Formal and material principles of theology

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Formal principle and material principle are two categories in Christian theology to identify and distinguish the authoritative source of theology (formal principle) from the theology itself, especially the central doctrine of that theology (material principle), of a religion, religious movement, tradition, body, denomination, or organization. A formal principle tends to be texts or revered leaders of the religion, while a material principle, its central teaching. These categories were articulated, developed, and utilized by the Lutheran scholar, F.E. Mayer, in his The Religious Bodies of America in order to facilitate a comparative study of the faith and practice of Christian denominations in the United States.^[1]

[edit] F.E. Mayer's findings

• Eastern Orthodox Bodies --
  • Formal Principle: the Holy Scriptures and "sacred" tradition.
  • Material Principle: "Christ became man that we might become divine" St. Athanasius, i.e. deification of man.
• Roman Catholic Bodies --
  • Formal Principle: Scripture, Tradition and Reason.
  • Material Principle: "Man's soul, since it comes directly from God, is good and strives for reunion with God, realized in the beatific vision of God."^[2]
• Lutheran Bodies --
  • Formal Principle: the Holy Scriptures as the written Word of God (sola Scriptura, "according to the Scriptures alone"). (Mayer should have included "and the Book of Concord") find a reference to sola scriptura before the Prussian Union please.
  • Material Principle: the Gospel of Jesus Christ that people are justified by God's grace through faith in Christ alone (sola gratia, "by grace alone," solo Christo, "by Christ alone," sola fide, "by faith alone").
• Anglican Bodies --
  • Formal Principle: The Bible (66 books) are the only standard of doctrine.
  • Material Principle:
    • Low Church -- doctrine of God's grace,
    • High Church -- corporate worship,
    • Broad Church -- a life which conforms to the ethical teachings of Jesus.
• Reformed Church Bodies --
  • Calvin’s Material Principle: central concept is the glory of God.
  • Formal Principle: the Bible is the standard for all conduct.
• American Baptist Bodies --
  • Material Principle: The Absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ.
  • Formal Principle: The sovereignty of the soul under God in all religious matters.
• Methodist Bodies --
  • Formal Principle: Scripture, reason, teachings of the ancient Church.
  • Material Principle: the perfected man, i.e. entire sanctification.

[edit] Footnotes