Presbyterian vs Lutheran Christianity Compared
Presbyterians belong to the Reformed tradition of John Calvin, and Lutherans follow Martin Luther. Both traditions grew out of the 16th-century Reformation, and both hold Scripture as the final authority. Both teach salvation by grace through faith, baptize infants, recognize two sacraments, and use a Bible of 66 books.
The two traditions differ on how Christ is present in the Lord's Supper and on how each church is governed. Lutherans teach that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit.
Presbyterian churches are governed by elders, while Lutheran congregations are grouped in regional bodies such as synods. At Find A Prayer, we write for readers comparing how these two churches teach, worship, and organize themselves.
The Difference Between Presbyterian and Lutheran
Lutherans follow Martin Luther and hold that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. Presbyterians belong to the Reformed tradition of John Calvin, hold that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit, and are governed by elders. Election appears in the teaching of both traditions. Presbyterians emphasize the sovereignty of God, and the Reformed tradition they belong to teaches election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation.
Lutherans teach that God elects people to salvation in Christ. They point to Christ as the assurance of that election. Both traditions also trace to the 16th-century Reformation. Lutheranism takes its name from Martin Luther, whose Ninety-five Theses of 1517 are commonly used as the starting point of the Reformation.
Presbyterianism belongs to a Reformed tradition that took shape in 16th-century Switzerland under teachers such as Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin. John Knox carried Reformed teaching to Scotland.
Presbyterian Belief and Practice
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. 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. They teach that Scripture is the final authority and 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. Presbyterian clergy may marry, and Presbyterian Bibles contain 66 books.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States. The Presbyterian Church in America is another large one. A reader who wants to see how Reformed teaching shapes a particular church can ask that congregation's pastor or minister how its session and worship order work in practice.
Lutheran Belief and Practice
Lutheranism takes its name from Martin Luther, the German reformer whose Ninety-five Theses of 1517 are commonly used as the starting point of the Reformation. Lutherans teach that people are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, apart from works. They also teach that Scripture alone is the final authority. Lutherans hold the Book of Concord as their collection of confessional writings.
It includes Martin Luther's Small Catechism and the Augsburg Confession of 1530. Lutheran teaching distinguishes between Law, which shows human sin, and Gospel, which proclaims God's forgiveness in Christ. Lutherans hold that Christians are at the same time saved and still sinners. The Latin phrase simul justus et peccator is often used to sum up that idea.
Lutherans teach that in the Lord's Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. Lutheran worship follows a liturgy that includes hymns, Scripture readings, a sermon, prayers, and often Holy Communion. The two largest Lutheran bodies in the United States are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Lutheran Bibles contain 66 books, and Lutheran clergy may marry.
A reader who wants to know which of the Book of Concord writings a particular congregation uses can ask its pastor or minister.
Authority, Sacraments, and Church Leadership
Presbyterians teach that Scripture is the final authority, and Lutherans teach that Scripture alone is the final authority. Both traditions recognize Baptism and the Lord's Supper as two sacraments, and both baptize infants. Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit.
Lutherans teach that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. 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.
Presbyterian churches have two kinds of elders. Teaching elders are ministers of Word and Sacrament, and ruling elders are chosen by the congregation. Lutheran congregations are grouped in regional bodies such as synods, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has bishops.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women as ministers and elders. The Presbyterian Church in America does not ordain women as ministers or elders. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ordains women as pastors, while the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod does not.
Presbyterian and Lutheran clergy may marry. Ordination of women differs by denomination in both families. A reader can ask a pastor or minister which church body a congregation belongs to and what that body's ordination policy says.
Who This Is Not For
Practice can vary from one congregation to another. A reader who wants one congregation's worship order, leadership, or practice needs to ask that congregation's pastor or minister. A pastor or minister at the local church can answer those questions. A reader who wants a verdict on which tradition is true should ask a pastor or minister.
Presbyterians and Lutherans each hold their own confessional writings. Many Presbyterians hold the Westminster Confession of Faith, while Lutherans hold the Book of Concord. The question of which tradition is true is one to bring to a pastor or minister. Readers deciding on church membership should ask a pastor or minister which denomination the congregation belongs to.
Ordination rules differ by denomination. A minister can also explain how the congregation's governance works in practice.
What Would Change This Recommendation
The recommendation starts with the Presbyterian side for a reader who prioritizes elder-led governance and Reformed teaching on God's sovereignty. It starts with the Lutheran side for a reader who prioritizes Lutheran teaching on the Lord's Supper. A reader who holds that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine finds that teaching in Lutheran churches, while a reader who holds that Christ is present through the Holy Spirit finds that teaching in Presbyterian churches.
