Although Catholicism and Christianity belong to the same branch of religion and share Jesus as their core faith, there are significant differences in many aspects.
First of all, in terms of faith, the Catholic faith emphasizes the Trinity, that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the three persons of one God. Catholicism worships Jesus** and also honors the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. In contrast, the Protestant faith also believes in the Triune God, but places more emphasis on faith in Jesus and less on the status of the Virgin Mary.
Secondly, in terms of organizational structure, the Catholic Church has a strict organizational structure, with the Vatican as the center and the Pope as the supreme leader of the Church. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church includes clergy (e.g., bishops, priests, deacons) and governing orders (e.g., pope, cardinals, etc.). Whereas, the organization of Protestantism is more diverse, there is no centralized organizational structure, the church is usually self-governing by believers, the leader is called a priest, they can marry and have a family.
Third, in terms of biblical content, the Catholic Bible contains 73 books, including all 46 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. The Protestant Bible contains 66 books, and the Old Testament lacks 7 books from the Catholic Bible.
Fourth, in terms of sacraments and rituals, Catholicism has a rich sacramental tradition, such as baptism, communion, confession, anointing, wedding, and final basilica. These sacraments are considered to be the way in which the Church interacts with God. Protestantism simplified many rituals, often considering baptism and communion only as the sacraments left by Jesus.
Finally, in soteriology, Catholicism emphasizes the forgiveness of sins through the sacraments of the Church and the good deeds of believers. Protestantism, on the other hand, places more emphasis on solipsism, i.e., salvation can be attained only through faith in Jesus**, and has nothing to do with the sacraments of the Church or personal good works.
These differences are reflected not only in belief and practice, but also in theology, art, architecture, and social engagement. Despite these differences, both Catholics and Protestants are committed to spreading the teachings of **Christianity and carrying out religious activities and philanthropy worldwide.