Sometimes
ago, we came across an argument about the difference in the number of books
that the Catholic Church’s and the Protestant Church’s Bibles have.
We
deemed it fit, to relay the information in this article to the public. We want
to believe that this information can alleviate doubts on why there are
differences between the Bibles used by these churches.
The
Protestant Bible, of which the NIV is one version, is seven books shorter than
the Bible used by Roman Catholics Bible, but Protestants did not just take out
books; they used a different standard of what should be in the Bible. This
standard is known as ‘Canonisation of Scripture’.
The
Hebrew Bible has 24 books. This list, or "canon," was affirmed at the
Councils of Jamnia in A.D. 90 and 118. The Protestant Old Testament includes
exactly the same information, but organised into 39 books. For example, the
Hebrew Bible has one book of Samuel, while the Protestant Bible has I and II
Samuel—same book, but divided into two parts.
In
addition to these 39 books, the Catholic Old Testament includes Tobit, Judith,
Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch (includes the Letters of
Jeremiah), I and II Maccabees, and additions to Daniel and Esther. These books
were included in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of a different Hebrew
canon. Early church fathers, who relied on the Septuagint (they could read
Greek, but not Hebrew), sometimes quoted these books as Scripture.
At
the time of the Reformation, Protestants decided that, because the additional
books were not in the Hebrew Bible (because the additional books were found not
to be inspired by God) they should not be in the Christian Bible (though they
were included in early editions of the King James Bible). Catholics, at the
Council of Trent (1546), decided to keep the books in their bible.
Incidentally,
Protestants and Catholics use the same New Testament.[1]
Old Testaments are where the difference lies.
The Roman Catholic Church: What Separates Evangelicals
and Roman Catholics?
Evangelicals come
from a movement that began as a “protest” against non-biblical elements of
Catholicism — elements like the belief in purgatory and the practice of
granting indulgences. Yet, there remain substantial points which evangelicals
share in common with Catholics, including the inspiration of Scripture, the
Trinity, the virgin birth, Christ’s atonement and His bodily resurrection.
Indeed, with regard to these essentials, evangelicals have more in common with
conservative Roman Catholics than they do with liberal Protestants.
Evangelicals And
Catholics- Key Differences
Despite these
important areas of agreement, there are significant differences which separate
evangelicals and Catholics.
from: blogs.ancientfaith.com
For example, while
Catholics support the authority of the Bible, they also assert that the
unwritten traditions of the Roman church are just as authoritative. In fact,
that is the reason scores of practices and beliefs which have no basis in
Scripture at all but are accepted by Catholics as “gospel truth” — practices
like prayers for the dead and beliefs such as the infallibility of the pope.
This lies in stark contrast to the evangelical position, which asserts that the
canon of Scripture alone is the supreme standard and is the authority for all
Christians. In fact, affirming otherwise compromises the very supremacy of the
Bible as the Christian’s rule of faith (2
Tim. 3:16).
Evangelicals And
Catholics- Justification
Another major issue
dividing evangelicals and Catholics has to do with the question of justification.
Classical Catholicism holds the view that salvation involves a combination of
faith and infused righteousness. This means that God’s grace gives us the
capability to become righteous, and enables us to perform good works by which
we can receive God’s forgiveness. Evangelicals, on the other hand, believe that
salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone (Rom.
4:5; Eph. 2:8-9). To put it in perspective, we are saved by grace, but saved
unto good works.[2]
Notwithstanding, we advice you to
search more sources, relevant materials and/or trainings to know the depth of
these discrepancies.
Culled from:
Christian Today.
2.Christian
Research Institute, and
re-written by us.
[1]
Elesha, Coffman, WHY ARE PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC BIBLES DIFFERENT?
[2]
Hank, Hanegraaff, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: WHAT SEPARATES EVANGELICALS AND
ROMAN CATHOLICS?
