Who is Christian? Who is the real disciple of Christ? I will try to answer this difficult question about confessions in Christianity religion. I will start with a little historical approach. In the beginning, we observe one big Church that was founded just after Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
But from the V century more and more churches become independent. We called these Churches as Oriental Orthodox Churches. Then we see the rupture with Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054. And finally, we can see the division of the Catholic Church.
What is the difference between these Churches?
I will not explain the difference between all Churches. But I will explain the difference just between Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Church. We all have the same God, and Jesus Christ is the Son of God for us. But we have some dogmas difference; liturgical differences.
I will begin my comparison with Orthodoxy. The first difference it’s a very different culture and memory with the tragic history of Crusade 1204 in Byzantium. But it’s not the only obstacle to the union. We have also a difference in Credo. In the Orthodox tradition the Saint Spirit is only from Father but in the Catholic tradition is also from Son. In the liturgy, we also see the difference. For the Catholic Church, the orthodoxies observe this moment like the participation of Sky. In the Catholic Church, the Catholics are like the body of Christ. In the Orthodox tradition, we see that Marie is without sin. In the Orthodox tradition we can’t even accept it because means that Marie is more than human, she can’t die. But in the Catholic tradition, it means that Marie is free of sin. And of course, the Orthodoxies don’t want to accept the status of the Pope as the chief of all Church. But now we see the development of the dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Church with the clarification of language and terms. Now they called each other as Churches-Sisters.
Protestant Church was born in the XVI century because of the Conflict of Indulgences practice and corruption in the Catholic Church. The Protestant Church was born in 1517 with Ninety-Five Theses of Martin Luther. The main difference between the Catholic and Protestant Church now is the place of the Bible. In Catholic Church we see Tradition and the Bible occupy the most important place together. But in the Protestant tradition is the Bible, Faith, and Grace that occupy the most important place. As Luther said: “Sola Scriptura, Sola Fidei, Sola Gratia.”
Now we can see the development of the dialogue as well.
So, what is really dividing all Churches and do we need to become Super Church? I don’t really think that it’s necessary. But we need the spiritual and dogmatically consensus with the aide of Jesus Christ and repentance of every church!