Skip to content

T14 reasoning: Regulative or normative worship

Reasoning steps: Regulative or normative worship

Verdicts: T14 · Regulative or normative worship. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

T14.1: Regulative or normative worship

Step T14.1.1: Scripture

Deut 12:32 (do not add to or take from); Lev 10:1–3 (Nadab and Abihu, ‘unauthorized fire’); Matt 15:9 (teaching human commandments as doctrine); Col 2:23 (self-made religion). Yet 1 Cor 14:40 (‘decently and in order’) leaves arrangement to the church.

Step T14.1.2: Patristic evidence

Tertullian (Era II), on unwritten customs such as the sign of the cross: ‘If, for these and other such rules, you insist upon having positive Scripture injunction, you will find none’. Basil (Era III) gives unwritten practices ’the same force’. Sources: tertullian-t14-s1 · basil-t14-s1.

Step T14.1.3: Weighing decision

The fathers accept worship practices not commanded in Scripture, provided they serve the faith. No father holds a regulative principle. Verdict: normative practice.

  • Confidence: Medium–high.

Step T14.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Scripture forbids adding to God’s commands and self-made worship, but also leaves order and arrangement to the church; either principle can be argued. (Scripture confidence: low)
  • Assessment: Patristic evidence favours normative practice; Scripture is divided.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Normative.

Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Normative.

Oriental Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Normative.

Lutheran

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): FC X: adiaphora.

Anglican

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 3/4): Art. XX: the Church may not ‘ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s Word written’ (verified); Art. XXXIV.

Presbyterian

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): WCF XXI.1: God ‘may not be worshiped … any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture’ (verified).

Reformed Baptist

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 2/4; Scripture 3/4): 1689 22.1: ‘or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures’ (verified).

General Baptist

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture 3/4): Not stated (to verify).

Anabaptist

See the note below.

  • T14.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture 3/4): Simple worship; not stated as a principle.