| Catholic | Protestant |
| Religious authority | Pope and church hierarchy | The Bible, as interpreted by individual Christians |
| Role of the pope | Ultimate authority in faith and doctrine | Authority of the pope denied |
| Ordination of clergy | Apostolic succession: direct line between original apostles and all subsequently ordained clergy | Apostolic succession denied; ordination by individual congregations or denominations |
| Salvation | Importance of church sacraments as channels of God’s grace | Importance of faith alone; God’s grace is freely and directly granted to believers |
| Status of Mary | Highly prominent, ranking just below Jesus; provides constant intercession for believers | Less prominent; Mary’s intercession on behalf of the faithful denied |
| Prayer | To God, but often through or with Mary and saints | To God alone; no role for Mary and saints |
| Holy Communion | Transubstantiation: bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ | Transubstantiation denied; bread and wine have a spiritual or symbolic significance |
| Role of clergy | Priests are generally celibate; sharp distinction between priests and laypeople; priests are mediators between God and humankind | Ministers may marry; priesthood of all believers; clergy have different functions (to preach, administer sacraments) but no distinct spiritual status |
| Role of saints | Prominent spiritual exemplars and intermediaries between God and humankind | Generally disdained as a source of idolatry; saints refer to all Christians |