CIB: Comparing Branches

Claims to go back to the original, apostolic Church

• Catholic

• Orthodox

• Some Protestants

• All Protestants

• None of the others

The view that one's leaders must trace their lineage back to the apostles to have their authority

• Apostolic Succession

• Papal Supremacy

• Biblical Inerrancy

• Episcopal

• None of the others

Holds to apostolic succession

• Catholics

• Orthodox

• Some Protestants

• All Protestants

• None of the others

The first Pope according to the Catholic Church

• Peter

• Jesus

• Paul

• James

• John

Has episcopal church government

• Catholics

• Orthodox

• Some Protestants

• All Protestants

• None of the others

church government that has bishops

• Episcopal

• Presbyterian

• Congregational

• Magisterial

• None of the others

The view that the pope is the supreme leader (or has the supreme authority over) of the whole Church

• Apostolic Succession

• Papal Supremacy

• Biblical Inerrancy

• Episcopal

• None of the others

Organized into independent, national bodies (e.g. Russian, Greek) for its 'denominations'

• Catholic

• Orthodox

• Protestant

• Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant

• None of the others

Has the Ecumenical Patriarch as its face/figurehead

• Catholic

• Orthodox

• Protestant

• Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant

• None of the others

Protestants have which forms of church government?

• Episcopal

• Presbyterian

• Congregational

• Magisterial

• All of the others