Difference between Roman Catholic and Apostolic Faith - Essay Example

Roman Catholic faith versus apostolic faith Introduction The Roman Catholic faith, which forms the foundation of theRoman Catholic is arguably the largest and oldest church globally, refers to a set of doctrines that defines the relationship among the adherents of the Catholic faith. The church has a set of conservative doctrines most of which resulted in the creation of other type of faiths key among which is the apostolic faith. Florence Crawford founded the apostolic faith church in the 1906 as part of the Pentecostal Christian denomination. The differences between the Roman Catholic faith and the apostolic faith therefore arises from the intricate differences between the Roman catholic and the Pentecostal faith which just as the protestants thrived by opposing some features of the Roman Catholic they considered both retrogressive and boring as the discussion below portrays. The Pentecostal movement derives its name from the Pentecost a phenomenal celebration in the faith. During Pentecost, Christians commemorate the day when the Holy Spirit descended to the earth. This portrays the movement’s acknowledgement of the Holy trinity. The acknowledgment of the Holy Trinity is vital in any Christian faith since it portrays the position of God and the manner of interactions that humans develop with God. As such, the apostolic faith sought to acknowledge the supreme position of the Holy Trinity without the many other intermediaries that the Roman Catholic faith imposes on believes. Jesus was the son of God who came down to live among humans and therefore lived and interacted with humans on a personal basis. The same applies in the old testaments when God often interacted with the Israelites and such iconic individuals as Moses, Joshua and prophets personally. The arrival of the Holy Spirit towards the end of the New Testament also portrays that God desires to form personal interactions with humans. Such arguments formed the basis for the creation of the apostolic faith while raising vital concerns with the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith. Additionally, this portrayed the boring nature of the Catholic faith, which compels its adherents to pray through such intermediaries as Mary and St. Peter. The apostolic faith thus developed a lively church one that eliminates the position of the numerous intermediaries thus permitting humans to interact with God at various personal levels. Through the doctrines of the faith, people approach God in different ways by acknowledging God the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. The adherents do this freely without either consulting or invoking the intervention of Mary or St. Peter, as is the case in the Roman Catholic faith. The rise of Pentecostal movement in the Christian faith arose from the desire of the adherents of the faith desiring a personal relationship with God (Chinnici 11). This was in an opposition from the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith that requires the recognition of numerous intermediaries instead of the people interacting with God on a personal basis. Such is a significant source of boredom experienced in the Roman Catholic faith that prompted the development of the Pentecostal movement thus the apostolic faith. An interaction with God who is the source of life as explained by both faiths was essential in the consolidation of the faiths. The Roman Catholic faith recognizes the role of such individuals as St. Peter and Mary mother of Jesus. While the two are significant individuals in the creation and the development of the Christian faith, the Pentecostal movement sought a personal interaction with God thereby eliminating the two. The holy trinity is an essential aspect of the Pentecostal faith, which forms the apostolic faith. The Holy trinity refers to God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Roman Catholic acknowledges the holy trinity. This explains the position of God in the faith thus defining he relationship that humans should form with God. The difference in the manner that the two faiths approach and interact with the Holy Trinity differs owing to differences in the appreciation of the three. Just as the title suggests, the three are not humans. Christianity forbids humans from worshiping and other form. The Roman Catholic on the other hand appears to contradict this when the faith places numerous other intermediaries who often receive as much acknowledgement as the three. The apostolic faith recognizes this feature of the Roman Catholic faith as blasphemy thus forming the major difference in the two faiths. Catechism is yet another essential feature of the Roman Catholic faith that makes the faith both laborious and equally boring. Catechism refers to a detailed teaching of the doctrines of the faith to young members of the church. The teaching that has a definite question and answers format targets new converts and young members of the faith. The aim of the teaching is to impart the doctrines and beliefs of the faith to the new members of the faith. Successful candidates become official adherents of the faith thus begin partaking the Holy Communion. The sacrament is a piece meal, which the adherents of the faith become eligible to partake in the church after graduating from the catechism. The sacrament and wine is the faith’s way of commemorating Jesus’ last supper. While the apostolic faith has its own form of catechism, the adherents of the faith consider the teaching less laborious and more effective than the Roman Catholic’s is. The apostolic catechism targets adults who understand their actions and are therefore