Catholic vs. Lutheran
A side-by-side comparison of Catholic and Lutheran teaching on 16 questions, from Scripture and salvation to baptism, communion and church government.
Catholic
The Catholic Church is the largest Christian body, led by the pope as bishop of Rome and organized around the seven sacraments. It traces its line of bishops to the apostles and teaches that Scripture and Sacred Tradition together carry God’s revelation.
Lutheran
Lutheranism grew from Martin Luther’s reforming work in Germany from 1517. It is built on justification by grace through faith and the authority of Scripture, while keeping a liturgical form of worship and a strong view of the sacraments.
At a glance
Where they differ: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; How a person is saved; Predestination and free will; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell.
Varies within one or both: Church government; Clergy and women in ministry.
Where they agree: The Trinity; Can a saved person fall away?; Baptism; Style of worship; The Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts; Day of worship.
Side by side
| Question | Catholic | Lutheran |
|---|---|---|
| Authority: Scripture and traditionDiffer | Scripture and Sacred Tradition together form one deposit of faith. The Magisterium, the teaching office of the pope and bishops, interprets both authoritatively. | Scripture alone is the final norm for doctrine. The Book of Concord (the Lutheran confessions) is held as a faithful statement of what Scripture teaches. |
| Books of the BibleDiffer | 73 books: the 66 Protestant books plus seven deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees) and additions to Esther and Daniel. | 66 books. The Apocrypha is not part of the canon, though Luther held that it is useful and good to read. |
| The TrinityAgree | One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Spirit is said to proceed from the Father and the Son (the filioque clause added to the Nicene Creed in the West). | Holds the Nicene, Apostles’ and Athanasian Creeds. One God in three persons. |
| How a person is savedDiffer | Salvation is God’s gift, received through faith and baptism. The believer cooperates with grace through works of love, and the sacraments are the ordinary channels of that grace. Justification is understood as a real inner renewal, not only a declaration. | Justification by grace alone through faith alone. God declares the sinner righteous for Christ’s sake, and good works follow as the fruit of faith rather than a condition of it. |
| Can a saved person fall away?Agree | Yes. A person can lose the grace of God through mortal sin, and it is restored through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation (confession). | Yes. Lutherans teach that a believer can fall from faith by rejecting it, while holding that God is faithful and works to keep his people in the faith. |
| Predestination and free willDiffer | God knows and wills the salvation of the elect, and human free will genuinely cooperates with grace. The church condemns the view that God predestines anyone to damnation. | God elects believers in Christ by grace alone, but Lutherans do not teach that he predestines anyone to damnation. Why some believe and others do not is left as a mystery. |
| BaptismAgree | A sacrament that cleanses original sin and begins new life in Christ. Infants are baptized, usually by pouring water, and adults are baptized after instruction. | A means of grace in which God gives forgiveness and faith. Infants are baptized, and the mode is usually pouring or sprinkling. |
| Communion (the Lord’s Supper)Differ | The Eucharist. Bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation), and the whole Christ is truly present under their appearance. | Christ’s body and blood are truly present “in, with and under” the bread and wine (sacramental union). The elements stay bread and wine. |
| Sacraments or ordinancesDiffer | Seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and marriage. | Two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some Lutherans also count absolution (confession). |
| Church governmentVaries | Governed by bishops in communion with the pope, who is the successor of Peter and holds universal authority. Priests serve under bishops. | Varies. Some Lutheran bodies have bishops, including the Church of Sweden and the ELCA, which has a presiding bishop and synod bishops. Others do not, and the LCMS is led by a president and district presidents. |
| Clergy and women in ministryVaries | Priests and bishops must be men, and priests in the Latin Church are celibate. Women serve as religious sisters, teachers and lay leaders, but not as ordained clergy. | Varies. The ELCA ordains women and the LCMS does not. Pastors may marry. |
| Mary and the saintsDiffer | Mary is honored as Mother of God, and Catholics pray to her and the saints to intercede. Catholic teaching includes the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption and Mary’s perpetual virginity. | Mary is honored as the mother of the Lord and the saints as examples of faith. Lutherans do not pray to them, since Christ is the only mediator. |
| Death, purgatory and hellDiffer | Those who die in grace but are not fully purified go through purgatory before heaven. The living pray for the dead. Hell is eternal separation from God. | Purgatory is rejected. Believers who die are with Christ and await the resurrection, and unbelievers face eternal separation from God. |
| Style of worshipAgree | Highly liturgical. The Mass follows a set order, with readings, a homily and the Eucharist at the center. Worship uses vestments, incense and candles on many occasions. | Usually liturgical, using a set order with hymns, readings, a sermon and communion. Many congregations also use contemporary services. |
| The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsAgree | The Spirit works through the sacraments, and the church recognizes gifts (charisms) of healing and prophecy. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, begun in 1967, welcomes tongues, but it is not the norm. | The Spirit works through Word and sacrament. Gifts are honored, but ecstatic gifts are not emphasized, and a charismatic movement exists within Lutheranism. |
| Day of worshipAgree | Sunday, the day of the resurrection. Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days. | Sunday. |
| Best known for | Papal authority, the seven sacraments, the Mass, Marian devotion and a worldwide network of schools, hospitals and charities. | Justification by faith, the Small Catechism, congregational hymn singing and Luther’s translation of the Bible into German. |
“Agree” means the two traditions take the same broad position, although the wording above may still note finer differences. “Varies” means at least one of the two is itself divided on the question, so no single position can be given. These summaries describe typical teaching, and individual churches may vary. For an authoritative statement, consult each denomination’s own confessions.
Learn more on this site
- The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture
- The Reliability of Scripture
- The Canon
- Textual Variants and "Lost Books" (Gnostic Gospels, Apocrypha)
- What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?
- Grace
- Justification
- Free Will, Predestination, and Divine Sovereignty
- Baptism
- Catholic Church
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- What Does the Bible Say About Heaven?
- What Does the Bible Say About Hell?
- What Does the Bible Say About Judgment Day?
- The Trinity
- The Deity of Christ
- What Does the Bible Say About Worship?
- What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts?
- Sabbath