question for catholic/protestant converts

[hkkb]

I've seen Catholicism and Protestantism depicted in vastly different ways, so for anyone who has been part of both the catholic and a protestant church, I'm curious what the social/cultural/community differences are, just in your experience, since I know protestant denominations can be quite dissimilar from one another. The differences in worship or theology between Catholicism and Protestantism and things like that I can look up, but I'm curious what the difference is in the actual experience of being Catholic or Protestant, how does daily life differ, how is the community or social circle different, what is different about the culture?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I've seen Catholicism and Protestantism depicted in vastly different ways, so for anyone who has been part of both the catholic and a protestant church, I'm curious what the social/cultural/community differences are, just in your experience, since I know protestant denominations can be quite dissimilar from one another. The differences in worship or theology between Catholicism and Protestantism and things like that I can look up, but I'm curious what the difference is in the actual experience of being Catholic or Protestant, how does daily life differ, how is the community or social circle different, what is different about the culture?

This is from my former experience. I went in and out of the southern baptist church, was somewhat baptized in a First Assembly of God and was baptized again as Roman Catholic.

There are huge differences. This is just my experience.

Assembly of God was a pretty big church. The church didn't have private devotion as the core of its culture but more high spirited devotion (charismatic I believe it's called). They were focused on, if I remember, bible studies but then for the most part a lot of presentations, shows, and things like that.

The Roman Catholic Church has a private devotion-core culture. It's not biblical scripture dependent (as in the bible being a worship focus) but a community Mass dependent. So, instead of saying the sinner's prayer in the Assembly of God, you go through rituals of repentance, communion, and vocal affirmation to the congregation that one wants to be christian and part of christ's mass. So, everything you do basically is a relationship with christ by means of prayer, appreciation, mass participation, and pretty much bringing "christ present".

Many non-liturgical protestant churches have social circles. Charities, bake picnics, church donation ceremonies, etc. I'd say it's less communal and more like a social gathering with charismatic outlook.

Catholicism, on the other hand, has more of a private devotion point of view. Their view is spending with christ alone (or private perspective rather than social). There are a lot of ways to be involved in helping others in catholicism, but when it comes to worship it's between you and christ.

Other cultural differences is many evangelist protestant churches don't use items and rituals to supplement their devotion-only the physical bible and study. I read it they were "people of the book." Catholics have multiple means and outlets of worship from the physical, spiritual, and different people and sources they can go to for deepening their devotion to christ.

I'd personally say I learned more about spirituality, relationship with god (in the terms I understood it), and the nature of christ in catholicism than I did in protestant churches. Also, in my opinion, having a relationship with christ as the mass is a bit more deep than that of physical scripture.

I'm no longer christian; but, those are my views. The deep theology would take a good while so sorry to say you'd have to look it up in addition to people's comments.

 

[Nakosis]

I've seen Catholicism and Protestantism depicted in vastly different ways, so for anyone who has been part of both the catholic and a protestant church, I'm curious what the social/cultural/community differences are, just in your experience, since I know protestant denominations can be quite dissimilar from one another. The differences in worship or theology between Catholicism and Protestantism and things like that I can look up, but I'm curious what the difference is in the actual experience of being Catholic or Protestant, how does daily life differ, how is the community or social circle different, what is different about the culture?

I was raised Protestant, My wife is Catholic. I considered converting so we could have a catholic marriage. In my experience, the Protestant church is more demanding of you The Catholic church is more supportive of you. While the Catholic church does have specific requirements of you they seemed less judgemental of you as a person. My experience with the Catholic religion was brief but seemed the better experience.

 

[hkkb]

This is from my former experience. I went in and out of the southern baptist church, was somewhat baptized in a First Assembly of God and was baptized again as Roman Catholic.

There are huge differences. This is just my experience.

Assembly of God was a pretty big church. The church didn't have private devotion as the core of its culture but more high spirited devotion (charismatic I believe it's called). They were focused on, if I remember, bible studies but then for the most part a lot of presentations, shows, and things like that.

The Roman Catholic Church has a private devotion-core culture. It's not biblical scripture dependent (as in the bible being a worship focus) but a community Mass dependent. So, instead of saying the sinner's prayer in the Assembly of God, you go through rituals of repentance, communion, and vocal affirmation to the congregation that one wants to be christian and part of christ's mass. So, everything you do basically is a relationship with christ by means of prayer, appreciation, mass participation, and pretty much bringing "christ present".

Many non-liturgical protestant churches have social circles. Charities, bake picnics, church donation ceremonies, etc. I'd say it's less communal and more like a social gathering with charismatic outlook.

Catholicism, on the other hand, has more of a private devotion point of view. Their view is spending with christ alone (or private perspective rather than social). There are a lot of ways to be involved in helping others in catholicism, but when it comes to worship it's between you and christ.

Other cultural differences is many evangelist protestant churches don't use items and rituals to supplement their devotion-only the physical bible and study. I read it they were "people of the book." Catholics have multiple means and outlets of worship from the physical, spiritual, and different people and sources they can go to for deepening their devotion to christ.

