Morning light falling across an open Bible

“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8

Respectful. Honest. Sourced.

Catholic teaching, weighed against Scripture.

What the Catholic Church teaches, in the Catechism's own words, set beside what the Bible says. We critique teachings, never people, and point everyone to Jesus Christ alone.

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Topic by topic

Catholic teaching beside Scripture

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Saved by grace through faith

Catholics and Protestants agree that salvation begins with God's grace. They differ on what justification is, how it is received, and whether a believer can know he is saved. Here is the Catechism, in its own words, beside Scripture.

One mediator between God and people

Scripture says there is one mediator, Christ Jesus. The Catechism agrees that Christ's mediation is unique, and also calls Mary Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix. Here are both, side by side.

Scripture and Tradition

The Catechism teaches that the Church does not take her certainty about all revealed truths from Scripture alone, and that Scripture, Tradition and the teaching office stand together. Scripture describes itself as God-breathed and enough to equip us completely.

Peter, the rock, and the papacy

The Catechism teaches that the Pope, as successor of Peter, has full, supreme and universal power over the whole Church. Here is what Jesus said to Peter, and how Peter described himself.

Mary, the mother of Jesus

Every Christian honours Mary as blessed among women. The Catechism also teaches that she was preserved from all sin from her conception, remained ever-virgin and was taken up body and soul into heaven. Here is what Scripture says about her.

Purgatory

The Catechism teaches that those who die in God's grace but are imperfectly purified undergo purification after death. Scripture says the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin and that for believers there is no condemnation.

The Mass and the once-for-all sacrifice

The Catechism teaches that the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice, and that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. Hebrews says Christ offered Himself once for all.

Confession and forgiveness

Catholics and Protestants agree that only God forgives sins. The Catechism teaches that confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance. Scripture says if we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive.

Praying to the saints

The Catechism teaches that the saints in heaven intercede for us and that we can and should ask them to. Scripture teaches us to pray to the Father, through the Son, and to pray for one another here and now.

Images and statues

The Catechism teaches that honouring sacred images is a respectful veneration, not worship, and does not break the commandment against idols. The commandment itself, and Israel's history, call for great care.

Indulgences

The Catechism describes an indulgence as a remission of the temporal punishment due to forgiven sins, drawn from the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints. Scripture says Christ paid it all.

The way out

How to be saved

The good news is the same for every person, Catholic or not: God saves sinners by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Here it is in the words of the Bible.

Read it now Five things Scripture makes clear