The main difference between Protestantism and Catholicism is in the manner of salvation. The Catholic church says that to be saved one must receive Christ and in addition to this perform good works. The Protestant churches believe that the only means to salvation is the reception of Christ in one's heart. Salvation is the free gift of God (sometimes called Grace). One cannot earn the gift.

The differences between Protestant and Catholic are many. They both are derived from Christianity but vary in many ways. Catholics believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus is somehow the Queen of Heaven. The Protestants do not. The Catholics believe that she has the ability to answer prayer, forgive sins and perform miracles. Again, Protestants do not. Protestants feel that she is favoured among woman but still needed Jesus' blood shed for her to be saved because the Bible says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. It doesn't exclude Mary from ALL. There is no reference in the Bible that Mary has any power or does it say that we are to pray to her. Catholics also believe that when a person dies that they must go to a place called purgatory before they can go to Heaven. They believe that they have to pay for their sins. The Protestants don't believe that such a place exists. The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The Bible says that Jesus came to earth to make atonement for ALL sin. If we have to go to a place to pay for our sins, then Jesus' death was in vain. We can do nothing to earn our way into Heaven. It is a gift given by the Grace of Almighty God. The Bible tells us that it is given as a gift by grace through faith lest no man should boast. Which plainly means that no man can take credit for his acceptance into the Kingdom of God because it has been given to everyone by Him. Ours is to believe God and to accept that gift. The gift is Jesus' death as full payment for our sins. We need only to believe ON, not in, Him and to ask Jesus to come into our hearts and lives and accept Him as Savior and Lord of our lives. The reason I say to believe ON and not IN is because to believe in Him is just to acknowledge that He existed. Satan believes in Him. We need to believe ON Him which is to say that we believe Him and we believe what He has told us and that we believe that His death paid the price in full for our sins. Catholics also believe that they need to go through a priest in order to communicate with God the Father or Jesus the Son. Protestants believe that we can go directly to Our Father in Heaven. Catholics pray to saints and believe that they have the ability to answer prayers. Protestants don't. Protestants don't deny the existance of saints but don't believe we should pray to anyone but God the Father, Jesus the Son or the Holy Spirit of God. Catholics are very ritualistic in the way they do things. Most of which were designed to worship the church and it's leaders such as the pope. Protestants main objective is to worship God. They feel that the Pope is a good man who has devoted his life to God but that he is infact, a man. God is no respecter of persons and we are all the same in His eyes. God doesn't love the Pope anymore than He does anyone else. The Pope is chosen by men and he can be removed by men. Protestants simply see him as the highest ranking member of the Catholic Church. He holds the highest office. The Catholic church also has it's own set of rules by which its members are to obey. Most of these rules were manmade and do not adhere to Bible teachings. Protestants take all their rules on how to live directly from the Bible. If God says so, then it is so. Both Catholics and Protestants believe that Mary was the mother or Jesus and that Jesus was the son of God. Both believe that she was a virgin and was made pregnant in a miraculous way by God. Both believe that He was crucified, died and was buried and that He rose 3 days later and now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. It is all the other stuff that makes Protestants and Catholics different. Added: I have spoken to many Catholics and alot of them do believe that Mary has the ability to forgive sin and they worship her. The Bible says that we should worship only God/Christ. The first Commandment says that. May times I have been in a Catholic church and many times I have seen people bow down at a statue of Mary. At the same time, they never even go near the statue of Jesus that is on the other side of the church. This is how and why I can say these things. I have witnessed it with my own eyes. The point is plainly this... Mary is not to be worshipped. Jesus has to save her too. God the Father and Jesus the Son are the only ones to be worshipped. Even the Holy Spirit says we shouldn't worship Him even though He is part of the Trinity. He says to give all praise to Jesus and the Father. There is not one passage in the Bible that says that we are to worship Mary and Catholics worship her always. That is wrong plain and simple. Edited on 4/21/06 First of all, I have been to many Catholic Church services and I have heard what the priest says. I have heard what the parishioners say. They skim over Jesus and dwell on Mary. I would like to know where in the Bible it tells us to give Mary so much praise or any praise for that fact. I want to know where in the Bible it says we are supposes to pray to Mary and ask her to do anything for us. Infact, in the Bible it tells us not to even try to talk to the dead. And that includes apostles, disciples, Mary, Joseph, Jesus' brothers, Aunt Tillie, Uncle Jack or anyone who has died. It does tell us to pray for eachother ( that is, those of us that are still alive ).It says to give ALL OUR PRAISE AND WORSHIP TO JESUS AND GOD THE FATHER. Actually, shortly after Jesus' death, Mary isn't even mentioned again. This is the basis for the protestants not dwelling on Mary the way the Catholics do. Just wanted to clarify this point.

Catholics and protestants do differ, but some of the above answers, although partially correct, are in other ways very wrong. Take it from a person who has been on both sides... protestantism and catholicism. Catholics and Protestants worship THE SAME God. Catholics Do Not worship Saints. They believe in the Communion of Saints, and they believe in the power of Intercession from Saints. Mary and the Saints can be prayed to, but they are asked to interceed to God, the only God that can forgive Sins. Any power the Saints have comes directly from God... They are an intermediary. Why do people ask the Saints to Intercede? Because they are closer to God than you are... they can take your problems to him... but all of the power, honor, and glory is His forever. No Saint, or Mary forgives sin. They can ask God to forgive your sin, but that is as far as it goes. IN RESPONSE to wfbrad: Don't get me wrong. It is very important to pray to Jesus... but a Saint can pray for you as well. It has been done for centuries by not only Catholics but Eastern Orthodox, Armenians, Copts, etc... actually, everyone BUT protestants. Also, Catholics have an immense respect for the Bible, and hold it very sacred, but they also look at other writings and tradition. You have to remember that Catholics have been around a lot longer than protestants... and if you want a Bible reference...here you go. (Ephesians 6:18-20)."Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, the saints, and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6:18-20).

The main difference between the manner of salvation in the Catholic church and Protestant denominations is this..... In the Catholic church God decides who is saved..... in the Protestant denominations "man" decides who is saved. That is what it really boils down to. In Catholicism, God is the final authority. In Protestantism "man" is the final authority.

The Christian faith, as the name implies, is simply centered in Christ and on His Word. Christians believe salvation is received by divine grace from above even though we are unworthy. According to His Word, everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23) but allowing Christ, not a religion, take over our lives and future will bring salvation (Romans 10:9). Salvation is received through repentance and maintained by adherence to the scripture. (I chose the word "Christians" because at times, Protestants and Catholics are identified as Christians. Hope this doesn't offend anyone...)

One main difference is the Catholic's belief in the whole true presence of Jesus' body and blood in the Eucharist (Holy Communion) A Catholic believes in "trans-substantiation" (a true change) while the Protestant believes in either "representation" or "con-substantiation" (bread and body existing in the same host)

I think the main difference is that the Protestant clergy seem to sexually molest far less children than the Catholic clergy, who seem to me to be the most perverted, sick body of people on the planet. I think it was Bill Hicks who described the Roman Catholic Church as "The World's Biggest Paedophile Ring". Who could argue.

Headgear

Some Catholic beliefs seem a little strange but Catholics are a lot nicer people than the nutty Protestant fundamentalists.