Posted on 12/30/2008 4:47:26 PM PST by SeekAndFind
While Catholics and Protestants both fall under the broad umbrella of Christianity, they practice their faith in different ways.
A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of regular churchgoers found that 25% of Evangelical Christians read the Bible on a daily basis along with 20% of other Protestants. Just seven percent (7%) of Catholics do the same. At the other extreme, 44% of Catholics rarely or never read the Bible along with only seven percent (7%) of Evangelical Christians and 13% of other Protestants.
Consider the divergence among the faiths in other areas, too. (All the figures that follow are based upon those who attend church at least twice a month.)
Ninety-one percent (91%) of Evangelical Christians consider themselves to be born again. Sixty-three percent (63%) of other Protestants have been born again along with 25% of Catholics.
Forty-four percent (44%) of Evangelical Christians reflect at least daily on the meaning of Scripture in their lives. Thirty-six percent (36%) of other Protestants and 22% of Catholics do the same.
Fifty-two percent (52%) of Evangelical Christians have had a meaningful discussion about their faith with a non-Christian during the past month. Twenty-eight percent (28%) of other Protestants and 18% of Catholics also have held such a discussion.
Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Evangelical Christians attend a regular Bible Study or participate in some other small-group activity. Forty-seven percent (47%) of other Protestants take part in small groups related to their faith, along with 24% of Catholics.
Seventy-one percent (71%) of Evangelical Christians say their Church does an excellent job helping them understand the Bible. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of other Protestants and 52% of Catholics say the same.
Despite these differences, the overwhelming majority of all Christians believe that the God of the Bible is the one true God. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of churchgoing Evangelical Christians hold that view along with 94% of other Protestants and 92% of Catholics.
Forty-four percent (44%) of American adults attend Christian church services at least twice a month, and 92% of these regular churchgoers believe the God of the Bible is the one true God.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of adults also say life in the United States would be better if more Americans lived as Christians.
You wrote:
“Or do I misunderstand?”
Yep. You misunderstand. We believe Christ offers Himself to us through the Eucharist so that we commune with Him in as intimate a way as is possible on this earth. It isn’t that we must “receive Christ into your life more than once.” It is simply that He comes to us to strengthen us with His grace. Salvation is not a one shot dosage of grace. Once Saved, Always Saved is a 16th century Protestant belief. It has no Biblical basis nor is it historical.
>>You seem to believe that you have to receive Christ into your life more than once.
Or do I misunderstand?<<
Yes, you do.
We have the privilege of receiving Him anew every time He comes into us and His grace that goes along with it.
It’s amazing and I love it!
Don’t some Protestants get a big kick out of the Holy Spirit coming upon them over and over again? Isn’t once enough?
>>MATTHEW 18:20 : “Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there I am together with them.”<<
Well, I can tell you from going to a few Protestant Prayer Groups, where women were catty as the day is long or BSF where they slammed Catholics like no tomorrow (I wasn’t with THEM long) IF The Father was there, he was shaking His head.
I’d rather spend my time with Jesus Himself, thanks.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said to "eat this bread" and "drink this cup" in memory of Him. Did He mean only once?
As a formerly active yet malnourished Catholic, I can say that it is true, that if you attend Catholic services you will hear bible excerpts. But, even if you attend Catholic services every day you will not get more than about 10 percent of the entire Bible over the course of 3 years. You will however get as much as the Catholic leadership has decided is necessary. It will not include much from Romans, Galatians and other epistles, mainly just from the Gospels, Acts, Genesis and Exodus.
Even in evangelical services where the Bible is literally taught line apon line through every chapter and verse it typically takes at least three years and nice long in depth teaching before a pastor can say, like Paul, “I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God.”
>>I guess there really isn’t a big difference between their Bible Study and Praying the Rosary. <<
You’ve got it!!!!
Scripture IS the basis of the Rosary.
“Once Saved, Always Saved is a 16th century Protestant belief. It has no Biblical basis nor is it historical.”
So how often must you be saved? Once a week? A day? A month? How do you know when it’s enough? I somethimes think the Protestant movement was started by people too lazy to follow all the rules you folks seem to have. By the way, is there Biblical basis for needing to be saved over and over?
I understand what you are saying, but I don't think that protestants study the Bible more because they have to in order to catch up with Catholics understanding. Protestants tend do a pretty good job of education, be it in Biblical History, Church History, etc; from a young age just like the Catholics. I think you would be surprised at how much Church history many of us know, I have a several dozen books on the subject and spend a lot of time discussing it with my friends (many of which are Catholic, and I feel I can at least hold my own).
We historically have put more emphasis on the need for personal study of the Bible (though you all are catching up). One of the first laws governing the Anglican church (and still in effect) is that a Bible in the vernacular had to be available at all times at all places of worship to anyone who wanted access. At time time the Catholic hierarchy wasn't particularly thrilled about these translations... the reformation actually brought about some positive changes in the RCC as well.
I certainly don't mean to attack Catholics here, the purpose of my post is entirely to defend us protestants. There are some clear and important doctrinal issues between protestants and Catholics; but I don't think these stem from a lack of education on either side.
As for you other point; you are absolutely correct. It is very important to have a historical background for any study of the Bible. I actually attend a very good study that touches on that at the local Catholic church. (I'm a very active member of my local Episcopal church, but try to do my own part towards ecumenicalism).
-paridel
“Don’t some Protestants get a big kick out of the Holy Spirit coming upon them over and over again? Isn’t once enough?”
It’s never enough, although many of us tend to believe that we need not be saved more than once, or that when you experience the Holy Spirit, you are being born again...again. One of these days I need to sit down with a “Catholicism for Dummies” handbook. I would never convert, but I do love to study things that puzzle me and that sort of guide is about my speed. I’ve read some links from some Catholic FReepers, but most of it is kind of dry. I almost feel like I need a college education to understand it all.
When I get back from my Episcopal service I tend to discuss the readings with my Catholic roommates.
-paridel
If a Catholic goes to daily Mass, they are reading at least passage from the Old Testament, a psalm, and a gospel.
You seem to believe you need to read the same verses of Scripture more than once...
Our Lord Jesus Christ said to “eat this bread” and “drink this cup” in memory of Him. Did He mean only once?
Lets not talk past each other, many needless arguments begin that way. I was speaking of accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are speaking of Communion, the wafer and the wine. At least from a Protestant POV, those two things are not (always) the same.
I still watch the ABC crawl in Times Square with total bafflement if I haven't already read the news elsewhere. That's even worse, because you don't have a story to read to take you out of double-digit-IQ land.
>>Maybe Rasmussen will include this in his next survey <<
Or maybe we shouldn’t care how the MSM wants to divide and conquer us.
That’s how my Presbyterian hubby started. With that exact book.
He’s been Catholic for three years.
I think most people (Catholic or not!) could benefit from more personal time studying the Bible. And I'm certainly one of them!
My Priest as well as the few Catholics priests I know personally all have recommended spending some time each day reading the Bible.
-paridel
Catholicism did not always have a literate population of believers or supplies of printed Bibles for the masses. There are many ways to learn about God and His teachings.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.