Baptist vs Presbyterian

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Seaioth

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I've been attending Baptist churches most of my life, the previous one considered themselves take take 5 points of TULIP, Just never asked which parts, but from the sermons prolly rejecting irresitible grace.. Making them Amyraldians?
But honestly for the most part I understand that Baptists churches have a mix of Calvinists and Arminians, which probably explains much of the confusion and hybridity. I mean I still identify myself as a reformed Baptist. I started reading into the supposed history of baptists and the trail of blood thing (That they believe that they existed before the Protestant Reformation) and date back to the linegage of John the Baptist, a bit hookey... though it does explain why some will ardently argue themselves to not be Protestant, and may go as far to say that they are the true church o_O
... I believe the term was landmarkist baptists or something...

As for differences, I believe
Presbyterians they do infant baptism whereas Baptists do not.
 
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Augustine_Was_Calvinist

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Cajun Huguenot makes a very good point. Aside from the ecclesiastical differences, doctrinal differences, baptism differences, and communion differences, most Baptists(unless they are Reformed/Calvinists) are not Covenental theologians, but subscribe to dispensationalism and that God deals with humanity in salvation, on an individual level.

One thing I would add at this point concerning Presbyterians.

The PCUSA as a body have many differences between the PCA(my denom), Orthodox Presbyterians and Free Presbyterians.

While there are many sound PCUSA churches and members, the demonination as a governmental body has been liberal for quite some time, rejecting many tenets of Biblical, historic Christianity, starting with having rejected the infallibility of the Bible.

Once that tenet goes, there is not much foundation for holding to others, and subjectivism rules, as has been the case.

The PCUSA has come very close to a split between the churches that still are Christian and those who mostly control the denomination and are apostate. I expect that split to actually happen in the next couple of years, possibly at their next General Assembly.
 
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Defcon said:
2)Also, do Presbyterian churches do any modern worship?

I know not all Baptists do but the church I currently attend does some modern worship music. My wife and I are disenchanted (I know that's not the best word but there are a lot of factors involved) with our church and may look elsewhere.

My PCA church does more modern worship. We still sing hymns (actually we sing mostly hymns), but our music consists of keyboard, bass guitar, one or two "regular" guitars (I am musically-challenged) and a guy playing bongos! The first time the bongo player was there I joked that we were now the "beatnik" church but actually, it is very tastefully done. We have an RUF campus ministry and the funny part was that there weren't too many people who even knew what a beatnik was...

Some of you are probably flipping out by this point, but seriously, I truly think our music team is doing a good, tasteful and God-honoring job.

CC&E
 
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reformedfan

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dispy vs. covenantal, babies vs. believers, sprinkling vs. immersion, i feel strongly about one over the other in all sets of disagreement & can argue for hours in favor of 'mine' or against 'theirs'. However, their sectarian attitude about their beliefs favoring the other over the one is what i see as most critically wrong & divisive with their doctrine.
 
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Proeliator

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Augustine_Was_Calvinist said:
The PCUSA has come very close to a split between the churches that still are Christian and those who mostly control the denomination and are apostate. I expect that split to actually happen in the next couple of years, possibly at their next General Assembly.

New Wineskins, isnt that the name of what you are talking about? I have a copy of a paper called the Layman around about that. I have a friend that is a Presb. Pastor.
 
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Augustine_Was_Calvinist

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shadrach_ said:
New Wineskins, isnt that the name of what you are talking about? I have a copy of a paper called the Layman around about that. I have a friend that is a Presb. Pastor.

I'm don't know if that is the name or not. I mostly keep up, to some degree, through various news sources and a some local friends who are still in PCUSA churches, why I'm not exactly sure, except they want to be change agents from within. On the present course of the PCUSA, I think they have all but resigned themselves to the reality of dividing when the time comes.
 
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edie19

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Defcon said:
Help me out here, what is/are the theological difference(s) between Baptists and Presbyterians? I don't necessarily need proofs or anything like that at this time, just need the differences theologically.

As a bonus - do they differ in worship styles?

I grew up in the Presbyterian Church USA. Loved it!

Have been a Reformed Baptist for the past 6 years (have worshiped with the same church family for 12-13 years, we're a plant - Reformed Baptist best fit our doctrine and theology, the church we were from was non-denominational, but Reformed in practice). I love my church and my church family - can't imagine worshiping anywhere else.

Number 1 difference believer vs. infant baptism. Other than that I would say the differences are minimal. We recognize the LBC as opposed to the Westminster - biggest difference between the two is baptism. My pastor regularly quotes from the Westminster, he regularly quotes John Knox.

The Presbyterian churches I have attended have a liturgical worship service and followed the church calendar - I've been in several different Presbyterian churches and they all do essentially the same.

My current RBC church follows the regulative principle of worship - prayer, teaching of the Word, singing of hymns, psalms and spiritual songs and the adminstration of the sacraments. It doesn't strike me as quite as formal as the Presbyterian services - but we have a set order of worship every week. We do all congregational singing as opposed to having a choir and/or soloists. We don't do as many responsive readings as the Presbyterians I'm familiar with do.
 
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Cajun Huguenot

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janny108 said:
They DO?
Jan

Most of them today do, but the Southern Baptist (to the shock of many in their ranks) have VERY Strong Calvinistic roots. Today Calvinists make up a very small, but growing segment of that denomination. Some of the strong anti-liberal leaders in the SBC in the past few decades have also been anti-Calvinists.

There are important Calvinists in the SBC Albert Mohler, head of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky is probably the most important of them.

In Christ,
Kenith
 
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Cajun Huguenot

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Cajun Huguenot

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edb19 said:
We need to be clear about which Baptist's we're speaking of - same as differences between PCUSA + PCA.

I'm a Baptist (reformed) - we're covenental, believe in irresitable grace and are not dispensational.

Very True, but we differ on how the Covenant is understood. If this were not the case we would all agree on baptism.

Our understanding of what the Bible says about Covenant dictates our view of Baptism. Since Baptists are credobaptists (only) and Presbyterians are paedobaptists (and credobaptist for new converts) it stands to reason that we view God's covenant with His people very differently, even when we do agree on so many other things.

In Christ,
Kenith
 
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I am a Southern Baptist and we believe strongly in the Perseverance of the Saints. What happened is that during the 20th century a very pervasive false doctrine of Arminianism invaded our denomination. Since Albert Mohler took charge of Southern Seminary and a refocus on true doctrine was taught to those who would become pastors, the churches have begun to have a much more biblical view, though many still resist it. Presbyterians have a much more formal service and a stricter adherence to the doctrines of the denomination as a whole. Baptists believe in the autonomy of the individual church, so there is very much emphasis on making sure each church teaches in accordance with the others. Some big issues, like homosexuals and woman pastors, are in fact grounds for a loss of fellowship within the denomination, but the church is not MADE to change their view. The biggest difference in doctrine would be infant baptism vs believers baptism. Baptists do not baptize babies. We believe that a person must have come to the point of salvation before being baptized.
 
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