capable of making definite decision. This differs from the Catholic catechism, which targets children. Children often lack effective comprehension of their actions. As such, the simply do whatever their parents command them to. Targeting such a vulnerable group is therefore a portrayal of the church’s indoctrination of the young and vulnerable. The apostolic faith encourages parents to take their children to the church but accords young adults the opportunity to join the church by undergoing the catechism. At such a stage, an individual is mature enough to make essential decisions concerning his relationship with God. Another fundamental difference in the faiths is salvation. The coming of Jesus Christ to earth was a significant experience since he provided diverse interpretations of the scripture. As such, the new testament of the bible presents numerous occasions where Jesus forgives sin and provides the people with second chances in life (Chinnici 21). Such as a significant introduction to the faith that would influence the doctrines of the numerous Christian faiths in the world today. The doctrine of salvation in the apostolic faith is a revered yet voluntary act in which the adherents present themselves before God thus seek his forgiveness. Salvation is a undertaking in the faith since it presents a moment of in depth self-analysis and evaluation as an adherent considers his relationship with God. After the salvation, the individual receives spiritual replenishment thus begins a new life with renewed faith. This elicits their commitment to the faith as they enter into a holy covenant with God. The Catholic faith on the other hand does not have salvation. According to the faith, every adherent is equal before God and therefore already forgiven all their sins. Catholics believe in constant prayers often invoking the input of either Mary mother of Jesus or St. Peter to pray for them. The apostolic faith considers such doctrines mundane. Additionally, the doctrine explains the lack of commitment in the adherents of the Roman Catholic faith. This way, they become committed to not only the faith but also intensify the relationship among themselves. Faith often brings people together. Religious faiths are essential facets of the society that contributes to the formation of social values. Salvation helps restrict the behavior of the adherents of a faith. During salvation, an individual becomes closer to God and therefore strives to uphold specific principles. Such principles help refine the behaviors of the individual as they strive to appease God. In case they sin again, they consider such as temptations and therefore seek God’s forgiveness. In doing this, the adherents of the faith renew their covenant with God by promising to uphold the principles of salvation thus limiting sin. Such is a portrayal of accountability in the faith thus contributing to the creation of a peaceful and safe society in which the people uphold the spirit of brotherhood and constant reconciliation. Lack of salvation in the Roman Catholic faith validates the argument that the faith is not only boring but also equally disjointed. The communal existence of adherents of a faith is paramount. However, people cannot exist in close relation with showing commitment to the relationship and upholding specific ground rules. As such, meetings by the adherents of the adherents of the catholic faith are likely to turn violent and disorderly. A religious faith calls for people to live specific lifestyles. This validates the need for salvation, as is the case with the apostolic faith. Furthermore, salvation creates a personal relationship between humans and God. As explained earlier, the apostolic faith is a component of the Pentecostal faith, which arose from a movement that desired to form a personal relationship with God. The lack of salvation in the Roman Catholic faith is therefore a portrayal of the distance that exists between God and the adherents of the faith. The faith offers the adherents a blanket coverage since they are all part of the congregation. This explains the persistence on the role of both St. Paul and Mary mother of Jesus both of who serve as intermediaries for the adherents of the faith. The formation of a personal relationship with God was the sole reason for the formation of the Pentecostal movement, which created the apostolic faith. As such, the faith has specific doctrines that enhance the formation of intimate relationships between the adherents of the faith and God. St. Peter was the founding father of the Roman Catholic. He was also a disciple of Jesus Christ and an author of several books in the New Testament. Key among his celebrated personality features was the fact that he remained celibate thus served God through Jesus without any distractions (Angelyn & Chinnici, 43). As such, the Roman Catholic has insisted on having celibate leadership. The pope and the fathers of the faith do not have wives. This provision is yet another factor that validates the claim that the faith is both boring and unrealistic. The same St. Peter explains in one of his books that he simply wishes that everyone were like him. He acknowledges that remaining celibate is a huge personal sacrifice. As such, people should make the decision to remain celibate personally without coercion. Additionally, he does not restrict the leadership positions in the church to celibate individuals. The apostolic faith on the other hand does not restrict its leadership to any form of regulation that may cause persona starvation. Most of Protestants and the adherents of the apostolic faith claimed that the doctrines of the catholic faith were boring. By restricting fathers and