What is the difference between orthodox and protestant

On the other hand the protestant consider Mary to be a holy woman but they reject the idea of her perpetual virginity. They claim that the veneration of Mary as done by Orthodox or Catholics is not Biblical in nature Bonagura. The concept of salvation is also different in the two sects. They argue that salvation is available to all people and all humans can potentially manifest signs of a spiritual unity with the Holy Trinity Davies-Stofka.

Although the Protestants also believe in the day of judgment the last day when all the humans will be resurrected but they accentuate that salvation is not just an experience for the afterlife; it is a journey that gradually results into transformation into the likeness of the Christ and filling of the Holy spirit Vial.

Another related point of disagreement is regarding purgatory. The Orthodox acknowledge the existence of an intermediary stage between this life and the afterlife, however the Protestants reject the existence of any such intermediate stage between earth and heavens Vial. Moreover, Icons play a very central role in the Christian Orthodox belief framework to the extent that it is impossible to understand the Orthodox teachings without studying the icons.

Icon is a Greek word meaning Image, and these icons are of sacred personalities including Jesus, Mary and the saints Davies-Stofka. These images take the center spot in the churches and are venerated. Protestants on the contrary do not invoke saints, venerate them or use icons and the most common symbol is the empty cross which could be found in abundance in their churches.

To sum up the arguments, although there are only small differences between the two denominations but these small differences have led to a major disagreement and division within the Christian community.

Orthodox and Protestant Christians differ in terms of their beliefs, practices, symbolism and religious understanding. Many of their concepts including that of salvation, position of Mary, authority of church, saint veneration and importance of Apocrypha are markedly different in the two denominations. Orthodox Christianity originated in the 11th century and the Protestantism in the 16th century.

The Orthodox Christians consider Mary to be the bearer of god and a virgin. While the Protestants disagree. The belief of salivation differs significantly. Orthodox Christians have the concept of deification and purgatory while the Protestants reject both. The Orthodox Christians venerate saints and Icons play an important part in their religious belief framework while the Protestants reject both ideas. Rate this post! Email This Post : If you like this article or our site. Please spread the word.

Differences between the Orthodox and Protestant Christians. This does not mean Protestants neglect tradition, only that tradition is submitted to the higher authority of the Bible. Furthermore, Protestants insist that God speaks to the reader of the Bible in a direct manner rather than being mediated by the church.

Just as the Reformers placed Scripture above tradition, they placed the Scriptures above the church. It was the Word of God that gave birth to the church, Calvin insisted, and not the other way around.

Most Orthodox believers understand things differently. According to the late Orthodox theologian John Meyendorff d. This elevation of the Bible above the church, the consequence of which is private interpretation, George Florovsky d. Positively, Orthodoxy believes that the Spirit of God speaks to his people through apostolic tradition.

This tradition is expressed through Scripture, to be sure, but also through the seven ecumenical councils, and to a lesser degree, the church fathers, liturgy, canon law, and icons. Furthermore, contrary to Calvin, the Orthodox note that the church existed some years before the ecumenical councils and the formation of the scriptural canon. The Reformed idea of "Scripture alone" seems privatistic allowing each person to interpret truth on his or her own and therefore dangerous.

By way of contrast, converts to Orthodoxy vow to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation which was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother. The central issue raised by the Reformation was how a person could stand just before a holy God—How can I be saved?

For traditional Protestants, the answer to this question is expressed in Paul's doctrine of "justification by faith alone. Because of Christ's righteousness, God declares me just. Calvin called this doctrine "the hinge upon which true religion turns. The background for justification is distinctly legal or forensic. Having offended the majesty and honor of God, a just penalty must be paid. Calvin describes justification by faith just so: "Just as a man, deemed innocent by an impartial judge, is said to be justified, so a sinner is said to be justified by God when he asserts His righteousness.

It is fascinating to observe the total absence of the doctrine of justification by faith in large segments of Orthodox history and theology. Instead, the idea of theosis or "deification" takes center stage. The startling aphorism—attributed to many early church fathers, including the champion of trinitarianism, Athanasius—summed it up well: "God became man so that men might become gods.

In fact, theosis enjoys the support of Scripture, as in 2 Peter "[God] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature. The legal framework for understanding the work of Christ is played down and our mystical union with God is emphasized.

But what does it mean to "become God"? Because Protestantism began in the West, dialogue between the two groups has been relatively infrequent until modern times.

The Orthodox churches separated from Rome in A. The immediate cause of the split was theological, but the two groups had been developing different cultures and customs through the ages.

Once the split occurred, dialogue continued for another years, ending in the 15th century. The Protestant Reformation, on the other hand, was an entirely internal movement within the Roman Catholic Church. Geographically, Protestantism was coterminous with Catholicism. This doctrine is expressed in the early church creeds, such as the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. There is Clergy in the Protestant Church, but there is no Hierarchy as such. Celibacy in Protestantism is optional.

The origin of Christianity goes back in c. AD 30—33, in Jerusalem in the Roman province of Judea, by the ministry of Jesus, a Jewish teacher and healer who proclaimed the coming kingdom of God and was crucified.

Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, and Protest Christianity are the three primary forms of Christianity that people worldwide follow. Initially, there was only one church, and the religion was known as Christianity. But after various reformations, there are now multiple forms of Christianity. These Denominations groups have further subgroups. One such example is Anglicanism. But as they were a whole in the beginning, they also have certain similarities between them.

They all have differences in their clergy, working, hierarchy, practices, scriptures, views, opinion and beliefs. It is rather challenging to determine if a specific group is the ideal or perfect one to follow.