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Catholic vs. Presbyterian / Reformed

A side-by-side comparison of Catholic and Presbyterian / Reformed teaching on 16 questions, from Scripture and salvation to baptism, communion and church government.

Catholic

The Catholic Church is the largest Christian body, led by the pope as bishop of Rome and organized around the seven sacraments. It traces its line of bishops to the apostles and teaches that Scripture and Sacred Tradition together carry God’s revelation.

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Presbyterian / Reformed

The Reformed tradition follows the teaching of John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and their heirs, and Presbyterian churches are its best-known family. It stresses the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, and government by elders (presbyters).

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At a glance

Where they differ: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; How a person is saved; Can a saved person fall away?; Predestination and free will; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Church government; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell; Style of worship.

Varies within one or both: Clergy and women in ministry; The Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.

Where they agree: The Trinity; Baptism; Day of worship.

Side by side

Question	Catholic	Presbyterian / Reformed
Authority: Scripture and traditionDiffer	Scripture and Sacred Tradition together form one deposit of faith. The Magisterium, the teaching office of the pope and bishops, interprets both authoritatively.	Scripture alone is the supreme authority. Confessions such as the Westminster Confession are subordinate standards that summarize its teaching.
Books of the BibleDiffer	73 books: the 66 Protestant books plus seven deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees) and additions to Esther and Daniel.	66 books. The Westminster Confession says the Apocrypha is not inspired and has no authority in the church.
The TrinityAgree	One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Spirit is said to proceed from the Father and the Son (the filioque clause added to the Nicene Creed in the West).	One God in three persons, as defined at Nicaea and Constantinople and restated in the Reformed confessions.
How a person is savedDiffer	Salvation is God’s gift, received through faith and baptism. The believer cooperates with grace through works of love, and the sacraments are the ordinary channels of that grace. Justification is understood as a real inner renewal, not only a declaration.	Justification by grace alone through faith alone, with salvation entirely God’s work from election to glory. Good works are the fruit and evidence of faith.
Can a saved person fall away?Differ	Yes. A person can lose the grace of God through mortal sin, and it is restored through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation (confession).	No. The “perseverance of the saints” holds that those whom God has truly chosen will be kept in faith to the end, though they may stumble seriously.
Predestination and free willDiffer	God knows and wills the salvation of the elect, and human free will genuinely cooperates with grace. The church condemns the view that God predestines anyone to damnation.	God unconditionally chose those he would save before the foundation of the world, which is the classic Calvinist position. Its five points are often summarized by the acronym TULIP.
BaptismAgree	A sacrament that cleanses original sin and begins new life in Christ. Infants are baptized, usually by pouring water, and adults are baptized after instruction.	A sign and seal of God’s covenant promise. Infants of believers are baptized, generally by sprinkling or pouring, and baptism is not thought to save automatically.
Communion (the Lord’s Supper)Differ	The Eucharist. Bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation), and the whole Christ is truly present under their appearance.	Christ is truly present, but spiritually, through the Holy Spirit, for those who receive by faith. It is a sign and seal, not a change in the elements.
Sacraments or ordinancesDiffer	Seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and marriage.	Two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Church governmentDiffer	Governed by bishops in communion with the pope, who is the successor of Peter and holds universal authority. Priests serve under bishops.	Governed by elders. Each congregation is led by a session of elders, which belongs to a presbytery, then a regional synod and a national General Assembly.
Clergy and women in ministryVaries	Priests and bishops must be men, and priests in the Latin Church are celibate. Women serve as religious sisters, teachers and lay leaders, but not as ordained clergy.	Varies. The PC(USA) ordains women as pastors and elders, while the PCA and other conservative bodies reserve those offices for men.
Mary and the saintsDiffer	Mary is honored as Mother of God, and Catholics pray to her and the saints to intercede. Catholic teaching includes the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption and Mary’s perpetual virginity.	Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus, and saints are remembered as examples. Prayer is directed to God alone.
Death, purgatory and hellDiffer	Those who die in grace but are not fully purified go through purgatory before heaven. The living pray for the dead. Hell is eternal separation from God.	Purgatory is rejected. Believers pass at once into Christ’s presence and await the resurrection. The unsaved face eternal punishment.
Style of worshipDiffer	Highly liturgical. The Mass follows a set order, with readings, a homily and the Eucharist at the center. Worship uses vestments, incense and candles on many occasions.	Centered on the preaching of the Word. Worship is more sober than in Catholic or Lutheran churches and traditionally uses hymns and psalms, with some congregations now using contemporary music.
The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsVaries	The Spirit works through the sacraments, and the church recognizes gifts (charisms) of healing and prophecy. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, begun in 1967, welcomes tongues, but it is not the norm.	The Spirit gives gifts to the church. Traditionally, many Reformed teachers held that miraculous gifts ended with the apostles (cessationism), while others, including charismatic Presbyterians, disagree.
Day of worshipAgree	Sunday, the day of the resurrection. Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days.	Sunday, called the Lord’s Day. Some Reformed churches apply the Sabbath commandment to Sunday strictly.
Best known for	Papal authority, the seven sacraments, the Mass, Marian devotion and a worldwide network of schools, hospitals and charities.	The sovereignty of God, careful doctrine, government by elders and a long history of education and biblical scholarship.

“Agree” means the two traditions take the same broad position, although the wording above may still note finer differences. “Varies” means at least one of the two is itself divided on the question, so no single position can be given. These summaries describe typical teaching, and individual churches may vary. For an authoritative statement, consult each denomination’s own confessions.

Catholic vs. Presbyterian / Reformed

Catholic

Presbyterian / Reformed

At a glance

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Catholic

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