Compare Center
Side-by-side comparison
Choose two traditions to compare across the core topics.
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| Topic | Catholic | Eastern Orthodox |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium together. | Scripture and Holy Tradition; conciliar consensus. |
| Scripture | 73 books including Deuterocanon; Vulgate tradition. | Old Testament follows the Septuagint; broader canon. |
| Tradition | Sacred Tradition, equal in dignity to Scripture. | Holy Tradition as the life of the Spirit in the Church; Scripture is part of it. |
| Baptism | Regenerative; usually by infusion in infancy. | Regenerative; triple immersion, with chrismation and Eucharist. |
| Eucharist | Transubstantiation; real presence under the species. | True Body and Blood; mystery without scholastic definition. |
| Salvation | Grace, faith working through love; sacramental life. | Theosis through participation in divine life. |
| Mary | Theotokos; Immaculate Conception (1854); Assumption (1950). | Theotokos; ever-virgin; honored above all saints; rejects Immaculate Conception as defined. |
| Saints | Veneration and intercession; formal canonization. | Veneration and intercession; glorification by the Church. |
| Church Structure | Episcopal, with universal jurisdiction of the pope. | Episcopal, conciliar; primacy of honor for Constantinople. |
| Apostolic Succession | Bishops in unbroken succession from the apostles. | Bishops in unbroken succession; tied to right faith and communion. |
| Eschatology | Particular judgment, purgatory, general resurrection, final judgment. | Toll-houses (debated), prayer for the dead, general resurrection, final judgment. |
For fuller treatments, see the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Protestant Christianity pages.