Along with Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism is one of the three historic branches of the Christian religion. On the other hand, a fast-growing movement in the history of Protestantism is Pentecostalism. Pentecostal vs Catholic is a subject of hot debate among both communities.
Pentecostal is a Christian sect that portrays the importance of God through the process of baptism with the holy spirit. The believers of the Pentecostal state that the grace of God is experienced is revealed by gifts of Spirit such as speaking in tongues and trusting the prophecy. Catholicism is all about universal faith. Both Catholic and Pentecostal are a part of the Christian community.
There are multiple differences between the two terms. The Pentecostal believes in holy books like the Bible. On the other hand, Catholicism is related to holy legends such as the sacred scriptures, pope, and bishops. Pentecostals are very specific about their experiences and beliefs rather than focusing on rituals.
One can find Pentecostal in the Books of Acts of the Apostles, Chapter two of the Bible. On the other hand, Catholics strongly believe in Western Church activities. They think of bishops as the highest arbiter of the Christian community.
Comparison Table: Pentecostal vs Catholic
| Criteria | Pentecostal | Catholic |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Pentecostalism is a community where people speak directly with the Lord through the process of baptism with the holy spirit. They are completely devoted to God and believe in connecting with God using tongues. | The Catholic community believes in the Western Church practices. It is a group of baptized Christians who believe in Jesus as the purpose of their existence. According to them the highest officials in the Christian religion are the bishops. |
| Origin | The practice of pentecostal is believed to have begun in 1901. A school student had started to speak in tongues believing that it is a divine gift of baptism given by Lord Jesus. | Catholicism is believed to be founded by Jesus Christ. It is said to have passed for nearly 2,000 years after its formation. |
| Activities they follow | Multiple rituals are followed as a way to pay respect to God. These rituals include water baptism, salvation, and foot washing. All of these are considered to be an Ordinance of Humility. In order to heal a wound, prayer clothes are soaked in water. Some dangerous activities were previously followed during the old times like drinking snake poison in order to reduce pain. | There is no involvement with sexual activities. They completely devote themselves to their God, Jesus Christ. The seven Sacraments are followed: Baptism, Reconciliation, Marriage, Last days, Confirmation, and Eucharist. |
| Belief | The Pentecostals believe in the divine gifts of God such as speaking in tongues. It is considered to be a sign of Baptism in the holy spirit. They are said to have direct involvement with God. | The Catholics believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God, who had come to earth in order to cure the sins of humans. The Bishops, priests, and deacons follow the instructions of God in the Bible and act as the intermediary between God and humanity. |
| Growth | Pentecostal communities are widespread, there are established churches with around 280 million fellowships. | Catholicism is a community that is growing with every passing day. It is estimated to be 17.5% of the whole world population. |
| Groups | The pentecostal formed as a movement among the indigenous people of the USA and Texas. There was a spiritual revival in late 1905. Around 700 churches can be found all around the world. Certain groups like the Evangelical renounce the activities of Pentecostal. | One of the oldest and widespread religions is Catholicism. It became the largest following community within the Christian religions which includes the Romans and Greeks. |
About Pentecostal
The Pentecostals emerged during the late 19th and 20th centuries by laying emphasis on baptism in the holy spirit. It was about understanding the Bible by speaking in tongues. Eventually, this acted as evidence for the baptism.
Pentecostals are one of the fastest-growing religious movements. They believe in the manifestation of the holy spirit. Pentecostal involves the message of knowledge, faith, power, science, wisdom, and the language of tongue.
The community is believed to have started on January 1st, 1901 at a place called Bethel Bible school. It was followed by baptism in the holy spirit, conversion, speaking in tongues, and sanctification. Pentecostal is known for its charismatic community.
According to the pentecostal teachings, the believers avoid dancing, alcohol, drugs, and restrictions on certain dresses and appearance. They completely indulge themselves in the activities to reach salvation as stated in the Bible. Praying is done openly where they pray for their needs, healing, and blessings.
About Catholic
Catholics preached the idea of universal faith in humanity through the activities of the church. The catholic church is the oldest institution which is said to be almost 2,000 years old. They are located all around the world, specifically in the US, Philippines, and countries of Central and South America. They teach the concepts of faith surrounding Jesus Christ.
Catholics give a lot of importance to the Pope and bishops as they are considered to be the leaders of the community. Catholics believe in Jesus Christ and state that God had created man to redeem the sins of humans through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The teachings surrounding the Catholics are always based on the rituals and scriptures of the church.
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Difference Between Pentecostal and Catholic
1) Beliefs
The followers of Pentecostal speak in tongues. They consider this to be a divine gift from their God, Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the Catholics follow the principles of living as stated in the Bible.
2) Relation with Church
When it comes to following rituals, Pentecostals are very strict about where they go to church every day and about reciting the Bible verse regularly. Catholics visit the church during certain circumstances like getting married or making an apology to God for their sins.
3) Practices
The Pentecostal practices multiple activities such as foot washing, drinking poison, healing bones and water baptism. On the other hand, Catholics look up to the highest officials in order to practice such activities.
4) Origin
the Catholic community is assumed to be the first and oldest community created by Jesus Christ. The Pentecostals were formed in 1907 by Agnes Ozman who was a student at Charles F. Parham’s Bethel Bible School.
5) Relationship with God
The Catholics maintain a strict hierarchy that consists of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. They act as an intermediary between humans and god. In Pentecostal, the people speak in tongues which are said to be a direct conversation with God.
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