41. Many Protestants tend to separate life into categories of "spiritual" and "carnal," as if God is not Lord of all of life. It forgets that all non-sinful endeavors are ultimately spiritual.
42. Protestantism has removed the Eucharist from the center and focus of Christian worship services. Some Protestants observe it only monthly, or even quarterly. This is against the Tradition of the early Church.
43. Most Protestants regard the Eucharist symbolically, which is contrary to universal Christian Tradition up to 1517, and the Bible (
Mt 26:26-28;
Jn 6:47-63;
1 Cor 10:14-22;
1 Cor 11:23-30), which hold to the Real Presence (another instance of the antipathy to matter).
44. Protestantism has virtually ceased to regard marriage as a sacrament, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Mt 19:4-5;
1 Cor 7:14;
1 Cor 7:39;
Eph 5:25-33).
45. Protestantism has abolished the priesthood (
Mt 18:18) and the sacrament of ordination, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Acts 6:6;
Acts 14:22;
1 Tim 4:14;
2 Tim 1:6).
46. Catholicism retains the Pauline notion of the spiritual practicality of a celibate clergy (e.g.,
Mt 19:12,
1 Cor 7:8,
1 Cor 7:27,
1 Cor 7:32-33).
47. Protestantism has largely rejected the sacrament of confirmation (
Acts 8:18,
Heb 6:2-4), contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible.
48. Many Protestants have denied infant baptism, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Acts 2:38-39;
Acts 16:15;
Acts 16:33;
Acts 18:8;
1 Cor 1:16;
Col 2:11-12). Protestantism is divided into five major camps on the question of baptism.
49. The great majority of Protestants deny baptismal regeneration, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Mk 16:16;
Jn 3:5;
Acts 2:38;
Acts 22:16;
Rom 6:3-4;
1 Cor 6:11;
Titus 3:5).
50. Protestants have rejected the sacrament of anointing of the sick (Extreme Unction / "Last Rites"), contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Mk 6:13;
1 Cor 12:9,
1 Cor 12:30;
Jas 5:14-15).
51. Protestantism denies the indissolubility of sacramental marriage and allows divorce, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Gen 2:24;
Mal 2:14-16;
Mt 5:32;
Mat 19:6,
Mat 19:9;
Mk 10:11-12;
Lk 16:18;
Rom 7:2-3;
1 Cor 7:10-14;
1 Cor 7:39).
52. Protestantism doesn't believe procreation to be the primary purpose and benefit of marriage (it isn't part of the vows, as in Catholic matrimony), contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Gen 1:28;
Gen 28:3,
Ps 107:38;
Ps 127:3-5).
53. Protestantism sanctions contraception, in defiance of universal Christian Tradition (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) up until 1930 - when the Anglicans first allowed it - and the Bible (
Gen 38:8-10;
Gen 41:52;
Ex 23:25-26;
Lev 26:9;
Deut 7:14;
Ruth 4:13;
Lk 1:24-25). Now, only Catholicism retains the ancient Tradition against the "anti-child" mentality.
54. Protestantism (mostly its liberal wing) has accepted abortion as a moral option, contrary to universal Christian Tradition until recently (sometime after 1930), and the Bible (e.g.,
Ex 20:13;
Job 31:15;
Ps 139:13-16;
Isa 44:2;
Isa 49:5;
Jer 1:5;
Jer 2:34;
Lk 1:15;
Lk 1:41;
Rom 13:9-10).
55. Protestantism (largely liberal denominations) allow women pastors (and even bishops, as in Anglicanism), contrary to Christian Tradition (inc. traditional Protestant theology) and the Bible (
Mt 10:1-4;
1 Tim 2:11-15;
1 Tim 3:1-12;
Titus 1:6).
56. Protestantism is, more and more, formally and officially compromising with currently fashionable radical feminism, which denies the roles of men and women, as taught in the Bible (
Gen 2:18-23;
1 Cor 11:3-10) and maintained by Christian Tradition (differentiation of roles, but not of equality).
57. Protestantism is also currently denying, with increasing frequency, the headship of the husband in marriage, which is based upon the headship of the Father over the Son (while equal in essence) in the Trinity, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
1 Cor 11:3;
Eph 5:22-33;
Col 3:18-19;
1 Pet 3:1-2). This too, is based on a relationship of equality (
1 Cor 11:11-12;
Gal 3:28;
Eph 5:21).
