work priestly service.
Its critics: The New Testament calls all believers “a royal priesthood” and no church officer a priest.
In context: Hebrews 7:23-28. Quoted against it: 1 Peter 2:4-10.
Requiring Latin-rite priests to be unmarriedCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Paul wishes all were unmarried for the Lord’s sake, and Jesus praises celibacy for the kingdom.
Its critics: Paul assumes married overseers and warns against those “forbidding marriage”.
In context: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9. Quoted against it: 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
Bowing to and kissing icons and statuesCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: God ordered cherubim for his own house, and in Christ, “the image of the invisible God”, the unseen was seen.
Its critics: God ordered images and never ordered bowing to any; the bronze serpent was destroyed once it was honoured.
In context: Numbers 21:4-9, Colossians 1:15-20. Quoted against it: Exodus 20:1-6.
Seven sacramentsCatholicsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Each of the seven has its root in an act of Christ or the apostles.
Its critics: Scripture does not count sacraments; seven was fixed in the twelfth century.
In context: Ephesians 5:28-33.
Held by Protestants, or some of them
Protestants are not one voice: each row says who.
Scripture alone as the only infallible ruleProtestantsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: “Every Scripture is God-breathed” and equips completely, and the Bereans tested an apostle by it.
Its critics: No verse says Scripture alone, and Paul also tells churches to hold spoken tradition.
In context: 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Acts 17:10-12. Quoted against it: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15.
Justified by faith aloneProtestantsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Righteousness is counted to the one who “doesn’t work, but believes”, “apart from works”; the Reformers summed that up as faith alone.
Its critics: The only verse with the words says a man is justified “not only by faith”.
In context: Romans 4:1-8. Quoted against it: James 2:14-26.
Two sacraments only: baptism and the SupperProtestantsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Only these two carry a command of Christ joined to a sign.
Its critics: James commands anointing with forgiveness of sins, and John 20 gives power to forgive.
In context: Matthew 28:18-20. Quoted against it: James 5:14-15.
Baptism only after a profession of faithBaptists and many evangelicalsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: The baptisms Acts describes follow hearing and believing; that it must always come after is drawn from that.
Its critics: No text forbids baptising children, and whole households were baptised, “he and all his household”.
In context: Acts 2:37-41. Quoted against it: Acts 16:29-34.
The Supper as a memorial onlyBaptists and many evangelicalsIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me”; that it is a memorial and nothing more is drawn from what the words leave out.
Its critics: Paul calls the cup “a sharing of the blood of Christ”, which is more than a memory.
In context: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. Quoted against it: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17.
Communion open to any baptised believerMost Protestant churchesIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Because there is one loaf, “we, who are many, are one body”.
Its critics: Paul warns that eating unworthily is guilt, so the sign should not claim a unity that is not there.
In context: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. Quoted against it: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29.
Married pastors and priestsProtestants and Eastern CatholicsHolders and critics both read it as Shown.
Its holders: Peter had a mother-in-law, and the apostles took along “a wife who is a believer”.
And: Catholics agree Scripture shows it; their rule for the Latin rite is a discipline, not a doctrine.
In context: 1 Corinthians 9:3-6.
Held by both
Where Scripture says it outright, the two sides already stand together.
Baptism in water in the name of the Father, Son and SpiritBothHolders and critics both read it as Stated.
Its holders: Jesus sends the disciples out “baptizing them in the name of the Father”, the Son and the Spirit.
And: Each side recognises the other’s baptism and does not repeat it.
In context: Matthew 28:18-20.
Celebrating the Lord’s SupperBothHolders and critics both read it as Stated.
Its holders: Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me.”
And: What it is divides them; that it is commanded does not.
In context: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29.
Baptising the infants of believersCatholics and most Protestant churchesIts holders read it as Inferred; its critics as Not found.
Its holders: Whole households were baptised, and Paul ties baptism to circumcision.
Its critics: Baptists answer that no baptised infant is named, and Peter says repent first.
In context: Colossians 2:11-12, Acts 16:29-34. Quoted against it: Acts 2:37-41.
Confessing sins to one anotherBothHolders and critics both read it as Stated.
Its holders: “Confess your offenses to one another.”
And: Both have the command; both are better at it in theory than in practice.
In context: James 5:13-16.
Elders anointing the sick with oilBoth, though many Protestant churches neglect itHolders and critics both read it as Stated.
Its holders: The sick are to call the elders, “anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord”.
And: Whether it is a sacrament is disputed; that it is commanded is not.
In context: James 5:14-15.
Asking living believers to pray for usBothHolders and critics both read it as Stated.
Its holders: Paul asks for prayers and intercessions “for all men”.
And: No Christian disputes it, and there is “one mediator between God and men”.
In context: 1 Timothy 2:1-6.
Calling Mary the Mother of GodCatholics, the Orthodox and LutheransHolders and critics both read it as Inferred.
Its holders: Elizabeth calls her “the mother of my Lord”, and the Lord is God.
And: Calvin refused it as a title, as feeding superstition; many Protestants confess what it says about Christ and seldom use the words.
In context: Luke 1:41-48.
The Trinity, one God in three personsBothHolders and critics both read it as Inferred.
Its holders: The word is not in Scripture; the doctrine is drawn from passages such as Matthew 28 and John 1.
And: Both sides reason past the words here, and both call it the heart of the faith.
In context: John 1:1-14.
Test it yourself
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
Acts 17:10-12In context. Luke’s record of Paul and Silas in Berea: the Jews there heard Paul gladly and checked what he said against the Scriptures every day. Luke calls this noble.