Methodist vs Presbyterian Christianity Compared
Methodists emphasize God's grace offered to all people and the United Methodist Church is connected through annual conferences, while Presbyterians emphasize God's sovereignty and election and are governed by elders. Both traditions are Protestant, baptize infants, recognize two sacraments, and use a Bible of 66 books. At Find A Prayer, we write for readers who want to understand how these two Protestant traditions differ in belief, governance, and worship.
Methodism began in 18th-century England, and Presbyterianism traces to the 16th-century Reformation. The two traditions also have different structures of church leadership.
The Difference Between Methodist and Presbyterian
Methodist and Presbyterian churches share ground on several points. Both are Protestant. Both teach salvation by grace, baptize infants, recognize two sacraments, and use a Bible of 66 books.
The traditions differ in where they began, how they describe God's role in salvation, and how they are governed. Methodism began in 18th-century England as a movement within the Church of England, led by John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley. Presbyterianism belongs to the Reformed tradition, which traces to the 16th-century Reformation and to teachers such as John Calvin.
John Knox carried Reformed teaching to Scotland. On God's role in salvation, Methodists emphasize God's grace, and John Wesley taught that this grace is offered to all people. Methodists teach that people can respond to that grace or resist it.
Presbyterians emphasize the sovereignty of God, and the Reformed tradition teaches election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation. On governance, the United Methodist Church links congregations in annual conferences, and bishops appoint pastors to their churches. Presbyterians are governed by elders.
A Presbyterian congregation is led by a session of elders, and congregations are grouped in presbyteries, presbyteries in synods, and the whole church in a general assembly. On authority, Presbyterians teach that Scripture is the final authority. United Methodists treat Scripture as the primary source among four sources of theology.
Methodists stress grace offered to all people, and the United Methodist Church is connectional, with bishops appointing pastors. Presbyterians stress God's sovereignty and election and a system governed by elders.
Methodist Teaching and Worship
Methodists emphasize God's grace, holiness of heart and life, and works of mercy, which are sometimes called social holiness. John Wesley taught that God's grace is offered to all people. Methodists teach that people can respond to that grace or resist it. United Methodists draw on four sources in their theology: Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason.
This is often called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Scripture is the primary source among the four, and tradition, experience, and reason are the other sources. Early Methodists met in small groups for prayer, Bible reading and mutual accountability. Wesley called these groups class meetings.
Congregational hymn singing is a hallmark of Methodist worship. Charles Wesley wrote many hymns. Methodist Bibles contain 66 books, the same count as Presbyterian Bibles. The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 by the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
It is the largest Methodist denomination in the United States.
Presbyterian Teaching and Worship
Presbyterianism belongs to the Reformed tradition, which took shape in 16th-century Switzerland under teachers such as Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin. John Knox carried Reformed teaching to Scotland. The name Presbyterian comes from the Greek word presbyteros, which means elder.
Presbyterian churches are governed by elders rather than by bishops. Presbyterians emphasize the sovereignty of God. The Reformed tradition teaches election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation.
Presbyterians also teach that people are saved by grace alone through faith. Many Presbyterians hold the Westminster Confession of Faith, written in the 1640s, as a statement of Reformed belief. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gathers its confessions in a Book of Confessions.
Presbyterian worship is ordered around the reading and preaching of Scripture, with prayers, hymns and psalms. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) publishes a Book of Common Worship. Its services follow an ordered pattern of prayers, hymns, psalms, Scripture reading and preaching.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States. The Presbyterian Church in America is another large one.
Governance, Ordination, and the Sacraments
Methodist governance is connectional. The United Methodist Church links congregations in annual conferences, and bishops appoint pastors to their churches. Presbyterian governance runs through elders. A session of elders leads each congregation, and congregations are grouped in presbyteries, presbyteries in synods, and the whole church in a general assembly.
Presbyterians have two kinds of elders. Teaching elders are ministers of Word and Sacrament. Ruling elders are chosen by the congregation. A reader who wants to know how a particular congregation chooses its elders should ask that church's pastor or minister.
Methodist clergy may marry, and the United Methodist Church ordains women as pastors and bishops. Presbyterian clergy may marry. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women as ministers and elders, while the Presbyterian Church in America does not ordain women as ministers or elders. Methodists recognize two sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion.
They baptize infants and also baptize believers who have not been baptized before. United United United Methodists teach that Christ is truly present in Holy Communion, and they do not define exactly how. The United Methodist Church invites all who seek Christ to the Lord's table. Presbyterians recognize two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and they baptize infants.
Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit. The two traditions match on the number of sacraments and on infant baptism. United Methodists teach that Christ is truly present in Holy Communion, and Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit.
Who This Is Not For
Readers who want a ruling on which tradition is true should ask a pastor or minister in either tradition. A pastor or minister in either tradition can speak to that question in person. A reader who wants to know how one particular church worships, sets its membership, or handles baptism should ask that church's pastor or minister.
Women's ordination is a case where the answer depends on the denomination. The United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordain women, and the Presbyterian Church in America does not. A reader who needs the practice of one congregation should ask its pastor or minister.
