A friend on Facebook shared one of those quizzes. This one was called - Quiz: You'll Only Pass This Test If You Grew Up Roman Catholic. My friend got 100%. He grew up Catholic.
I decided I would try my hand at the quiz. And I received 100% and felt pretty proud of myself. I had done quite a bit of research on the Protestant Reformation and have some Catholic relatives and a lot of Catholic friends, so I assumed that was why I did so well. Then I noticed other Protestants and even two Jewish people who took it got 100%. What? Something was not quite kosher. (Wink.) However, it wasn't until I started writing this that I realized I had actually missed 2 of the 15 questions. And I figured out you can answer questions wrong and still get 100%. I don't have a clue why. Are they trying to get you on their site to feed you ads or worse, scam you? Who knows. So be careful of those Facebook quizzes!
Let's look at each question and the answer to see how Catholics and Protestants are similar and some of the ways they differ.
1. How many sacraments are there?
The answer is 7.
They are:
1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. The Holy Eucharist
4. Penance
5. Anointing of the Sick (formerly called Extreme Unction)
6. Holy Orders
7. Matrimony
Do you know how many sacraments Protestants have?
They share 3 of these sacraments and they are:
1. Baptism - Many Protestant denominations practice infant baptism. Other denominations practice infant dedication, believing you shouldn't be baptized until you can make a decision for yourself to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. This is known as believer's baptism.
(Note some denominations that practice infant baptism also do confirmation. Confirmation is not considered a sacrament, but a requirement for church membership. It is where the person who was baptized as an infant professes their faith.)
2. The Lord's Supper/ Communion - this is the same in Protestant churches and Catholic churches except for one thing. See the answer to question number 6 for the difference.
3. Marriage - Same in the Protestant Church and Catholic Church.
2. What is Lent?
Answer: The 40 days of fasting before Easter.
While many Protestants observe Lent by giving something up for Lent, it is more a Catholic practice. But both Catholics and Protestants know what it is.
3. When do we celebrate Jesus' birth?
Answer: Christmas Day.
I mean seriously!? Who wouldn't know this? Whether you were a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist,... Duh.
4. How many times did Jesus fall carrying the cross?
The answer is 3. I got this one wrong. I thought it was 2.
5. Who gives the homily?
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of Scripture. A homily is given in Catholic, Anglican (consider themselves Catholic, but not Roman Catholic; kind of a mix between Catholic and Protestant), Lutheran (Protestant) and Greek Orthodox churches.
Answer: Priest or deacon.
I missed this one too. I thought a homily was a praise to God. Had I known what it was, I think I could have guessed correctly.
6. What is the Transubstantiation?
Answer: The conversion of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Catholics believe the bread and wine we take at Communion/ The Lord's Supper/ Eucharist actually becomes the real body and blood of Christ. Protestants believe the bread and wine are representative of the body and blood of Christ. This is a big distinction and it is the main reason why Protestants are not permitted to partake of Communion at a Catholic mass.
I knew this one.
7. What prayer do you have to recite in Confession.
Answer: The Act of Contrition
I got this one correct although I guessed.
Both Catholics and Protestants believe in confessing our sins to God. Even as Christians we still sin daily - unkindness, gossip, lying, ungratefulness,... We need to confess and repent of the sin in our lives. But Protestants don't believe we need a priest to do that.
8. Complete this sentence: "I believe in one, holy, Catholic, and __________ Church."
Answer: apostolic
This phrase is in the Nicene Creed which we both profess. Protestants say, "We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. I went to 4 Catholic websites and they also say, "one holy catholic and apostolic church." The word "catholic" is not capitalized. When Protestants recite the Apostles Creed we say, "the holy catholic church." The Catholics say, "the holy Catholic Church" (referring to their church.) The word "catholic" means universal. Protestants believe the universal church is Christ's body of believers.
9. Who was the first Pope?
Answer: Peter
I knew this. Pretty common knowledge that Catholics believe this. Protestants do not. The reason Catholics believe this is because Jesus says to Peter in Matthew 16:18 "...you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church;..." Catholics believe this established the papacy with Peter being the first pope, because in the original Greek text, "Petros" (stone or piece of a rock), and upon this "petra" (rock) I will build My church. Protestants and Greek Orthodox believe the entire passage Matthew 16:13-19 concludes that it is Peter's confession of faith in verse 16, Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God", which is the "rock" (or foundation) of the church. Peter uses this same analogy in 1 Peter 2:5 when referring to believers as "living stones." Elsewhere in Scripture it mentions Jesus is the cornerstone, the foundation of the church which is the body of believers in Him as the Christ.
This article explains further.
10. What does 'Gospel' mean?
Answer: good news
This is just general Christian knowledge.
11. Where was Jesus born?
Answer: Bethlehem
Again, general Christian knowledge.
12. Which gospel refers to Jesus as "the word"?
Answer: John
Again, general Christian knowledge. See John 1:1.
13. True or false: The Vatican is considered its own city.
Answer: False
While it is called Vatican City, technically the Vatican is considered its own country.
This is just general geographical knowledge.
14. Love is _________, Love is ____________.
Answer: patient, kind
This is general Christian knowledge. It is from the "love chapter" of the Bible. 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
15. What is the response to "peace be with you"?
Answer: "And with your spirit."
I don't know how I knew this one. I have been to a Catholic mass I think 4 times. But also I have heard this in some Protestant churches. The Protestant churches I've attended don't typically say this. But I've heard it before.
Pretty easy test.
Just thought you might find it interesting the similarities and differences.
Are we unified on the "essentials" to the Christian faith? I'd say yes. We both profess the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.