Catholic and Christian and How the Two Terms Relate
Catholics are Christians because Christian is the broad name for followers of Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church is one branch within Christianity. At Find A Prayer, we write for readers sorting through questions of faith, worship, and church tradition. In everyday speech, some people use Christian to mean Protestant and set it beside Catholic. In church teaching, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox believers, and Protestants are all Christians.
Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians all confess the Trinity and the deity and resurrection of Jesus. All three branches hold the Bible as sacred Scripture and share the same 27 books in the New Testament. The Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed are also confessed across Catholic and many Protestant churches.
What Catholic Means
Catholics are Christians: Christian is the broad word for followers of Jesus Christ, and the Catholic Church is one of three major branches of Christianity, alongside Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian communion in the world by number of baptized members. It is led by the pope, whom Catholics teach is the successor of the apostle Peter. The word catholic itself comes from the Greek katholikos, which translates to universal.
The Nicene Creed uses this word when it proclaims the Church to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. In its organizational life, the Catholic Church includes many distinct rites. These include the Latin rite as well as Eastern Catholic churches that are in communion with the pope. Catholic belief and practice center on specific teachings regarding authority, grace, and worship.
Teaching authority in the Catholic Church rests on three pillars: Scripture, sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium. Catholics celebrate seven sacraments. In the Eucharist, Catholics hold the doctrine of transubstantiation. Latin-rite priests are generally celibate, and only men are ordained to the priesthood.
Catholics also teach the existence of Purgatory and honor Mary and the saints, asking them for intercessory prayers. Weekly life for Catholics revolves around the Mass. This service includes readings from Scripture and the celebration of the Eucharist. Catholics are expected to attend Mass on Sundays.
In devotional life, Catholics often pray the Rosary and the Hail Mary. Many Catholic churches display statues and images of Mary and the saints. At the same time, the Catholic Church recognizes baptism performed with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, even when performed in other Christian bodies.
The Christian Faith and Its Branches
Christian is the broad term for any follower of Jesus Christ. The New Testament records in Acts 11:26 that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Christianity encompasses three major branches: the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. These bodies all confess the deity and resurrection of Jesus.
They all proclaim faith in the Holy Trinity. Each group also accepts the 27 books of the New Testament as sacred Scripture. The two non-Catholic branches have distinct origins and structures. Eastern Orthodox churches separated from the Catholic Church during the Great Schism of 1054.
Orthodox Christians accept the first seven ecumenical councils and have no pope. Orthodox worship centers on the Divine Liturgy with icons. Protestant churches trace their beginnings to the sixteenth-century Reformation, marked by Martin Luther publishing the Ninety-five Theses in 1517. Protestant bodies also have no pope and have 66 books in their Bibles.
Protestantism includes numerous distinct traditions and denominations. These include Lutheran, Presbyterian and Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, Anglican and Episcopal, and Pentecostal bodies. Most Protestant churches teach that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone. They hold Scripture alone as their final teaching authority and recognize two sacraments or ordinances, which are Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Baptists emphasize believer's baptism and local congregation independence. Pentecostals emphasize the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Anglicans use the Book of Common Prayer and maintain bishops while remaining distinct from the papacy.
The Relationship Between the Whole and the Branch
The central difference between Catholic and Christian is one of scope: Catholic names a specific church, Christian names the broad faith. Catholic names a specific church body and tradition, while Christian names the overarching religious faith. Every Catholic is a Christian, but not every Christian is a Catholic.
An Eastern Orthodox believer is a Christian who belongs to a church separated from the Catholic Church in 1054. A Protestant believer is a Christian who belongs to a church that traces to the sixteenth-century Reformation. In everyday conversation, some people use Christian as a shorthand label for Protestant believers.
In church teaching, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox believers are all recognized as Christians. The Second Vatican Council met between 1962 and 1965. During those meetings, the Catholic Church referred to Protestant and Orthodox believers as separated brothers and sisters in Christ.
Authority, Sacraments, and Daily Worship
When comparing Catholic life with other Christian traditions, concrete differences appear in authority, sacramental numbers, and worship style. In authority, the Catholic Church relies on the triad of Scripture, sacred Tradition, and the teaching office known as the Magisterium. By contrast, most Protestant churches hold to Scripture alone as the final rule for faith and practice.
Orthodox churches have no pope and accept the first seven ecumenical councils. Sacramental theology provides another practical point of distinction. The Catholic Church celebrates seven sacraments, holding transubstantiation in the Eucharist.
Most Protestant bodies recognize two sacraments or ordinances, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Many Catholic churches display statues and images of Mary and the saints. Catholics pray the Rosary and the Hail Mary, asking Mary and the saints to pray for them.
Readers Who Need Pastoral Guidance
A reader wrestling with personal doubts about justification, the authority of the papacy, or sacramental validity should speak with a priest, pastor, or minister. If you are searching for personal guidance on joining a church, or resolving complex spiritual questions, speak with a local priest, pastor, or minister in the traditions you are exploring.
