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Presbyterian / Reformed vs. Church of Christ

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

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).

More about Presbyterian / Reformed Christianity

Church of Christ

The Churches of Christ come from the American Restoration Movement of the early 1800s, which sought to return to the pattern of the New Testament church. Congregations are independent, and they are known for weekly communion and unaccompanied singing.

At a glance

Where they differ: How a person is saved; Can a saved person fall away?; Predestination and free will; Baptism; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Church government; Style of worship.

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

Where they agree: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; The Trinity; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell; Day of worship.

Side by side

Question	Presbyterian / Reformed	Church of Christ
Authority: Scripture and traditionAgree	Scripture alone is the supreme authority. Confessions such as the Westminster Confession are subordinate standards that summarize its teaching.	The New Testament is the pattern for worship and church life. Practices are expected to be supported by a command, an example or a necessary inference from Scripture.
Books of the BibleAgree	66 books. The Westminster Confession says the Apocrypha is not inspired and has no authority in the church.	66 books.
The TrinityAgree	One God in three persons, as defined at Nicaea and Constantinople and restated in the Reformed confessions.	One God in three persons. Churches of Christ have no written creed and rest the belief directly on Scripture.
How a person is savedDiffer	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.	Saved by grace, received through faith that includes repentance, confession of Christ and baptism. Baptism is taught as the point at which sins are forgiven, and faith is understood as active obedience.
Can a saved person fall away?Differ	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.	Yes. A Christian who lives in sin without repenting can fall away, and Churches of Christ point to warnings such as Hebrews 6 and 10.
Predestination and free willDiffer	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.	Rejects Calvinist predestination. God offers salvation to all and each person must choose to obey the gospel.
BaptismDiffer	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.	Immersion of a believer for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is taught as necessary for salvation, and infant baptism is rejected.
Communion (the Lord’s Supper)Differ	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.	A memorial observed every Sunday, since Acts 20:7 is taken to show the pattern of the early church. The elements are symbols.
Sacraments or ordinancesDiffer	Two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.	Two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Church governmentDiffer	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.	Each congregation is fully autonomous and is led by a group of elders (also called shepherds or overseers). There is no denominational headquarters.
Clergy and women in ministryVaries	Varies. The PC(USA) ordains women as pastors and elders, while the PCA and other conservative bodies reserve those offices for men.	Elders, preachers and public worship leaders are men. Women teach children and other women and take part in many other roles.
Mary and the saintsAgree	Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus, and saints are remembered as examples. Prayer is directed to God alone.	Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus. There is no prayer to saints, and no role for saints in worship.
Death, purgatory and hellAgree	Purgatory is rejected. Believers pass at once into Christ’s presence and await the resurrection. The unsaved face eternal punishment.	The dead await judgment in Hades, in comfort or in torment. After the resurrection the righteous enter heaven and the wicked face eternal punishment.
Style of worshipDiffer	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.	A simple service of singing, prayer, preaching, communion and giving. Most congregations sing without instruments.
The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsVaries	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.	Generally teaches that miraculous gifts, such as tongues and healing, ended with the apostolic age. The Spirit is understood to work through the written Word.
Day of worshipAgree	Sunday, called the Lord’s Day. Some Reformed churches apply the Sabbath commandment to Sunday strictly.	Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
Best known for	The sovereignty of God, careful doctrine, government by elders and a long history of education and biblical scholarship.	Weekly communion, unaccompanied singing, believer’s baptism for forgiveness and a determination to follow the New Testament pattern.

“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.

Presbyterian / Reformed vs. Church of Christ