Compare
Catholic ChurchandAnabaptism
At a glance
- Common groundIn full: Common ground
- Common inheritanceThe Western (Latin) church: Protestant churches grew, directly or through later movements, from the 16th-century Reformation of the Western church, so until then their history and that of the Catholic Church is one history.
2 sources
- Christianity: The First Three Thousand YearsIdentified, not independently read
- Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of JustificationSource verified
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
- GodOne God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- Common inheritanceThe Western (Latin) church: Protestant churches grew, directly or through later movements, from the 16th-century Reformation of the Western church, so until then their history and that of the Catholic Church is one history.
- Key differencesIn full: Key differences
- Scripture and authorityCatholic ChurchScripture and Tradition, interpreted by the bishops in communion with the popeAnabaptismScripture as the supreme authority for faith and life; Scripture interpreted together by the community of believers
- Sacraments and ordinancesCatholic ChurchInfants are baptisedAnabaptismBaptism follows a personal confession of faith
Below: 1 difference of emphasis, 2 topics where teaching varies.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- Connected today?In full: their relationship today
Separate, in formal dialogue
Based on Catholic–Mennonite dialogue (1998–2003).
Composed from each tradition’s sourced records. Where a topic is not yet recorded for one side, the Atlas says so rather than guess.
Structured comparison. Composed from each tradition’s sourced position records. No research has yet been written for this particular pair, so the Atlas shows only what those records establish.
Where they differ
Scripture and authority
Sources of authority
- Catholic Church
- Scripture and Tradition, interpreted by the bishops in communion with the pope
- Anabaptism
- Scripture as the supreme authority for faith and life; Scripture interpreted together by the community of believers
Sacraments and ordinances
Who is baptised
- Catholic Church
- Infants are baptised
- Anabaptism
- Baptism follows a personal confession of faith
Different emphases, not necessarily opposed (1)
Salvation and grace
Characteristic emphasis
- Catholic Church
- Justification by grace, which renews the believer and works through love
- Anabaptism
- Faith lived out as discipleship and peacemaking
Where teaching varies within a tradition (2)
Sacraments and ordinances
Christ's presence in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper
- Catholic Church
- Christ's body and blood are truly present
- Anabaptism
- Anabaptist understandings of the Lord's Supper are not uniform and are not recorded here.
Church and ministry
Church government
- Catholic Church
- Bishops in communion with the pope, who holds universal jurisdiction
- Anabaptism
- Government differs between Mennonite, Amish, Hutterite and Brethren churches.
Not yet comparable (11)
No sourced position is recorded for one side, so the Atlas does not say whether they agree:
- Christ (christ's divinity): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Christ (how christ's divinity and humanity are expressed): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Creeds and councils (the nicene creed): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Creeds and councils (the filioque): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Creeds and councils (councils received): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Sacraments and ordinances (how the rites are understood and counted): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Sacraments and ordinances (how christ's presence is explained): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Church and ministry (ministry): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Mary and the saints (asking the saints to pray): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Mary and the saints (how mary is named): not recorded for Anabaptism
- Day of worship (weekly day of worship): not recorded for Anabaptism
How their histories relate
Reform · 1525
The Radical Reformation in Zurich
A movement to reform the Western church that, in the 16th century, produced churches independent of Rome.
Anabaptism began in Zurich among radical followers of Zwingli who baptised one another as believers in January 1525. They broke with Zwingli's state-supported reform as well as with Rome, and were persecuted by Catholic and Protestant authorities alike. It did not grow out of Lutheranism.Read in Anabaptism history3 sources
- 500 years ago, Anabaptists showed the meaning of true evangelical faithSource verified
- The Schleitheim Confession (Brotherly Union)Source verified
- Christianity: The First Three Thousand YearsIdentified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
Their relationship today
Separate, in formal dialogue
Derived from the recorded agreement or dialogue between them.
Developments towards reconciliation
1998–2003
Called Together to be Peacemakers
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Mennonite World Conference
An international dialogue from 1998 to 2003 produced the report 'Called Together to be Peacemakers'.Source
- Called Together to be Peacemakers: Report of the International Dialogue between the Catholic Church and Mennonite World Conference, 1998–2003Identified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
A dialogue report; its content has not been reviewed for the Atlas.Source
- Called Together to be Peacemakers: Report of the International Dialogue between the Catholic Church and Mennonite World Conference, 1998–2003Identified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
Explore further
Catholic Church
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.