Compare
Catholic ChurchandBaptist Churches
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
- ChristChrist is fully divine and fully human
- Day of worshipSunday, the Lord's Day
- 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 popeBaptist ChurchesScripture as the supreme authority for faith and life
- Church and ministryCatholic ChurchBishops in communion with the pope, who holds universal jurisdictionBaptist ChurchesEach local congregation governs itself
- Sacraments and ordinancesCatholic ChurchSeven sacraments (holy mysteries); Infants are baptisedBaptist ChurchesBaptism and the Lord's Supper as ordinances; Baptism follows a personal confession of faith
Below: 1 topic where teaching varies.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- Line of descentBaptist Churches emerged from Separatists who left the Church of England (1609–1612), which took shape in the Reformation of the Western church under Rome (1534–1559).
- Connected today?In full: their relationship today
Separate, in formal dialogue
Based on Catholic–Baptist conversations (2006–2010).
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
- Baptist Churches
- Scripture as the supreme authority for faith and life
Sacraments and ordinances
How the rites are understood and counted
- Catholic Church
- Seven sacraments (holy mysteries)
- Baptist Churches
- Baptism and the Lord's Supper as ordinances
Who is baptised
- Catholic Church
- Infants are baptised
- Baptist Churches
- Baptism follows a personal confession of faith
Church and ministry
Church government
- Catholic Church
- Bishops in communion with the pope, who holds universal jurisdiction
- Baptist Churches
- Each local congregation governs itself
Where teaching varies within a tradition (1)
Sacraments and ordinances
Christ's presence in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper
- Catholic Church
- Christ's body and blood are truly present
- Baptist Churches
- This confession calls the Supper a symbolic memorial; Baptist teaching on the Supper is not uniform.
Not yet comparable (9)
No sourced position is recorded for one side, so the Atlas does not say whether they agree:
- Christ (how christ's divinity and humanity are expressed): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Creeds and councils (the nicene creed): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Creeds and councils (the filioque): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Creeds and councils (councils received): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Salvation and grace (characteristic emphasis): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Sacraments and ordinances (how christ's presence is explained): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Church and ministry (ministry): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Mary and the saints (asking the saints to pray): not recorded for Baptist Churches
- Mary and the saints (how mary is named): not recorded for Baptist Churches
How their histories relate
The Atlas has no researched record of a direct historical relationship between these two. Not every pair of traditions experienced a schism or union with each other. Each took shape in its own way:
Their relationship today
Separate, in formal dialogue
Derived from the recorded agreement or dialogue between them.
Developments towards reconciliation
2006–2010
The Word of God in the Life of the Church
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Baptist World Alliance
International conversations between 2006 and 2010 produced the report 'The Word of God in the Life of the Church'.Source
- The Word of God in the Life of the Church: Report of International Conversations between the Catholic Church and the Baptist World Alliance 2006–2010Identified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
A conversation report; its content has not been reviewed for the Atlas.Source
- The Word of God in the Life of the Church: Report of International Conversations between the Catholic Church and the Baptist World Alliance 2006–2010Identified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
Explore further
Catholic Church
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.