What Would Change This Recommendation
The answer changes with the priority a reader puts first. A reader who puts God's grace offered to all people first, and wants the United Methodist Church, linked through annual conferences with bishops appointing pastors, fits the Methodist side. A reader who puts God's sovereignty and election first, and wants a church governed through sessions, presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly, fits the Presbyterian side.
Women's ordination is a priority that changes the answer within the Presbyterian side itself. A reader who needs women to serve as ordained ministers has to know which Presbyterian denomination a church belongs to. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women as ministers and elders, and the Presbyterian Church in America does not.
Infant baptism, the two sacraments, and the 66-book Bible are shared by both sides. Those points do not separate the traditions.
Methodist vs Presbyterian: at a glance
| Factor | Methodist | Presbyterian |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | 18th-century England, a movement within the Church of England led by John Wesley and Charles Wesley | The Reformed tradition, which traces to the 16th-century Reformation and to John Calvin |
| Church governance | The United Methodist Church is connectional, with congregations linked in annual conferences and bishops appointing pastors | Governed by elders through sessions, presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly |
| Women in ordained ministry | The United Methodist Church ordains women as pastors and bishops | The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women as ministers and elders; the Presbyterian Church in America does not |
| Clergy marriage | Methodist clergy may marry | Presbyterian clergy may marry |
| Sacraments | Baptism and Holy Communion | Baptism and the Lord's Supper |
| Infant baptism | Baptize infants and also baptize believers who have not been baptized before | Baptize infants |
| Worship emphasis | Congregational hymn singing, a hallmark of Methodist worship | Ordered around the reading and preaching of Scripture, with prayers, hymns and psalms |
| God's role in salvation | God's saving grace is offered to every person, and God does not choose only some people for salvation | Teaches election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation |
Verdict: Methodist vs Presbyterian
Choose a Methodist church if you want a tradition that teaches God's grace is offered to all people and is connected through annual conferences in the United Methodist Church, where bishops appoint pastors. Choose a Presbyterian church if you want a tradition in the Reformed line of John Calvin that teaches election and is governed by elders.
A reader who wants bishop-led, connectional governance should look at the United Methodist Church, and a reader who wants governance by elders should look at Presbyterian churches. The answer rests on each tradition's published teaching, summarized by the Find A Prayer editorial team, and a reader comparing Presbyterian and Baptist churches can start with the Baptist vs Presbyterian guide on Find A Prayer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Methodist and Presbyterian?
Methodists and Presbyterians differ in how they are governed and in how they describe God's role in salvation. Methodists are connected through annual conferences, and bishops appoint pastors to their churches. Presbyterians are governed by elders, through sessions, presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly. Methodists teach that God's grace is offered to all people, and that people can respond to it or resist it. Presbyterians teach election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation. Both traditions are Protestant, baptize infants, recognize two sacraments, and use a Bible of 66 books.
Do Methodists and Presbyterians believe in predestination?
Presbyterians hold election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation, and the Reformed tradition teaches this view. Methodists in the Wesleyan tradition teach that God's saving grace is offered to every person. They do not teach that God chooses only some people for salvation. Methodists teach that people can respond to that grace or resist it. Presbyterians also teach that people are saved by grace alone through faith, and Methodists also teach salvation by grace. The two traditions use that shared language while holding different teaching on God's choice in salvation.
How are Methodist and Presbyterian churches governed?
The United Methodist Church is a connectional church, and Presbyterian churches are governed by elders. The United Methodist Church links congregations in annual conferences, and bishops appoint pastors to their churches. A Presbyterian congregation is led by a session of elders. Congregations are grouped in presbyteries, presbyteries in synods, and the whole church in a general assembly. Presbyterians have teaching elders, who are ministers of Word and Sacrament, and ruling elders, who are chosen by the congregation.
Do Methodists and Presbyterians baptize infants?
Yes, both baptize infants. Methodists recognize Baptism and Holy Communion, and they baptize infants and also baptize believers who have not been baptized before. Presbyterians recognize Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and they baptize infants. Both traditions recognize two sacraments and use a Bible of 66 books. Infant baptism does not separate the two traditions.
Can women be pastors in Methodist and Presbyterian churches?
In the United Methodist Church, women are ordained as pastors and bishops. In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), women are ordained as ministers and elders. The Presbyterian Church in America does not ordain women as ministers or elders. For Presbyterian churches, the answer depends on which denomination a church belongs to. A reader who wants to know how a particular congregation handles ordination should ask that church's pastor or minister.
Who founded the Methodist and Presbyterian churches?
Methodism began under John Wesley and Charles Wesley in 18th-century England. John Knox carried Reformed teaching to Scotland. The Reformed tradition took shape in 16th-century Switzerland under teachers such as Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin.
Are Methodists and Presbyterians both mainline Protestants?
Yes, the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are both commonly called mainline Protestant denominations. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination in the United States. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, and the Presbyterian Church in America is another large one.
Which worship style is more common, Methodist or Presbyterian?
Methodist worship is marked by congregational hymn singing, and Presbyterian worship is ordered around the reading and preaching of Scripture, with prayers, hymns and psalms. Charles Wesley wrote many hymns, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) publishes a Book of Common Worship with an ordered pattern of prayers, hymns, psalms, Scripture reading and preaching. A reader who wants to know what a particular church does should ask its pastor or minister.