All Catholics are Christians, not all Christians are Catholic. The Catholic Church is lead by the Pope in Rome. Over the centuries, there have been Christian group that have broken ties with Rome for various reasons. At first there were just Christians, then the Schism broke Christians into the Orthodox in the East, and Catholics in the West. The founders of the first Protestant Churches were originally Catholic, but then they broke off into their own churches.
briocheRose123 t1_j2eu25o wrote
Reply to eli5 Christian vs Catholic? by shad0w_qween
All Catholics are Christians, not all Christians are Catholic. The Catholic Church is lead by the Pope in Rome. Over the centuries, there have been Christian group that have broken ties with Rome for various reasons. At first there were just Christians, then the Schism broke Christians into the Orthodox in the East, and Catholics in the West. The founders of the first Protestant Churches were originally Catholic, but then they broke off into their own churches.