Comparison of Catholicism and Baptism
For a non-Catholic, whose familiarity with Christianity is limited to American-style Protestantism, there is something foreign, beautiful, and historical about attending a Roman Catholic service. The foreign aspects of the Catholic worship service are evident as soon as one enters the church, because most Catholic churches are more ornate than the majority of Protestant churches. The outside of the church I attended was very decorative, featuring tall spires and a stone surface. The church's stained glass windows were also visible from the outside, though the depth and intensity of their color and design was far more noticeable from inside of the building. The church's mysterious and ornate appearance continued once inside the building, as well. The stained glass windows let colored light into the entry way and into the church's sanctuary. In addition to the stained glass, the entry way had religious-themed paintings, icons, and statues. These featured familiar scenes, like the Last Supper, but they also featured people who were unknown to me, but who were identified as saints by one of the people there to attend mass. Much of the artwork featured the Virgin Mary. In addition, there were several crucifixe
There were also several live-flower arrangements in the church. He talked much about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, which made the appearance of Christ on the crucifix more understandable and relatable. The pews were made of a light-colored wood, but the sanctuary itself was immense, and the pulpit was actually a stage. In fact, some of the things they said and did, such as their gestures and call-backs during the sermon, were very ritualistic, and one could see how they would united all Roman Catholics. The mass also appeared to be geared towards a younger group of people. In addition, the colors used inside the Catholic church were bright and vibrant. Even scriptural examples were placed in a modern context. The impression that I took away from the Baptist sermon was not one that was sacred. The most interesting aspect of the Catholic mass was that its focal point, communion, combined the three elements of the sacred: the sacramental, the prophetic, and the mystical. However, communion is also prophetic. Therefore, each act of communion is a reminder of Christ's prophetic powers. In fact, it was clear that Catholics relied on a large body of textual interpretation, in addition to scripture, to understand the Bible. Furthermore, both services seemed to target issues that were important for both groups of people. On the contrary, the sermon was very rooted in modern times. One wall was dominated by a crucifix, which did not feature Jesus on it.
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Acceptance Essays