Presbyterian vs Lutheran: at a glance
| Factor | Presbyterian | Lutheran |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Traces to the 16th-century Reformation and the Reformed tradition of John Calvin | Traces to the 16th-century Reformation and takes its name from Martin Luther |
| Salvation | People are saved by grace alone through faith | People are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, apart from works |
| Lord's Supper | Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit | The body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine |
| Sacraments and infant baptism | Two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; infants are baptized | Two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; infants are baptized |
| Church governance | Governed by elders through a session, presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly | Congregations grouped in regional bodies such as synods; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has bishops |
| Ordination of women | The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women; the Presbyterian Church in America does not | The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ordains women as pastors; the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod does not |
| Confessional writings | Many Presbyterians hold the Westminster Confession of Faith; the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gathers its confessions in a Book of Confessions | The Book of Concord, which includes Martin Luther's Small Catechism and the Augsburg Confession of 1530 |
Verdict: Presbyterian vs Lutheran
Presbyterians belong to the Reformed tradition of John Calvin and are governed by elders, while Lutherans follow Martin Luther and hold that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. A reader who prioritizes elder-led governance should look first at the Presbyterian side, and a reader who prioritizes Lutheran teaching on the Lord's Supper should look first at the Lutheran side.
The answer would change for a reader who holds that Christ is present through the Holy Spirit, who finds that teaching in Presbyterian churches. Next, read the Baptist vs Presbyterian guide on Find A Prayer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Presbyterian and Lutheran?
The main difference is how each tradition describes Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper and how each church is governed. Lutherans teach that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit. Presbyterian churches are governed by elders through a session, presbyteries, synods, and a general assembly. Lutheran congregations are grouped in regional bodies such as synods, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has bishops. Both traditions still share Protestant roots in the 16th-century Reformation, hold Scripture as the final authority, and baptize infants. A reader can ask a pastor or minister how a particular congregation applies these teachings.
Do Presbyterians and Lutherans believe the same thing about Communion?
Both traditions recognize the Lord's Supper as one of two sacraments, alongside Baptism, but they describe Christ's presence in it in different terms. Lutherans teach that in the Lord's Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly present in, with and under the bread and wine. Presbyterians teach that Christ is present in the Lord's Supper through the Holy Spirit. A reader who wants to know how a particular church celebrates the Lord's Supper can ask that church's pastor or minister.
Which is more liturgical, Presbyterian or Lutheran?
Lutheran worship follows a liturgy that includes hymns, Scripture readings, a sermon, prayers, and often Holy Communion. 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, and its services follow an ordered pattern of prayers, hymns, psalms, Scripture reading and preaching.
Do Presbyterians and Lutherans baptize infants?
Yes, both traditions baptize infants. Presbyterians recognize two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and they baptize infants. Lutherans also recognize Baptism and the Lord's Supper as two sacraments, and they baptize infants. Both traditions share the same pair of sacraments. The two differ in how they describe Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper. Both also hold Scripture as the final authority and use a Bible of 66 books. A reader who wants to know what baptism involves in a particular congregation can ask its pastor or minister.
Do Lutherans believe in predestination like Presbyterians?
Presbyterians teach election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation, and Lutherans teach that God elects people to salvation in Christ. Presbyterians emphasize the sovereignty of God, and the Reformed tradition they belong to teaches election, the belief that God chooses people for salvation. Lutherans teach that God elects people to salvation in Christ, and they point to Christ as the assurance of that election. Lutherans also hold that Christians are at the same time saved and still sinners, often summed up in the Latin phrase simul justus et peccator. A reader who wants each tradition's exact wording can ask a pastor or minister which confessional writings the congregation uses.
How are Presbyterian and Lutheran churches governed?
Presbyterian churches are governed by elders, and Lutheran congregations are grouped in regional bodies such as synods. 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. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has bishops. A reader can ask a pastor or minister how the regional bodies of that church work.
Can women be pastors in Presbyterian and Lutheran churches?
Whether women can serve as pastors depends on the denomination. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ordains women as ministers and elders, and the Presbyterian Church in America does not ordain women as ministers or elders. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ordains women as pastors, while the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod does not. Clergy in both traditions may marry. A reader who wants a particular congregation's ordination practice can ask its pastor or minister which church body the congregation belongs to.
Is Presbyterian or Lutheran older?
Both traditions trace to the 16th-century Reformation. Lutheranism takes its name from Martin Luther, whose Ninety-five Theses of 1517 are commonly used as the starting point of the Reformation. The Reformed tradition that Presbyterianism belongs to took shape in 16th-century Switzerland under teachers such as Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin. John Knox carried Reformed teaching to Scotland.