Christianity is the most widely followed religion in the world. More Christians live in the world today than any other religion. These people have different beliefs and practices. There are many sub-divisions and divisions within Christianity.
Each has its own beliefs and practices. For example, the core belief that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of the Masses is a unique one. The division between Catholics and Protestants is the most well-known wedge among Christians around the world. However, this isn’t the only factor dividing Christians. Other differences are responsible for different faiths within Christianity.
Two of these are the Methodists and the Presbyterians. There are many differences between the two types of churches. The way they deal with social issues is a key difference between them. The Presbyterian Church is against the death penalty for any crime.
The Methodist Church, on the other hand, allows the death penalty for very serious crimes. According to the Methodist Church, this punishment should only be applied by law. The two churches also have differing opinions on homosexuality. Both churches view homosexuality as a sin. However, the Methodists see it in all cases. The Presbyterians think it is a delicate issue that can only be judged with proper investigation.
The core belief of Christianity is that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. While different Christian religions may have their own styles, there is a common ground that all share as described above.
These variations in Christianity’s various divisions are enough to make a distinction between completely different Christian religions. Two such Christian faiths, Presbyterians and Methodists, have marked differences from one another.
Another area where the two churches can be distinguished is in their governance. The Directory of Worship is the worship guide used by the Methodist Church. The worship guide used by the Presbyterian Church is ‘The Book of Discipline. The two faiths have their own methods for selecting and transferring responsibility to church pastors. The Presbyterian faith calls for or hires pastors to serve the community. Methodists send their pastors to different church locations, with the responsibility for presiding over the respective Methodist Churches.
Salvation is an important part of any religion. It is present in both the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, but it is very different from each other. The Methodist Church considers people’s good deeds to be a sign of their faith. It emphasizes ‘deeds, not creeds. People must do good works to be righteous. The Presbyterian Church believes that justification is only through grace. It says that only the ‘predestined elect” will take one to heaven.
Methodist Vs. Presbyterian
The difference between Presbyterian and Methodist beliefs is that Presbyterians accept predestinationalism while Methodists reject it. The Methodist faith is based on the old governing order for bishops, while Presbyterians are known for their distinctive style of leadership by elders.
What’s Methodist?
The Methodist church was founded in England in 1739. John Wesley, a spiritual worker, left the Anglican Church and Church of England to form his own religion known as Wesleyism.
Methodists are committed to “actions that do not believe or fear,” which means that their religion recognizes the great works done by individuals.
Individuals cannot claim to be right or good people if they don’t do good deeds in the Methodist faith. The Directory of Worship is the Methodist Church’s worship guide.
The choice of pastors is another aspect of church governance that makes Methodist churches different from other churches. Their pastors are sent to all locations where the church is established by choosing Methodist bishops who command the necessary changes.
Methodism also supports penalization (death penalty), but only when society is experiencing the most serious crimes. The law may be applied with the sole approval of the Methodist.
What’s Presbyterian?
John Knox, a Catholic priest who supported the Presbyterian Church in 1560, was originally Catholic. Calvinism is the source of the Presbyterian faith.
John used many doctrines from the church to form the core beliefs of Presbyterian. He discovered the religion in Scotland.
The Presbyterian religion holds that salvation is only possible through God’s grace. God chooses those who have not been saved to receive grace and go to heaven.
The Presbyterian believes that God has already chosen those people he must save. Once God has selected an individual, he will continue to save him. The Book of Discipline is the Presbyterian Church’s worship guide.
The choice of pastors is another aspect of church governance that can help in different Presbyterian churches. The Presbyterian religion “calls” its own pastors to lead and carry out the religious community.
The Presbyterian church will always resist capital punishment (death penalty). Homosexuality is a sin according to Presbyterians. They believe homosexuality is a sin in spite of this.
Difference between Methodist and Presbyterian
- Methodism was founded by Charles and John Wesley, brothers from England. John Knox founded the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1560.
- Methodists believes that men can call on God to save their elves even if they’ve fallen. The Presbyterian Church’s main belief is that men greatly need God’s mercy for salvation and cannot find God by themselves.
- The Methodists believe that every person who believes in God can receive salvation. However, the Presbyterian believes that God has already chosen those people he needs to save. Once God has selected an individual, he will continue to save him.
- The Methodist Church worship guide, The Directory of Worship, is the Methodist Church’s worship guide, whereas The Book of Discipline is for the Presbyterian Church.
- An administrative council oversees the local structure of the Methodist church. This is under the guidance of a pastor. Presbyterians, on the other hand, have the right to ask a pastor for permission to “call” another pastor to lead their church.
Conclusion
Both the Methodists and the Presbyterian were originally movements of the Protestant Movement. Later, they branched off from it. Both were found in European countries, namely England and Scotland. They are also very popular with Christians in the USA. Both faiths share significant differences but also similarities in their religious teachings, practices, and governance.