Where each tradition comes from
Presbyterianism belongs to the Reformed family. Its theology flows from John Calvin's Geneva, carried to Scotland by John Knox in the sixteenth century and enshrined in the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646. The Church of Scotland, the national Kirk, remains the largest Presbyterian body in Britain, alongside the Free Church of Scotland, the United Reformed Church in England and Wales, and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which is strong across Northern Ireland.
Methodism began two centuries later inside the Church of England. John Wesley rode tens of thousands of miles preaching in the open air, organising converts into societies and classes, while Charles Wesley gave the movement its hymns. Only after John's death did Methodism become a church in its own right; its British branches came back together in 1932 as the Methodist Church in Britain.
Calvin or Wesley: the theological divide
The deepest difference concerns how salvation works. Reformed theology stresses the sovereignty of God: humanity is fallen beyond self-repair, God chooses his people before the foundation of the world, and those he calls he keeps to the end. Salvation is God's work from start to finish.
Wesley would have none of unconditional election. Methodist teaching insists that Christ died for everyone, that God's prevenient grace reaches every person and enables a free response, and that believers are called on to holiness, what Wesley dared to call perfect love. He debated the point fiercely with his Calvinist friend George Whitefield, and the argument between their heirs has never quite ended.
Kirk Session or Conference: church government
- Presbyterian. Rule by elders, in ascending courts. A congregation is led by its Kirk Session, sessions answer to a presbytery, and the General Assembly stands at the top. No bishop, and no individual with unilateral power; the minister moderates the session as first among equals.
- Methodist. A connexional system. Local churches belong to circuits, circuits to districts, and the annual Conference governs the whole Connexion. Ministers are stationed by the Conference rather than called by a single congregation, and lay local preachers carry a large share of the preaching.
Worship: psalms and hymns
Historic Presbyterian worship is plain and Word-centred: metrical psalms, prayer, and a substantial sermon. Some congregations, notably in the Free Church tradition, long sang psalms unaccompanied, though most now blend psalms, hymns and modern songs. Methodist worship inherited Wesley's Anglican instincts but wears them warmly; it is impossible to imagine without congregational singing, and the annual Covenant Service, in which members renew their dedication to God, is a jewel the tradition has given the wider church.
The map of Britain
Geography still tells the story. North of the border and in Northern Ireland the Presbyterian tradition is woven into national life; in England it survives chiefly through the United Reformed Church, formed in 1972 when English Presbyterians united with Congregationalists. Methodism is strongest in Cornwall, Yorkshire, the north east and the old industrial towns, though its circuits cover the whole country. Search Methodist churches or Presbyterian churches near you.
Choosing between them
If you are drawn to confessional clarity, the majesty of God's sovereignty and government by elders, the Presbyterian family will suit you. If you respond to warm-hearted evangelical faith, hymn-singing and a church organised for mission across a whole circuit, Methodism may fit better. Visit both if you can; our guide to choosing a church will help you weigh what matters most.