Presbyterian vs Catholic: Every Real Difference, Compared

Published

May 24, 2024

Updated

September 19, 2026

Summary

Presbyterians are Reformed Protestants, not Roman Catholics. The two share the Nicene Creed and disagree about who decides what it means, and nearly every other difference follows from that.
Authority: Scripture alone, with confessions as subordinate standards, against Scripture and Sacred Tradition interpreted by the magisterium.
Government: elected elders in courts — session, presbytery, synod, assembly — against bishops in apostolic succession with the Bishop of Rome.
The Lord’s Supper: the Reformed view is not the memorial view. Calvin held Christ truly present and truly received, spiritually and by faith, against transubstantiation.
Both baptise infants, and the Catholic Church recognises Presbyterian baptism as valid; US Catholic bishops approved a written agreement on it in 2010, and four Reformed churches, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), had ratified it by 2011. Catholic Bibles carry 46 Old Testament books, Protestant Bibles 39.
Catholics and Lutherans signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in 1999; Methodists associated in 2006, and the World Communion of Reformed Churches on 5 July 2017 at Wittenberg.

Presbyterians are not Roman Catholics. They are Protestants of the Reformed tradition, though their Westminster Confession still speaks of “the catholic or universal church.” Presbyterians and Catholics share the Nicene Creed and disagree about who decides what it means. Almost every other difference follows from that one. The short version PresbyterianRoman Catholic Final authorityScripture alone; confessions are subordinate standardsScripture and Sacred Tradition, interpreted by the magisterium Who governsElected elders in courts: session, presbytery, synod, general assemblyBishops in apostolic succession, with…

Continue reading with a subscription

Get unlimited access to all our premium content and exclusive features.

Subscribe now

Enjoy unlimited access, cancel anytime.

Bibliography (Click to show)

Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), in the American-revised text adopted by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church; the sections cited (1.3 on the Apocrypha, 25.1 on the catholic or universal church, 29.5 and 29.7 on the Lord’s Supper) are not among the revised ones. OPC text: https://www.opc.org/wcf.html
Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965), section 10 on Scripture, Tradition and the magisterium: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), paragraphs 1262–1274 on baptism, including 1271 on baptised Christians outside full communion with the Catholic Church: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P3N.HTM
Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (Augsburg, 31 October 1999): https://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/dialoghi/sezione-occidentale/luterani/dialogo/documenti-di-dialogo/1999-dichiarazione-congiunta-sulla-dottrina-della-giustificazion/en.html
Lutheran World Federation, “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ)”: milestones, including the World Methodist Council (2006) and the World Communion of Reformed Churches (2017): https://lutheranworld.org/what-we-do/unity-church/joint-declaration-doctrine-justification-jddj
Reformed Church in America, “WCRC Affirms Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” (17 July 2017): https://www.rca.org/wcrc-affirms-joint-declaration-on-the-doctrine-of-justification/
Christian Reformed Church in North America, “Historic Agreements Signed in Wittenberg” (7 July 2017): https://www.crcna.org/news-and-events/news/historic-agreements-signed-wittenberg
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Reformed dialogue, Common Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Baptism (2010): https://www.usccb.org/resources/common-agreement-on-baptism-text.pdf
Catholic News Service, “Catholics, four Reformed denominations recognize each other’s baptisms” (4 February 2013), via CatholicPhilly: https://catholicphilly.com/2013/02/news/national-news/catholics-four-reformed-denominations-recognize-each-others-baptisms/
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), “PC(USA) celebrates 70 years of women clergy” (30 March 2026), on Margaret Towner’s ordination in 1956: https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2026/3/30/pcusa-celebrates-70-years-women-clergy
Orthodox Presbyterian Church, “Preface” to its edition of the Westminster Standards, on the American revisions of the Confession: https://opc.org/preface.html
Second Vatican Council, Unitatis Redintegratio, Decree on Ecumenism (1964), section 22: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Iesus (2000), section 17: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
Presbyterian Church in America, Book of Church Order 7-2 (offices “open to men only”): https://www.pcahistory.org/bco/fog/07/02.html
Orthodox Presbyterian Church, “Deborah’s Leadership Position” (Q&A) (the OPC “will not ordain women as elders or pastors”): https://opc.org/qa.html?question_id=155

Christian Pure is an independent, reader-supported publication. Our content is rooted in Scripture and the historic Christian tradition — written to serve seekers and believers alike. Learn more about our mission →

Keep reading

Read without limits. Grow without end.

Become a member for unlimited access to every prayer, Bible study, and devotional on Christian Pure — completely ad-free.

Become a Member →

Starting at $4.17/month · Cancel anytime

Presbyterian vs Catholic: Every Real Difference, Compared

Summary

Continue reading with a subscription

Response

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Presbyterian vs Catholic: Every Real Difference, Compared

Summary

Continue reading with a subscription

Response

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Discover more from Christian Pure