popes to remain celibate even against their will in most cases is preposterous. The contemporary society is characterized of commercialization of both religion and sex. As such, news of catholic fathers having secret families and children are on the rise. The rise of such cases continues to portray the discord in the faith and the inconsiderate nature of the doctrines of the faith. The apostolic faith on the other hand encourages the formation of unions among its adherents. Marriages officiated by married church leaders is a portrayal of an upright society, one that safeguards its longevity by ensuring the provision of offspring to further the future of humanity while upholding the principles of the faith. In fact, marriage is a fundamental doctrine in the apostolic faith. Adherents of the faith believe that marriage is a lifelong commitment. As such, the family is a vita social institution that contributes to the creation of a holistic society. The adherents of the faith hold that marriage is a holy institution ordained by God. As such, the institution does not give either party the freedom to either cheat or marry again. This way, the church promotes both faithfulness and monogamy. The church respects marriage thereby requiring its entire leadership to marry and remain faithful and exemplary family people. This way, they lead the rest without faulting in their quest. Such is a phenomenal difference from the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith that bars its leadership from marrying thus having families. By denying its leadership a chance to marry and have families, the faith sores seeds of discord and unfaithfulness especially in the current society. The apostolic faith believes in the sanctification. This refers to God’s grace as he makes humans as holy as He is. Sanctification or holiness succeeds salvation. After salvation, an individual lives a holy life since God considers him or her holy. This implies that such individuals must live in holiness always shunning sin and striving to live like Jesus did. God provided the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost to with the sole objective of accompanying human thus guiding his ways at all the time. According to the faith, after salvation humans accept the Holy Spirit and therefore live holy lives. However, God considers the human nature thus permits the sanctified to always repent their sin and receive renewal of their faith in God. Such is a significant doctrine in the faith that holds the church together since it ensures that the adherents of the faith remain united in God. The Catholic faith does not appreciate the position of salvation a feature that eliminates the doctrine of sanctification. However, the adherents of the faith believe that they are the children of God. God therefore forgives them all their sins provided they pray. In complicated cases, they must invoke the intervention of Mary mother of Jesus and St. Peter among other saints. As such, the faith lacks some of the primary factors that hold the apostolic faith together. Salvation and sanctification ensure that the adherents of the faith renew their commitment to the faith thus fostering the growth of the church. An avid portrayal of the opposition of the Roman Catholic doctrines was the tension between the Latino Catholics and the Latino Pentecostals. Apparently, the current Latino Pentecostals were Catholics who later differed with the faith thus joining the Pentecostal Church in the United States. The opposition and the conversion of the Latinos arose from a number of pertinent doctrinal factors that formed the basic differences between the two faiths in the country and globally. Among the major factors that led to the conversion of numerous Catholics to Pentecostal included the relationships that both faiths formed with God. Such factors as baptism with the Holy Spirit and salvation are essential in establishing a functional relationship with God. The apostolic faith prides itself in having close and personal relationship with God unlike the Catholic faith, which has various intermediaries thus deterring the creation of personal relationship with God. Conclusion In retrospect, the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith and the apostolic faith have specific difference and similarities that influence the evident structural and operational structures in the two churches. The rise of the apostolic faith was a result of the assertion that the Roman Catholic faith is boring. The boredom or lack of it in the faiths arises from the doctrines of both which are the intricate features that constitute the backbone for the faiths. Major differences in the doctrines of the faith include salvation in the apostolic faith and the evident lack of salvation in the Roman Catholic faith. Another equally essential difference is in the nature of the relationship that the adherents of both faiths have with God. The apostolic faith encourages a personal relationship with God as it encourages its adherents to interact with God at personal levels through prayers and repentance. The Roman faith on the other hand encourages its adherents to pray through such intermediaries as St. Peter and Mary mother of Jesus. Works cited Angelyn, Dries & Chinnici, P. Joseph. Prayer and Practice in the American Catholic Community (American Catholic Identities). New York: Orbis Books, 2001. Print. Chinnici, P. Joseph. Devotion to the Holy Spirit in American Catholicism (Sources of American Spirituality. New York: Paulist Press, 1985. Print. Chinnici, P. Joseph. Living Stones: History and Structure of Catholic Spiritual Life in the United States. New York: Orbis Books (USA, 1996. Print. Read More