Catholic v Protestant: Practices and Beliefs
Catholicism
Transubstantiation – the bread and wine used during
Communion are believed to actually become the body and
blood of Christ.
Purgatory – a place between Heaven and Hell where time
must be spent to ‘pay off’ sins before the person is allowed
into Heaven. Catholics believe that praying for the person
after their death is important because it reduces their time in
Purgatory, and allows them to reach Heaven sooner.
Services and Bible should be in Latin.
Decoration of churches with statues, stained glass and
pictures of saints and scenes from the Bible, also known as
‘idols’. These were used to help focus prayer, and to offer the
most beautiful aspects of life on earth to God. Priests also
wore colourful robes.
Stone altar at the East end of the church, separated from the
congregation. Catholics believed that ordinary people could
not access God; they had to go through the clergy. The laity
Protestantism
Consubstantiation – the bread and wine used during
Communion are believed only to represent the body and
blood of Christ, not actually become them.
Protestants do not believe in Purgatory, and so do not believe
that there is any value in saying prayers for the dead.
Services and Bible should be in the vernacular – the native
language of the country – rather than in Latin. The laity had
much more access to God and religion with Protestantism
than with Catholicism.
Little decoration in churches – Protestants believed that idols
were false, as people should pray only to God, and that
decorations in churches were distracting.
Colourful robes replaced by simple black and white garments.
Wooden table in the nave (centre) of the church. Placed
among the congregation, symbolising that they could access
their religion too.
were therefore separated from the altar, where the priests The laity were allowed to take bread and wine at Communion
conducted Communion. too, representing the idea that they were not separate from
Only priests were allowed to take bread and wine at the clergy.
Communion.