Whether or not a Catholic and Protestant can find a common denomination is entirely dependent on personal faith. Catholic and Protestant doctrine are at great odds with one another. One must first decide which has the ultimate authority, the church, or the scriptures. If the church has total authority, then any church one believes is dogmatically sound will do. However, if the scriptures are the sole authority, then only a protestant church can be allowed, as the Catholic Church maintains her sole authority superceding and preceding even the scriptures.

You might try Anglican (or Episcopalian if in the U.S.), I have heard members identify themselves as"'Anglo-Catholic".

As a Catholic, you have been blessed (whether you realize it or not) to receive the Catholic faith already. Religion is a duty to God and at its core is obedience. Your responsibility to God is to learn your faith and practice it. Christ tells us that it is He who chooses us. And as a Catholic, you need to understand that He is literally in the Catholic Church. Your duty to your husband is to live out your Catholic faith. Be an example of true Christian charity; and pray for him. You are so lucky that you can talk openly with your spouse about religion. Use this gift to discover the truths of Catholicism. Christ establish one, holy, universal, apostolic church. It is a fact of history that the churches from the reformation (Presbyterians, Anglican, etc.) were created by disobedient Catholics in Europe. They were tired of the sinful popes, sinful bishops, sinful priest (of course, they weren't tired of their own sins, but that's another matter). They pridefully thought they could do better, so they defied the Church and started new religions. Their cry of "I will not serve" is still with us today in the form of 30,000+ Protestant denominations (also see Luke 22:31) But their logic makes sense, right? I mean, you shouldn't put intermediaries between Christ and Man, especially if they're sinful, right?. So they got rid of the Pope and the bishops and the priests, and Protestants deal directly with God Himself. Seems logical, right? But it isn't Catholic. In Catholicism, you have the intermediaries and they are going to be sinners. So here's an interesting question: Did Christ foresee that these men (Popes, bishops, priests) would be sinners? Of course He did -- He's God. So then why did he use these people to hold and teach Christianity for 1500 years prior to the reformation? Well, he did it. We know that much for a fact. So let's not worry about WHY he did it -- accept that He DOES it that way. God is. He does not "change His mind". He does not change. He's perfect. He's God. Now, everything comes to us through intermediaries: God does not will us directly into existense, He cooperates with our parents. Jesus did not will Himself upon the earth, He came to us through the Blessed Virgin Mary after she freely agreed. God doesn't will food into existense for your children and stick it in your refrigerator, He provides it for them through your work. God doesn't even give santifying grace to anybody walking the planet today directly, He provides this through baptism that needs be administered by someone else -- an intermediary. The list goes on and on and on and on. The Catholic way acknowledges the whole person, body and soul, and fully respects God's plan of the use of intermediaries. Also, no other Church on earth but the Catholic Church claims to each NO ERROR in faith and morals. Don't you think that alone is worth learning about before you toss Catholicism for some man-made church that arose out of pride and disobedience? (By the way, what follows from pride and disobedience? Death.) You need to be united with Peter (the Pope) in Christ's prayer that his faith will not fail (Luke 22:31). You need to have the same faith as the Pope. That means you need to be in communion with the Catholic Church. Grab a copy of "Why Do Catholics Do That?" ISBN 0-345-39726-6. You can also write me at city.abq@gmail.com with questions. God Bless, Jeff

Jesus early church was ONE. We can't have it all. One Way. One WORD. One TRUTH.

Bobsgirl- My situation is the same. My wife is Catholic, I am Presbyterian. We have a son. The bottomline is this: A church-- any church, is a tool for achieving a personal relationship with God. Use the tool as you see fit to achieve this in addition to medatation on Christ's teachings, study of the Old and New Testiments, and enjoying creation. My wife finds that the vestiments, the pagentry, the reverence for the priest in Catholic mass helps her feel closer to God. For me, it is pretty much meaningless. I wasn't raised that way, and that is okay, I find those things distracting to a passionate and rigorous pursuit of a Christian life (I do not need more distractions, I fall way short). She loves and respects me and I love and respect her. We happened to find a Presbyterian church that has an incredible pastor, we go to a service that is more traditional versus contemporary, and she is happy. We go to Midnight Mass (if we can make it with the baby) at the Catholic Church, and I think it's really nice. Occasionally, we visit the local Catholic chuch, and it's great. We have a wonderful Christian relationship. The biggest problem we have is with some of her family (traditional from a S. American country) and others on this post who think that one particular church hold the keys. What a joke. I would take away this-- Organized religion is a tool and a reflection of culture, not an endgame. You were raised Catholic, and that's part of you and your family. It's important that there is mutual respect between you and him on these important facets of the sum total of your life experiences. Good Luck and God Bless...

