I've noticed that a lot of Catholics are clueless about Protestantism... why is this?

[Anonymous]

Also, the reason for differences in rules about receiving communion have to do with differences in beliefs about the Eucharist. Protestants believe that the bread is a symbol that they share in memory of Jesus's last supper. Catholics believe that the bread and wine is transformed into the body and blood of Jesus an so they want those who partake of communion to share those same beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Catholic school in the 70s and we spent lots of time learning about other faiths and going to other churches. It was the beginning of the ecumenical movement, and we planned services with other churches on a regular basis. Because they were close to our Catholic Church, I and my classmates spent a lot of time in Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.

I've belonged to a number of different Catholic parishes across the country since then and also taught religious education classes and I've never encountered anyone in a Catholic Church teaching that anyone who isn't Catholic would be going straight to hell.

Same here.

And to the Martin Luther poster, they do teach about him in Catholic schools. They also teach about the Great Schism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, the reason for differences in rules about receiving communion have to do with differences in beliefs about the Eucharist. Protestants believe that the bread is a symbol that they share in memory of Jesus's last supper. Catholics believe that the bread and wine is transformed into the body and blood of Jesus an so they want those who partake of communion to share those same beliefs.

Cradle Catholic here, and now I worship in an ELCA Lutheran church.

The above is what I learned, as a Catholic child, is what Protestants believe. But it is not in fact what all Protestants believe. It is what the Catholic Church believes about Protestant communion. Which is different from what Protestants themselves believe.

What Lutherans and Episcopalians actually believe is that Christ is actually present in the elements of bread and wine. Not much different from transubstantiation.

[Anonymous]

^^^ In other words, Catholics believe they have a monopoly on the Real Presence and that Protestants are excluded from that.

But that is not what Protestants believe.

[Anonymous]

The history of the Catholic church is wound up in the history of Western civilization, so it stands to reason that most Americans who passed their HS history would have a basic familiarity with Catholicism - and due to the reformation involving some nitpicking over which sacraments are legit vs which aren't, most would have learned what the seven sacraments are.

That is likely why you know a bit about Catholicism OP. Similarly, Catholics should also know about the origins of Protestantism due to history lessons - but if they attended a Catholic HS, the Reformation might have been omitted from their curriculum (was for my Mom's) or they may have simply disregarded the information they received on it because they were told it's wrong or biased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ex-Catholic here. In my Catholic elementary school (in the 1970s), we were told that others were going to Hell. So I guess we weren't too interested in learning about their beliefs. (which is a problem, I agree.).

I was taught the same thing in Catholic elementary school in the 1970s. They were going to Hell because they rejected the one true church. In Catholic high school we learned all about the the non-Catholic religions. By the time I got to high school In the 1980s I was no longer being told the non-Catholics were going to Hell.

[Anonymous]

I went to Catholic school until 4th grade. When I imagined the second coming, I imagined a great big cloud of all of the Catholics floating into heaven. There was a much smaller cloud for all the other non Catholic christians. Jesus obviously rode on the Catholic cloud.

That's what I learned about other Christian religions. They existed but they were very unimportant and small compared to being Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Funny, I observed just the opposite, that we're all more familiar with Protestantism than any P knows about Catholocism. And not a single observation, observed over 5 decades. I would surmise then, that it is not true one way or the other if our experiences don't match, then neither is a valid generalization even though each is true for the individual who experienced it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've encountered quite a few Catholics who know absolutely nothing about being Protestant. They didn't have the first idea how it happened or what Protestants (in general) believed. I'm a Protestant, but I certainly know about Catholicism.

What's up with this?

Which denominations of Protestantism should Catholics know about?

Lutherans, Episcopalians, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Adventists, Calvinists, Anabaptists, Anglicans?

What about the Greek Orthodox Church? Which denominations should they know about?

[Anonymous]

Yep.

And much of the protestant knowlege about Catholicism is based off stereotypes, half truths, misconceptions and outright lies.

So much truth in this statement. As someone who is the product is a southern Baptist parent and a Catholic parent, I can tell you that the lack of education was always from protestants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get into theological discussions with my Protestant friends. If you were my friend you'd have no idea how much I know about your religion. If conversation veers into religion, ie. "How about that crazy pope Francis?" I'd laugh and steer conversation away. I am very conscious of prejudice from Protestants- "Mariology". If you open a conversation like that I will shut it down. Let's talk about the weather.

Yep.

And much of the protestant knowlege about Catholicism is based off stereotypes, half truths, misconceptions and outright lies.

Oops...my post meant to quote this post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Protestants believe they are going back to the original tenets of Christ, not that they are formed out of Catholicism. They left Catholicism to return to the original faith, the true faith.

Which one true protestant church?

Anglican? Southern Baptist? Quakers? Holy Rollers? The Duggar versions of the original, one true faith? Pentacostal? Jehovah Witnessss?

Or is the one true faith any of the multitude of start up evangelical denominations?

There is a whole lot of daylight and theological differences betweens the hundreds of protestant denominations.

It is a little presumptuous to say that protestantism brings us back to the "one true faith" when there are hundreds of different versions of protestant denominations, many which believe very very different things about what is spiritually correct.

Or is your choice of protestant denomination the one true faith?

[Anonymous]

When I went to CCD in the early 80s we went to a synagogue. we all thought it was cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I went to CCD in the early 80s we went to a synagogue. we all thought it was cool.

Sorry -- my point being that we learned about different religions - Protestant ones too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, the reason for differences in rules about receiving communion have to do with differences in beliefs about the Eucharist. Protestants believe that the bread is a symbol that they share in memory of Jesus's last supper. Catholics believe that the bread and wine is transformed into the body and blood of Jesus an so they want those who partake of communion to share those same beliefs.

Cradle Catholic here, and now I worship in an ELCA Lutheran church.

The above is what I learned, as a Catholic child, is what Protestants believe. But it is not in fact what all Protestants believe. It is what the Catholic Church believes about Protestant communion. Which is different from what Protestants themselves believe.

What Lutherans and Episcopalians actually believe is that Christ is actually present in the elements of bread and wine. Not much different from transubstantiation.

No, as an attendee of Episcopal classes, I was taught that christ was present, but not as transubstantiation.