Most Protestants believe in One God in Three Persons, The Father and The Son and The Holy Spirit. When they review the Apostles’ Creed, most Protestants believe its teaching:
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.”
Since most Protestants believe The Apostles’ Creed, and share that belief with The Only Church Jesus Founded, why aren’t they Catholics with a capital C?
The same divergence is in the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen”
The Nicene Creed has slightly more emphasis on The Trinity, but has substantially the same teaching as the Apostle’s Creed.
Most Protestants believe, however that the word “Catholic” in both Creeds does not refer to The Church Jesus founded by saying to Peter in Mt 16: 18-20 “Verily, verily I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you The Keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”
Rather than seeing the Catholic Church that grew from the twelve apostles to cover the globe, most Protestants believe that the word “Catholic” means “universal” and do not capitalize it, using “catholic” as “universal” rather than Catholic as in “The Only Church Founded by He Who Fulfilled the Prophecies.
What a difference that smaller, unholy C makes!