A Catholic priest can explain Catholic sacramental teaching and worship. A Protestant pastor or Orthodox priest can explain how their specific tradition approaches salvation and worship.
What Would Change This Recommendation
This distinction would change if a reader prioritizes everyday speech over church teaching. If your goal is to follow casual speech where people use Christian to mean Protestant, formal definitions may feel secondary. However, if your priority is accurate theological understanding, historical coherence, and clarity about what different believers hold, the broad definition of Christian applies.
If a reader decides that church governance under the pope is required for their faith, their focus will shift toward Catholic teaching. If a reader decides that Scripture alone must govern faith without papal authority or sacred Tradition, their focus will move toward Protestant traditions.
Catholic vs Christian: at a glance
| Factor | Catholic | Christian |
|---|---|---|
| Basic definition | One branch of Christianity, led by the pope | The broad term for all followers of Jesus Christ |
| Major divisions included | Comprises the Latin rite and Eastern Catholic churches in communion with the pope | Comprises three major branches: Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant |
| Teaching authority | Scripture, sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium | Varies by branch; most Protestant churches hold Scripture alone as final authority |
| Sacraments recognized | Seven sacraments, including the Eucharist held as transubstantiation | Varies by branch; most Protestant churches recognize two: Baptism and the Lord's Supper |
| Number of books in the Bible | 73 books, including the deuterocanonical books | 27 New Testament books in all three branches; 66 books in Protestant Bibles |
| Foundational creeds confessed | Confesses the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed | The Nicene Creed and Apostles' Creed are confessed across Catholic and many Protestant churches |
Verdict: Catholic vs Christian
Catholics are Christians, and the Catholic Church is the largest Christian communion by number of baptized members. If you prefer worship centered on Scripture alone without papal authority, one of the diverse Protestant traditions will fit your convictions.
The basis is each tradition's published teaching, summarized by the Find A Prayer editorial team. To explore how Protestant traditions differ from Catholic practice, read our Catholic vs Protestant comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Are Catholics Christian?
Yes, Catholics are Christians. Christian is the overarching name for any follower of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church is one of the three historic branches of Christianity, alongside Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. Catholics confess the historic Christian creeds, including the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. They believe in the Trinity and the deity and resurrection of Jesus. While Catholics hold distinctive doctrines regarding the pope and seven sacraments, they share faith in the Trinity and the resurrection of Jesus with other Christians.
What is the difference between Catholic and Christian?
The difference between Catholic and Christian is a distinction between a specific part and the whole. Christian is the general category for all believers in Jesus Christ across the world. Catholic refers to a specific branch within Christianity led by the pope. Every Catholic is a Christian, but other Christians belong to Protestant or Eastern Orthodox churches instead.
Do Catholics and other Christians believe in the same God?
Catholics and other Christians confess the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Both Catholic and Protestant bodies, as well as the Eastern Orthodox churches, worship God as the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They confess the Trinity and the deity and resurrection of Jesus. The Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed are confessed across Catholic and many Protestant churches. The branches differ on church authority and the number of sacraments.
Do Catholics read the same Bible as other Christians?
Catholics and other Christians share the exact same 27 books of the New Testament, but their Old Testaments differ in book count. A Catholic Bible contains 73 total books, including the deuterocanonical books. Protestant Bibles contain 66 books. Despite this difference in the Old Testament canon, both Catholics and Protestants hold the Bible as sacred Scripture.
Why do some people say Christian and mean not Catholic?
Some people use the word Christian to mean Protestant and set it beside Catholic. In church teaching, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant believers are all recognized as Christians. In church teaching, both Catholics and Protestants are Christians.
What are the main branches of Christianity?
Christianity has three major historical branches: the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. The Catholic Church is the largest communion and is united under the leadership of the pope. Eastern Orthodoxy traces its distinct path from the Catholic Church back to the Great Schism of 1054 and worships through the Divine Liturgy. Protestantism emerged from the sixteenth-century Reformation marked by Martin Luther publishing the Ninety-five Theses in 1517. Protestantism includes diverse denominational families such as Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans, and Pentecostals.
What does the word catholic mean?
The word catholic means universal, and the Catholic Church is the communion led by the pope. The Nicene Creed calls the Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. The Catholic Church is led by the pope and includes the Latin rite and Eastern Catholic churches in communion with the pope.
Can a Catholic and a Protestant both be Christian?
Both a Catholic and a Protestant are Christians because both are followers of Jesus Christ. Both hold the Bible as sacred Scripture with 27 New Testament books, and the Apostles' Creed is confessed across Catholic and many Protestant churches. They differ over church leadership, the number of sacraments, and the role of tradition. However, their shared commitment to Jesus Christ places both within the Christian religion.