The Anglican church service is almost identical to the Catholic Church, but it has a more Protestant outlook. It seems to be the choice for many couples in your situation, including my husband and me, and about half of our congregation. Be advised that the Episcopal Church in America is in a state of flux right now, after a split. So you may find both the new Anglican church and the old Episcopal church in your area. http://www.standfirminfaith.com/harmon/t19/ http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/index.php

I would suggest either Lutheran or if you want to get away from the retoric then go into a non-denominational full gospel church. Personally I have been in both and although most of their teaching is good I have become disillusioned with a lot of their teaching....I am now a Liberated Christian. I combine what I have learned in other denominations and combine the truths of Liberation Christians. Roman Catholicism does not allow their people to leave their church easily so be ready for a fight. You know what is best for you so make your decision and stick to it regardless. Good Luck!

whatever you decide on, do some "church shopping." you don't have to settle in to one right now, but for the next few sundays try out a different church each week. it's very helpful, and you can figure out what you want in a church and what you don't want in a church by experiencing several different ones. the first thing i look for is voluntarily friendliness - people who are not ushers or greeters who say hello and ask my name.

Yes, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is accepting applications for people in your position

Anglican is the good inbetweeny here. There are a lot of similarities in anglican and catholic services - the main difference between the two is the number of sacraments (only 2 for anglicans) but a lot of the other issues seem very similar (eg, episcopalian (or bishops) in charge, etc). And the dress code is largely similar - although there seem to be a few more frills in the catholics. Of course, the anglicans dont tend to have a lot of saints around the place, but that again can vary from anglican to anglican (the anglican church seems to sway from one extreme to another - from those high church bells and smells types, to the evangelicals, or even raving fundamentalists - but all wthin the one organisation, which is where, I suppose, we get the expression 'a broad church'). Presbyterians are a different kettle of fish. Although they form part of the reformed churches (ie, following the principles of the reformation in its break from Rome etc), there is a fundamental difference in organisation from the Anglicans and Catholics - in that they are led by a presbuteros (elder). Rather than being led from outside the immediate Church organisation by, for example, a bishop, the presbyterians have a system of elders within the church, who elect their minister. A further option might be the Methodists - bear in mind the Methodists evolved from the anglican church, but with a more simple expression of faith. There are some similarities between the presyberians and methodists, in that both have a simple layout to churches, without the fancy schmancy fripperies that regale the place. So basically, you are lookin at finding a happy medium between two very different organisations, but it seems to me that the anglican church is probably the best if you are looking for something that will give you both familiarity. Having said that - is it familiarity you are after? or are you interested in finding a place to worship? Maybe you should be celebrating your togetherness by finding a local church where you can both feel happy and feel that you belong - you could just try out all the churches in the area, until you find the one that suits. Remember, it is the people, not the building, who make up the church.

JESUS "CHURCH" is HIM/HIS BODY...we join HIM when we are baptized.not a certain sect or building...the Apostles had a job to do after the Ascension, & that was to show & teach them how to assemble(wherever) IN HIS NAME...and this coming together was for the believers and HIS "church/body/ assembly " was founded on Peter's (the rock) CONFESSION of "thou art the Messiah"...ONE WAY < ONE TRUTH< ONE WORD....it is also very helpful to read Revelations where Jesus spoke to HIS 7 "early churches"/ assemblies/ congregations....HE praised a few but others HE certainly did not... i gather where I do because for me personally , it is as close to how the "early churches" in the New Testament came together to worship & praise the Lord... i have no doubt, Jesus Church /HIS Body will fail...may not be many who truly joined HIM...but it wont fail....& their is only ONE... just my own reasonings.....

Meant no offense. "Moot" was followed with a basic reasoning, perhaps a friendly context lost in the electronic media. Not meant to be dismissive, in fact, poking some fun at myself: We've only had three centuries or so to make mistakes and correct versus 20. . It's not the teaching of faith and morals of the Catholic church that reformed denominations, at least my own, take issue with. Above all, we reformed the organization of organized religion, did very little to actual doctrine of faith and morals. If you attended a Presbyterian service, you would find it remarkably similar to a Catholic mass. . Anyways, we both digress. The young woman married to the Presbyterian, perhaps long gone from the forum. I would advise her (1) she may take solace in what Pope Benedict has said, that Christ's salvation can work through Christian "communities" outside of the Roman Catholic Church, (2) Respect her husband's traditions, (3) demand the same in return from him, and (4) celebrate the unity of the greater Christian community. To do otherwise, where a spouse believes a denomination is somehow better or "right-er" will cause unneccessary erosion to a holy union. . A cup of tea for you, my friend. I am having one now!

Why would you want to leave the Catholic Church? There are beliefs and truths of the Catholic Church that none of the other religions / denominations follow; in fact, they denounce them. But, in reality, these beliefs and truths are based on Scripture, Tradition and Jesus...not Martin Luther, John Calvin, etc. Indeed, the succession of our Popes, Bishops, and Priests are traced to Peter...and to Aaron of the Old Testament. My recommendation is that you, as a Catholic, learn your religion. Your spouse can remain a Presbyterian if that is his choice...as you learn more about Catholicism maybe you can evangleize him and bring him home. By the way, my wife is Lutheran...and I am practicing what I am preaching...