Response about Lutheranism and Catholicism (Essay Sample)

Name Instructor Course Date Response about Lutheranism and Catholicism Lutheranism is a branch of western Christianity based on the teachings of Martin Luther. Luther made concerted efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church by launching the Protestant Reformation. Catholicism, on the other hand, refers to churches and Christians belonging to the Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See. The two brands of Christianity have various similarities and differences between them. Lutheranism and Catholicism share many similarities. First, both are sacramental churches. The Catholic Church partakes of seven sacraments, including baptism, reconciliation, confirmation, communion and holy orders among others (Breuilly, O'Brien & Palmer, p. 43). The Lutheran church also observes baptism and Holy Communion. Secondly, both believe in trans-substantiation. This occurs during the Holy Communion when bread and wine are consecrated to represent the body and blood of Christ. This is a mystery of faith and follows the command given by Christ Himself. However, the bread and wine remains bread and wine. There are some differences between Lutheranism and Catholicism. Whereas Lutheranism is based on the teachings and ideas of Martin Luther, Catholicism has its foundation in Jesus Christ. Lutheranism is relatively new compared to Catholicism. This is because Lutheranism splinted from the Catholic Church, which was initially referred to as the mother church. Attempts by Luther reform the mother church led to the birth of Lutheranism. Concerning the Holy Sacrament, Lutherans reject a symbolic view of the bread and wine as standing for the body and blood of Jesus respectively. According to Smith, "We are given too few details to exactly what happened after the crucifixion." (p. 329). The Catholics, on the other hand, view the bread and wine as representing the body and blood of Jesus while they remain bread and wine. This is considered as a work of faith. In view of the similarities and differences between Catholicism and Lutheranism, it is apparent that no church is better than the other. There is no single true church. Any church can be considered true if it is rightly proclaiming the word of God and administering the sacraments correctly. In addition, a true religion cannot be monopolized by a single entity. There is, therefore, need to embrace religious tolerance. Religious tolerance provides a crucial key to world peace, considering that the tensions and wars experienced in the world today stem from religion. It is important to understand that although there is a true religion, s...