Compare
Catholic ChurchandJehovah’s Witnesses
At a glance
- Common groundIn full: Common ground
- Common inheritanceReverence for the Bible and for Jesus Christ, understood very differently. The restorationist movement describes itself as a return to original Christianity rather than a continuation of the historic churches, and does not accept the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity.
4 sources
- Joseph Smith and the RestorationSource verified
- Gospel Topics: GodheadSource verified
- What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe?Source verified
- The Question of the Validity of Baptism Conferred in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsSource verified
- Common inheritanceReverence for the Bible and for Jesus Christ, understood very differently. The restorationist movement describes itself as a return to original Christianity rather than a continuation of the historic churches, and does not accept the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity.
- Key differencesIn full: Key differences
- GodCatholic ChurchOne God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy SpiritJehovah’s WitnessesJehovah alone is Almighty God; the doctrine of the Trinity is rejected
- ChristCatholic ChurchChrist is fully divine and fully humanJehovah’s WitnessesJesus is the Son of God but not Almighty God
- Scripture and authorityCatholic ChurchScripture and Tradition, interpreted by the bishops in communion with the popeJehovah’s WitnessesThe Bible as God's word, with worldwide direction from the Governing Body
Below: 1 more difference, 1 difference of emphasis.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- No direct relationship recordedThey took shape separately.Catholic ChurchEast–West estrangement, 1054Jehovah’s WitnessesBible Student movement, 1870sHow each took shape
- Connected today?In full: their relationship today
Not yet researched
The Atlas has not yet researched their present relationship. This is a gap, not evidence either way.
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
God
Doctrine of God
- Catholic Church
- One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Jehovah alone is Almighty God; the doctrine of the Trinity is rejected
Christ
Christ's divinity
- Catholic Church
- Christ is fully divine and fully human
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Jesus is the Son of God but not Almighty God
Scripture and authority
Sources of authority
- Catholic Church
- Scripture and Tradition, interpreted by the bishops in communion with the pope
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- The Bible as God's word, with worldwide direction from the Governing Body
Church and ministry
Church government
- Catholic Church
- Bishops in communion with the pope, who holds universal jurisdiction
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Unsalaried elders, not a clergy class, under a worldwide Governing Body
Different emphases, not necessarily opposed (1)
Salvation and grace
Characteristic emphasis
- Catholic Church
- Justification by grace, which renews the believer and works through love
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Faith, a changed way of life and baptism
Not yet comparable (12)
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 Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Creeds and councils (the nicene creed): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Creeds and councils (the filioque): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Creeds and councils (councils received): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Sacraments and ordinances (how the rites are understood and counted): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Sacraments and ordinances (christ's presence in the eucharist or lord's supper): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Sacraments and ordinances (how christ's presence is explained): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Sacraments and ordinances (who is baptised): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Church and ministry (ministry): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Mary and the saints (asking the saints to pray): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Mary and the saints (how mary is named): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Day of worship (weekly day of worship): not recorded for Jehovah’s Witnesses
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
Not yet researched
The Atlas has no researched record of the present relationship between these two. That is a gap in the research, not evidence of any particular relationship.
Developments towards reconciliation
No documented agreement or formal dialogue between these traditions is recorded in the Atlas.
Explore further
Catholic Church
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.