Why are you Catholic and not Anglican or vice and versa?

[Upcycled]

These two religions are pretty similar aren't they?
Why did you chose one over the other?

[Mrswellyboot]

Parents choice. I'm catholic but I also baptised my son catholic. It is my faith I suppose.

I don't think there is much difference at all though.

[Upcycled]

Thanks Mrswellyboot
Anyone else?

[Longdistance]

I've been to a C of E church service, as I Catholic, it is not too dissimilar.

Though, my df would say that he was born a Catholic, and will die a Catholic.

[zipzap]

cultural c of e. dh was catholic. neither regular church goers but his mum was, (and has nuns and priests in the immediate family) my gran was.

I don't like all the paedophile shitstorm surrounding the catholic church. I also have lots of friends that are catholic that have some dodgy angst (dh included!) that I can't put my finger on but it doesn't make them happy nor is it good for them.

We got married in a c of e church. dc are baptised c of e. Not sure that we ever explicitly said that we weren't bringing them up catholic. pretty sure the ex-nun would have conniptions if she knew; she still thinks that the paedophilia stuff going on in the catholic church is just nasty people making it up to discredit the church and doesn't believe that it ever went on.

[TheArticFunky]

I was baptised Catholic but not raised as a Catholic.

I was agnostic for my most of my adult life and I assumed that Catholicism wasn't for me because of the beliefs on homosexuality and birth control.

During my thirties I felt a huge draw towards religion much to my surprise and began to look at various branches of Christianity. None of them felt like home and I now believe that I was baptised a Catholic for a reason and that is the religion that I can relate to the most . Like a lot of people I cherry pick the bits I agree/disagree with.

I'm still learning and exploring my spirituality and I hope to take conformation classes at some point .

[TheArticFunky]

confirmation

[TheArticFunky]

I was baptised Catholic but not raised as a Catholic.

I was agnostic for my most of my adult life and I assumed that Catholicism wasn't for me because of the beliefs on homosexuality and birth control.

During my thirties I felt a huge draw towards religion much to my surprise and began to look at various branches of Christianity. None of them felt like home and I now believe that I was baptised a Catholic for a reason and that is the religion that I can relate to the most . Like a lot of people I cherry pick the bits I agree/disagree with.

I'm still learning and exploring my spirituality and I hope to take conformation classes at some point .

[TheArticFunky]

Not sure why there is a double post

[Josie314]

I was raised a catholic but am thinking of converting to become an episcopalian (basically C of E in the US). Their views on things like birth control, homosexuality and women are much more progressive.

[Upcycled]

That is what I wanted to know too.

If the views of CofE regarding homossexuality, birth control, divorce etc are more 'modern'

They already have Vicars who are allowed to form a family instead of a priest who must be a virgin (if I am right?), so I think I can relate better to CofE.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

Anglicanism includes the Church of England, the Church of Wales and Episcopalian. was born out of the reformation and the clash between Henry VIII and the Pope. Anglicanism's roots are in Roman Catholicism so there are strong similarities between the two. The big difference between the RC and Anglican is that the church of Rome has a Pope and he has ultimate authority. There is no equivalent role in Anglicanism where authority is all much more diffuse. The upshot of this, and I'll qualify this with an, in my experience as I'm Anglican not RC, is that change in the C of E comes largely from the grassroots up and in the Church of Rome change can only come from the top.

In practice the C of E are a diverse lot. My benefice (group of churches) is liberal in outlook which means we have women and gay people in leadership, we marry divorcees in line with the C of E guidelines, baptise babies of families that don't come to church as long as the parents are happy to make the promises and I've never heard any debates over birth control. We certainly do not take the Bible literally. We pick up a lot of refugees from more conservative churches and some of those are Anglican.

[sashh]

The big difference between the RC and Anglican is that the church of Rome has a Pope

No it isn't. The big difference is whether you think you are eating bread at communion or if you believe it is Jesus.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

Plenty high church Anglicans hold to transubstantiation and venerate the BVM (blessed virgin Mary) so it isn't something that separates off Anglicans and the church of Rome.

