Catholic vs. Methodist
A side-by-side comparison of Catholic and Methodist 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.
Methodist
Methodism began in the 18th century as a renewal movement within the Church of England under John and Charles Wesley. It emphasizes God’s grace offered to all, holiness of heart and life, and practical care for the poor.
At a glance
Where they differ: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; How a person is saved; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Church government; Clergy and women in ministry; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell; Style of worship.
Varies within one or both: The Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.
Where they agree: The Trinity; Can a saved person fall away?; Predestination and free will; Baptism; Day of worship.
Side by side
| Question | Catholic | Methodist |
|---|---|---|
| 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 is primary, and is understood in light of tradition, reason and Christian experience. This fourfold method is called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. |
| 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. |
| 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). | One God in three persons, in the historic creeds and in Wesley’s Articles of Religion. |
| 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. | Justified by grace through faith. Wesley also taught that God’s grace goes before conversion (prevenient grace) and leads to sanctification, growth in holiness that may be called “Christian perfection,” meaning perfect love. |
| 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. Wesley taught that a believer can fall from grace by persistent unbelief or sin, though he held that God is eager to restore. |
| Predestination and free willAgree | 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. | Rejects Calvinist predestination. Grace is offered to everyone, and each person is free to accept or resist it, which is the Arminian position. |
| 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 sacrament and sign of God’s grace. Both infants and adult believers are baptized, and the mode may be sprinkling, pouring or immersion. |
| 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 is truly present, but the manner is a holy mystery. The United Methodist Church rejects transubstantiation and does not define a theory. |
| 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. |
| Church governmentDiffer | Governed by bishops in communion with the pope, who is the successor of Peter and holds universal authority. Priests serve under bishops. | A “connectional” system in which churches are bound in districts and conferences. The United Methodist Church has bishops, and some Methodist bodies do not. |
| Clergy and women in ministryDiffer | 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. | Women are ordained as pastors and bishops in the United Methodist Church and most other Methodist bodies. Clergy 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 and the saints are honored as models of faith. Methodists do not pray to them. |
| 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 are with Christ at death and await the resurrection, and unbelievers face judgment. |
| Style of worshipDiffer | 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. | A mixture. Worship generally follows a set order with hymns (many by Charles Wesley), Scripture and preaching, and styles range from traditional to contemporary. |
| The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsVaries | 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’s work is stressed in assurance and holiness. Attitudes to tongues and healing vary, and the Wesleyan holiness movement gave rise to Pentecostalism. |
| 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. | Warm-hearted evangelism, hymnody, holiness of life and social outreach through hospitals, schools and missions. |
“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
- 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?
- What Does the Bible Say About Worship?
- The Trinity
- The Deity of Christ
- Free Will, Predestination, and Divine Sovereignty
- Sabbath
More comparisons
Catholic
Methodist
- Eastern Orthodox vs. Methodist
- Lutheran vs. Methodist
- Presbyterian / Reformed vs. Methodist
- Anglican / Episcopal vs. Methodist
- Methodist vs. Baptist
- Methodist vs. Anabaptist / Mennonite
- Methodist vs. Pentecostal
- Methodist vs. Seventh-day Adventist
- Methodist vs. Church of Christ
- Methodist vs. Non-denominational