What Are the Differences between Presbyterians and Catholics?

A balanced look at the core differences between two of Christianity’s major traditions

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 References

Overview

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Core Beliefs

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Organization

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Sacraments

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Other Key Differences

Whether you’re exploring your faith or simply curious about the differences, you may be wondering what makes Catholics and Presbyterians unique. While all Christians believe in Jesus and read the Bible, there are some fascinating variations from sect to sect when it comes to the church practices, beliefs, and traditions. In this article, we’ll walk you through all of the major differences between Catholicism and Presbyterianism, from sacraments to beliefs about scripture and more.

Things You Should Know

The core difference between Catholics and Presbyterians comes down to where spiritual fulfillment and authority come from.
Presbyterians believe the Bible alone is enough to receive God’s grace, while Catholics believe the Church is equally important to scripture.
Catholics have 7 sacraments, while Presbyterians only have 2. There are some key differences surrounding beliefs in saints, Mary, and divorce, as well.

Section 1 of 5:

Overview

Presbyterians are Protestant while Catholics are not. The Catholic Church can trace its lineage and history all the way back to the apostle Peter, who Catholics view as a kind of first pope. As such, the Catholic faith is viewed as the oldest and most “traditional” form of Christianity. Protestantism is a type of reformed Christianity that focuses less on church structure and more on the Bible alone.^{[1]
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- Both Protestants and Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity, the rebirth of Jesus, and the divinity of the Bible.
- A Protestant is simply anyone who follows a Christian faith that broke away from the Catholic Church during the aptly named Protestant Reformation. Other Protestant faiths include the Lutheran, Baptist, and Evangelical traditions.

Section 2 of 5:

Core Beliefs

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Presbyterians believe that scripture is the supreme authority. Like most Protestants, Presbyterians believe that scripture (and scripture alone) is the only way to experience God’s love. In other words, so long as you have a Bible, you can worship and learn about Christ. You don’t need a priest, pastor, or even a church—God’s word is all you need.^{[2]
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- This is a key feature of Protestantism in general. One of Martin Luther’s original criticisms of the Catholic church was that popes and priests were unnecessary to worship God.
- The core difference between Presbyterians and Catholics is where they believe “authority” is located. Presbyterians think it’s the Bible. Catholics think it’s the Bible and the Church.
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Catholics believe in papal supremacy alongside the scripture. The major distinguishing factor that makes Catholicism unique is the pope. Catholics believe that the pope has a unique relationship with God, and is thus able to lead the Church. This belief is known as “papal supremacy” and it’s a key feature of Catholic belief.^{[3]
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- This isn’t to say that Catholics think the Bible is unimportant, just that the Church and the pope are key when it comes to worshiping God and experiencing his love.
- As a result, Protestantism is often viewed as more individualistic, while Catholicism is often perceived to be more communal.

Section 3 of 5:

Organization

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Presbyterian churches are typically ran by local councils of elders. Church organization differs a bit from organization to organization, but most Presbyterian churches are independent entities. Usually, the church is managed by a board local “elders” who are responsible for community outreach, church programs, and ministry.^{[4]
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- The two largest Presbyterian organizations are the PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) and the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of the United States).
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Catholicism is a hierarchical faith organized under the Pope. The Catholic Church is organized in a very specific way. The pope is the supreme authority, and there are cardinals beneath him. Then you have archbishops, bishops, vicars, and priests. All of these roles are filled by trained individuals who have studied at a Catholic seminary and dedicated their lives to the church.^{[5]
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- Each geographical district for the church is known as a parish. This is why Louisiana, which was settled by French Catholics, have “parishes” instead of “counties!”

Section 4 of 5:

Sacraments

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Presbyterians only have 2 sacraments—baptism and the eucharist. A sacrament refers to a consecrated ritual. In the Presbyterian church, there are 2 of them. Baptism is when a new member of the faith is bathed in water to signify their new life in Christ. There is also the eucharist, aka communion. This is when members eat the bread and drink the wine to partake in God’s grace.^{[6]
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- Importantly, Presbyterians do not believe in transubstantiation—the belief that the bread and wine of the eucharist is literally turned into Jesus Christ’s blood and body during communion. Catholics do believe in transubstantiation.^{[7]
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Catholics have 7 distinct sacraments that are core tenants. In addition to baptism and the eucharist, Catholics have 5 additional sacraments they practice. This includes:^{[8]
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- Confirmation: This sacrament takes place at age 13. It’s when members of the Church are formally confirmed to be adult members.
- Reconciliation: Also known as confession, this is the practice of describing your sins to a priest. The priest then absolves the sinner of their sins.
- Anointing of the Sick: Sometimes known as “last rites” if it’s given to the terminally ill, this is when members of their church bless the sick to ask God to heal them.
- Marriage: Catholicism treats marriage as a unique sacrament, and it occurs during a mass when a baptized man marries a baptized woman.
- Ordination: When Catholics ordain (or promote) members of their church to become priests, bishops, or whatever, the process is treated as a holy sacrament.

Section 5 of 5:

Other Key Differences

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Presbyterians do not pray to saints, while Catholics do. Some Presbyterian sects do honor certain saints, but Catholics actively pray to them. Presbyterians believe that only God is worthy of worship and have an issue with the act of praying to saints. Catholics believe that certain saints in heave offer unique mediatorship, which makes them worthy of prayer.^{[9]
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- For example, St. Christopher is believed to be the patron saint of travelers, so Catholics may pray to St. Christopher to look over them on a dangerous trip.
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Catholics venerate Mary and hold her in a higher regard. Catholics don’t pray to Mary the same way they pray to Christ, but they do hold her in an extreme reverence that you don’t see in the Presbyterian faith. Catholics look to Mary for insight given her special relationship with Jesus, while Presbyterians don’t view her as a unique or special figure.^{[10]
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- If you hear someone reciting the Hail Mary prayer, they’re almost positively Catholic.
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Some Presbyterian sects believe in predestination. Presbyterianism is closely related to Calvinism, one of the first offshoots of the Protestant Reformation. One of the core tenets of Calvinism is predestination—the idea that God has already chosen who is saved and who is not ahead of time, and nothing a person does can change whether they go to heaven or hell. Catholics do not believe in predestination.^{[11]
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- Catholics do not believe anything is predetermined; they think that if you repent your sins and believe in Christ, you can be saved. Presbyterians who believe in predestination think you’re either saved or damned when you’re born.
- Many Presbyterian sects do not believe in predestination, which is often perceived to be a little bit of an old-school belief.
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Certain Presbyterian sects accept and allow no-fault divorce. Divorce is a hot button issue among Christians. For Catholics, there is a very concrete process to get a marriage annulled (kind of like a divorce, but in a church).^{[12]
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