Presbyterian vs. Reformed

[Andi @ Cirrutopia]

Hi, all. This is probably a pretty elementary question compared to what typically gets posted here, but I was wondering if someone might be able to explain the doctrinal differences between being "Presbyterian" and being "Reformed" as I'm a bit confused.

Thank you for your time.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

Hi, all. This is probably a pretty elementary question compared to what typically gets posted here, but I was wondering if someone might be able to explain the doctrinal differences between being "Presbyterian" and being "Reformed" as I'm a bit confused.

Thank you for your time.

I am both Presbyterian and Reformed.

CC&E

 

[edie19]

The presbyterian church is historically reformed in their doctrine tracing its roots to the Scottish reformation (thank you very much John Knox). Presbyterianism is a form of church government.

Clear as mud???

edie

 

[GrinningDwarf]

There is 'presbyterian' which is a form of church government.

There is 'Presbyterian' which is a string of denominations which can be more or less 'reformed' in their doctrine. Not all Presbyterian churches are the same. For instance, I've noticed websites for some of them that do not hold to innerancy of Scripture.

Then there is 'Reformed' doctrine, which is not a denomination in itself, but reaches across multiple denominations and basically follows the 'five points of Calvinism' in their soteriology; follow 'covenant theology' as opposed to dispensationalism; and does not follow the popular end times views of pre-tribulation rapture, pre-millenialism.

 

[Jon_]

Hi, all. This is probably a pretty elementary question compared to what typically gets posted here, but I was wondering if someone might be able to explain the doctrinal differences between being "Presbyterian" and being "Reformed" as I'm a bit confused.

Thank you for your time.

I consider "Presbyterian" to mean mean the Westminster Standards and "Reformed" to mean Reformed Protestant theology. Continental Reformed to me means the Three Forms of Unity. There is very little difference if any real difference between Presbyterian and Continental (sometimes called "Dutch") Reformed doctrine. There can be large differences between "Reformed" doctrine and Presbyterian/Continental Reformed doctrine. For example, there are "Reformed Baptists," which agree with Presbyterians on soteriology but disagree rather ardently on the sacraments, polity, the covenants, and so on.

There really isn't an easy answer. You pretty much have to examine the differences at the denominational level.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[rmwilliamsll]

reformed is bigger than just the Scottish and Dutch reformations. There is a significant Hungarian reformed church for example. The difference is that they don't have a huge presence in the US where most of us could see them. Just like the Dutch 75 years ago, invisible to true Scottish Presbyterians *grin*.

but i think that the answer to the OP that Presbyterians are a subgroup via Scotland of a more general theology stemming from 16thC Geneva properly labelled reformed rather than calvinistic. the biggest issues that are important to presbyterians and not to the reformed in general are those issues to do with church government that the Scottish held so closely to their hearts (and lives).

what are the major streams out of Calvin's Geneva?

hungarian
german
french
scottish
english
dutch
are there other places where the reformed won(either acceptance or control) up to about 1650?

there was a substantial Italian cohort in Geneva, what became of them?

 

[HiredGoon]

It's also important to note that historically, Reformed is much bigger than Calvin and Farel's Geneva. Reformed theology developed quite a bit in Geneva, but it owes just as much to Zwingli and Bullinger's Zurich , Bucer's Strassburg, etc. For example the synodical form of church government can be traced to Zwingli's work in Zurich, before being developed more in Geneva, and then being picked up by English Marian exiles in Strassburg and Geneva, and then becoming Presbyterianism in England and Scotland.

Besides France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and the British Isles, Reformed theology was fairly strong in Poland-Lithuania for awhile.The Polish Reformed like Jan Łaski are often overlooked today.

 

[Esdra]

what are the major streams out of Calvin's Geneva?

hungarian
german
french
scottish
english
dutch
are there other places where the reformed won(either acceptance or control) up to about 1650?

there was a substantial Italian cohort in Geneva, what became of them?

The German reformed church is rather small. (just as the Austrian one, btw)
But you forgot the most important one: the Swiss reformed church. Up until fairly recently it was the biggest church in Switzerland.