[HoneyandRum]

Except the "church of Rome"= Catholic church would not accept Anglican vicars as having valid orders and therefore there is no Transubstantiation going on in the Anglican church as far as Catholics are concerned.

Don't forget the many Catholic priests and lay people in England that were martyred because they believed in Transubstantiation. Most of what the average Anglican believes is more in line with Protestant belief than worldwide Catholic (universal) beliefs.

[HavantGuard]

Why are you called whatever your first name is?

Your parents make the choice and that's what you're used to. If people feel very strongly they change. And some become atheists but that's where it breaks down!

[XmasLogAndHollyOn]

My religious relatives view Catholics as breaking the commandment about idolatry because of the worship of Mary and icons of saints and the like.

Not that keen on original sin either.

[HoneyandRum]

Except Catholics do not worship Mary or the saints, that is a Protestant misunderstanding.

In Catholic theology everything God makes is good - everything created is good but somehow something went pear shaped and that is what is described as Orginal Sin. In Calvinist and other Proestant theology people are not created good and have to be "covered" by Jesus to be acceptable to the Father. In Catholic theology salvation is a process caused by grace and our will in which we cooperate with God's grace through Christ and are transformed, Jesus is this Way, Truth and Life.

[Gingerdodger]

For me as a Catholic it is primarily about the Eucharist and the belief that this, by some miracle, really does become the body and blood of Christ. It's been a massive source of support to me in dark times and I could not imagine only viewing it as symbolic. I don't really know if some of the Anglo Catholics also believe in transubstantiation, I think they may do, but This is the prime reason I remain Catholic.

I think C of E has lots going for it, as do many of the other denominations and very comfortable in other churches but the Catholic Church, for all it's issues,remains my spiritual home. Very like Articfunky I believe I was baptised Catholic for a reason and it's where I am called to be.

[HoneyandRum]

I agree with Gingerdodger. I chose to become Catholic - I was from an atheist/agnostic family. In the Catholic church I find great spiritual depth and unfathomable mystery, I also experience Jesus's love, mercy, gentleness and beauty. I also love that I can find a Catholic community wherever I go in the world - and we all experience being one family in Christ.

[BackforGood]

As Havant said, for the vast majority, it tends to be what you grew up with, and therefore feel most comfortable with. Some people however find they disagree with certain aspects of policy and then move to another denomination (or sometimes from 'low Church CofE' to 'high church' or the other way round).

[Woolmark]

I'm an Anglo-Catholic, best of both worlds!

[Upcycled]

I was raised catholic, baptised, first communion...but my family didn't attend much.
Became a teenager and followed many other religions or thought about being atheist.
Somehow, since I came to the UK I feel much more comfortable in CofE, and I just do not understand why.

Would that be because I am divorced and re-married?
Catholic church doesn't permit divorce does it?

[Gingerdodger]

It is not divorce but rather remarriage that the church has an issue with. This is because marriage is a sacrament and a lifelong commitment. That said only I have known divorcees marry in church when the first marriage was not recognised as valid by the church so not an RC marriage or one approved by the church, so not entirely as straightforward as it may first seem (and possibly a bit arbitrary),Catholics can also get annulments in certain situations but these are difficult.

That said there are divorcees, single parents, couples living together and all manner of people living in situations not wholly approved of by the church who live by their own consciences and practice their faith. Nobody checks your credentials in my experience but I think some churches and parishioners may be more tolerant than others but I believe it is comes down to you and your personal relationship with God.

That said if you have found a happy home in the C of E then that is to be celebrated and embraced, we are all different and I genuinely believe God calls us to different ways of worship.

[cingolimama]

The Church of England is Catholic. Just not Roman Catholic.

[AntoinetteCosway]

I'm C of E. I don't believe the bread and wine become the body and blood; I believe they're symbols.