58. Liberal Protestantism (most notably Anglicanism) has even ordained practicing homosexuals as pastors and blessed their "marriages," or taught that homosexuality is merely an involuntary, "alternate" lifestyle, contrary to formerly universal Christian Tradition, as the Bible clearly teaches (
Gen 19:4-25;
Rom 1:18-27;
1 Cor 6:9). Catholicism stands firm on traditional morality.
59. Liberal Protestantism, and evangelicalism increasingly, have accepted "higher critical" methods of biblical interpretation which lead to the destruction of the traditional Christian reverence for the Bible, and demote it to the status of largely a human, fallible document, to the detriment of its divine, infallible essence.
60. Many liberal Protestants have thrown out many cardinal doctrines of Christianity, such as the Incarnation, Virgin Birth, the Bodily Resurrection of Christ, the Trinity, Original Sin, hell, the existence of the devil, miracles, etc.
61. The founders of Protestantism denied, and Calvinists today deny, the reality of human free will (Luther's favorite book was his Bondage of the Will). This is both contrary to the constant premise of the Bible, Christian Tradition, and common sense.
62. Classical Protestantism had a deficient view of the Fall of Man, thinking that the result was "total depravity." According to Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Calvinists, man could only do evil of his own volition, and had no free will to do good. He now has a "sin nature." Catholicism believes that, in a mysterious way, man cooperates with the grace which always precedes all good actions. In Catholicism, man's nature still retains some good, although he has a propensity to sin ("concupiscence").
63. Classical Protestantism, and Calvinism today, make God the author of evil. He supposedly wills that men do evil and violate His precepts without having any free will to do so. This is blasphemous, and turns God into a demon.
64. Accordingly (man having no free will), God, in classical Protestant and Calvinist thought, predestines men to hell, although they had no choice or say in the matter all along!
65. Classical Protestantism and Calvinism, teach falsely that Jesus died only for the elect (i.e., those who will make it to heaven).
66. Classical Protestantism (esp. Luther), and Calvinism, due to their false view of the Fall, deny the efficacy and capacity of human reason to know God to some extent (both sides agree that revelation and grace are also necessary), and oppose it to God and faith, contrary to Christian Tradition and the Bible (
Mk 12:28;
Lk 10:27;
Jn 20:24-29;
Acts 1:3;
Acts 17:2,
Acts 17:17,
Acts 17:22-34;
Acts 19:8). The best Protestant apologists today simply hearken back to the Catholic heritage of St. Aquinas, St. Augustine, and many other great thinkers.
67. Pentecostal or charismatic Protestantism places much too high an emphasis on spiritual experience, not balancing it properly with reason, the Bible, and Tradition (including the authority of the Church to pronounce on the validity of "private revelations").
68. Other Protestants (e.g., many Baptists) deny that spiritual gifts such as healing are present in the current age (supposedly they ceased with the apostles).
69. Protestantism has contradictory views of church government, or ecclesiology (episcopal, Presbyterian, congregational, or no collective authority at all), thus making discipline, unity and order impossible. Some sects even claim to have "apostles" or "prophets" among them, with all the accompanying abuses of authority resulting therefrom.
70. Protestantism (esp. evangelicalism) has an undue fascination for the "end of the world," which has led to unbiblical date-setting (
Mt 24:30-44;
Mt 25:13;
Lk 12:39-40) and much human tragedy among those who are taken in by such false prophecies.
71. Evangelicalism's over-emphasis on the "imminent end" of the age has often led to a certain "pie-in-the sky" mentality, to the detriment of social, political, ethical, and economic sensibilities here on earth.
72. Protestant thought has the defining characteristic of being "dichotomous," i.e., it separates ideas into more or less exclusive and mutually-hostile camps, when in fact many of the dichotomies are simply complementary rather than contradictory. Protestantism is "either-or," whereas Catholicism takes a "both-and" approach. Examples follow:
73. Protestantism pits the Word (the Bible, preaching) against sacraments.
74. Protestantism sets up inner devotion and piety against the Liturgy.
75. Protestantism opposes spontaneous worship to form prayers.
76. Protestantism separates the Bible from the Church.
77. Protestantism creates the false dichotomy of Bible vs. Tradition.
78. Protestantism pits Tradition against the Holy Spirit.
79. Protestantism considers Church authority and individual liberty and conscience contradictory.
80. Protestantism (esp. Luther) sets up the Old Testament against the New Testament, even though Jesus did not do so (
Mt 5:17-19;
Mk 7:8-11;
Lk 24:27;
Lk 24:44;
Jn 5:45-47).
