Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic.
Relationship
Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics.
Branches
Christianity has three main branches: Catholic (about 1.3 billion), Protestant (about 900 million) and Eastern Orthodox (about 220 million).
Shared beliefs
Jesus Christ as Son of God, the Trinity, the Bible and the resurrection.
Catholic features
The pope as the head of the church, seven sacraments, veneration of Mary and saints, and sacred tradition.
Other Christians
Protestants emphasize Scripture alone and have no pope. Orthodox churches don’t recognize papal authority.
Terms
“Christian” often refers to non-Catholic Protestants in some regions.
Number
There are about 2.4 billion Christians worldwide (Pew, 2020).
Relationship
Christianity is the whole religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Catholicism is one branch of Christianity, led by the Pope in Rome. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic. The Catholic Church has about 1.4 billion members, roughly half of all Christians. Christianity has around 2.4 billion followers, the largest religion in the world.
Branches
- Catholic Church, including the Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic churches.
- Eastern Orthodox Churches, split from Rome in 1054 in the Great Schism, with about 220 million members.
- Protestant churches, which began with the Reformation in 1517 under Martin Luther, include Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and many others, with around 900 million members.
- Oriental Orthodox Churches, such as Coptic and Armenian.
Shared beliefs
Most Christians share belief in one God in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in Jesus as Son of God who died and rose again, and in the Bible as sacred scripture. The Nicene Creed of 325 and 381 CE sums up core beliefs, and is used by Catholic, Orthodox and many Protestant churches.
Catholic features
- Authority of the Pope as the successor of Saint Peter, and the tradition of the Church alongside Scripture.
- Seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and marriage.
- Belief in transubstantiation, that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ at Mass.
- Veneration of Mary and saints.
- A bible with 73 books, including the deuterocanonical books, while most Protestant Bibles have 66.
- A celibate priesthood in the Latin Church.
- Teaching on purgatory.
Other Christians
Protestants generally hold to “sola scriptura,” that Scripture alone is the final authority, and “justification by faith alone.” Most have two sacraments, baptism and communion, and allow clergy to marry, and many churches ordain women. Orthodox churches are led by patriarchs and do not recognize papal authority.
Terms
“Christian” is the general term, “Catholic” means universal and also refers to the Roman Catholic Church. The word “catholic” with a lowercase c is used in the Nicene Creed for the universal church.
Number
About 31% of the world population is Christian, according to Pew Research Center. In the US, about 62% of adults identify as Christian, with about 20% Catholic and 40% Protestant (2022 data).
Numbers and history
Christianity is the world’s largest religion, with about 2.4 billion followers or around 31 percent of the global population, according to Pew Research Center. Roman Catholics make up about half of Christians, at roughly 1.2 billion. The Eastern Orthodox split from Rome in the Great Schism of 1054, and Protestants broke away in the 16th century, after Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in 1517. Protestants number about 900 million worldwide and include Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Pentecostals and Anglicans in a broader sense. The Catholic Church is led by the pope in Rome, and the current pope, Leo XIV, was elected in May 2025. Catholics recognize seven sacraments, while most Protestants recognize two, baptism and communion.
Based on data from Pew Research Center and the Vatican