I'd personally say I learned more about spirituality, relationship with god (in the terms I understood it), and the nature of christ in catholicism than I did in protestant churches. Also, in my opinion, having a relationship with christ as the mass is a bit more deep than that of physical scripture.

I'm no longer christian; but, those are my views. The deep theology would take a good while so sorry to say you'd have to look it up in addition to people's comments.

Thank you so much, this was really helpful! You mentioned protestant churches having a social circle and gatherings like picnics, is that sort of thing not found so much in Catholicism? Do they not have as much of a close knit community? Do they have community gatherings outside of the actual religious services? Does Catholicism have more of an impact on home/family/personal life if it's more about the private time with God, and Protestantism more of an impact on social/public life?

 

[hkkb]

I was raised Protestant, My wife is Catholic. I considered converting so we could have a catholic marriage. In my experience, the Protestant church is more demanding of you The Catholic church is more supportive of you. While the Catholic church does have specific requirements of you they seemed less judgemental of you as a person. My experience with the Catholic religion was brief but seemed the better experience.

that's awesome, thank you for sharing! can I ask how the "requirements" that protestant and the Catholic church have might differ? and was the Catholic church more supportive just in terms of being more accepting or in terms of having a good social support network around the Catholic community? I ask because I've seen some protestants depicted as having very warm, tight-knit communities that do a lot of stuff with and for one another, but I haven't really seen catholic communities depicted the same way, and I wondered whether it was like that in Catholicism as well or if it's a cultural difference or something

 

[Nakosis]

that's awesome, thank you for sharing! can I ask how the "requirements" that protestant and the Catholic church have might differ? and was the Catholic church more supportive just in terms of being more accepting or in terms of having a good social support network around the Catholic community? I ask because I've seen some protestants depicted as having very warm, tight-knit communities that do a lot of stuff with and for one another, but I haven't really seen catholic communities depicted the same way, and I wondered whether it was like that in Catholicism as well or if it's a cultural difference or something

Good question. The Protestant churches the only real requirement was to show up. Asked to be baptized in the church which they were happy to do and usually come up to the front and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. After a bit, they'd encourage to go out and bring in more members.

For the Catholics, they have something called the Right if Initiation you have to go though which includes study of Catholic tennents, baptism, acceptance into the church by a Catholic priest. The priest was there to answer any questions, deal with any doubts or reservations you had about the Catholic church or becoming a catholic. If you had any unresolved doubt, they would advise this to be resolve to your satisfaction before accepting you as a member.

So more supportive in the sense of learning about the church and what would be expected of you as a Catholic before accepting you as a member.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Thank you so much, this was really helpful! You mentioned protestant churches having a social circle and gatherings like picnics, is that sort of thing not found so much in Catholicism?

Well, not tight-nit as a family as seen in smaller protestant churches. I'm sure there are small catholic churches that have a family-oriented relationship but all the churches I've gone to, people came together at mass and spent most of the time in private devotion. I went to a catholic retreat but was only for catholics sense only catholics can take part in a few of the sacraments.

They do have volunteering organizations, charity work, and things of that nature. Maybe the closest is they work with other people but as a tight-knit community, no.

Which in some ways I feel that's a con of the church when there isn't a family-feel outside of the priests and mass and catholic oriented events.

Likewise, protestants (the evangalist type) tend to gather to listen to themselves yell praise the lord and hallelujah. In my opinion, it sounds more of an echo chamber while catholicism, although not an intimate connection between members, they tend to be more religious or devotional than I've seen in praise-the-lord churches.

The pros with the evangelist church, though, is you get a good grasp on scripture (hopefully, between you and god not their interpreting it for you).

But in general, catholics live the scripture through Mass and sacrament. Protestants study scripture through hymnals and classes. Depends on the type of relationship you want with christ-in communion or with scripture.

Does Catholicism have more of an impact on home/family/personal life if it's more about the private time with God, and Protestantism more of an impact on social/public life?

They both have impact on home/family/personal lives.

I have good and bad things to say about the type of impact they have. But all in all, if the religious influence is healthy, then yes, it becomes that family and person life that's inseparable from christ (the church).

 

[Kenny]

I've seen Catholicism and Protestantism depicted in vastly different ways, so for anyone who has been part of both the catholic and a protestant church, I'm curious what the social/cultural/community differences are, just in your experience, since I know protestant denominations can be quite dissimilar from one another. The differences in worship or theology between Catholicism and Protestantism and things like that I can look up, but I'm curious what the difference is in the actual experience of being Catholic or Protestant, how does daily life differ, how is the community or social circle different, what is different about the culture?

For my wife, it was a closer intimate relationship between her and God when she went from the Catholic right arm of the body of Christ to the Protestant left arm. (or visa versa).

The biggest difference, IMO, being more grace conscience in the Protestant understanding that a law conscience in the Catholic understanding.

How it plays out is manifested in a multiplicity of ways... but don't know how detailed you want to get.



But both can be meaningful