PRIMA SCRIPTURA, PRIMA GRATIA, PRIMA FIDE
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During the sixteenth century, three theological principles came to identify the Protestant Reformation: Sola gratia, sola fide, and sola scriptura. Sola gratia (Latin, ‘grace alone’ or ‘by grace alone’
emphasizes that salvation occurs by God’s ‘grace alone’ and not by human merit. Sola fide (Latin, ‘faith alone’ or ‘by faith alone’
is similar in that it emphasizes that people accept God’s gracious offer of salvation by (or through) ‘faith alone’ rather than by human will or good works. Sola scriptura (Latin, ‘scripture alone’
emphasizes that ‘scripture alone’, rather than ecclesiastical authority or human opinion, represents religious authority. As such, it is sometimes called the ‘formal principle’ of the Protestant Reformation, or the ‘scripture principle’.
However, there has always been debate with regard to the extent of exclusivity to which the Protestant Reformers, and others who followed in their tradition, held to the sola principles—to grace, faith, and scripture ‘alone’. In theory, sola gratia, sola fide, and sola scriptura became powerful slogans for identifying, defending, and promoting the Protestant Reformation. Protestants continue to tout them. However, in practice, there are many reasons to question the Protestant principles both in terms of how the founders used them and especially in terms of how Protestants have used them since the time of the Reformation. In many ways, Protestantism includes more than grace alone, more than faith alone, and more than scripture alone. The Latin word prima (‘primarily’
makes more sense in describing the complex understanding of Protestant Reformers and their nuanced articulation of salvation and religious authority. The concept of prima makes even more sense in describing the diversity of beliefs, values, and practices in the subsequent development of Protestant Christianity.
John Wesley is a pivotal example of a Protestant who affirmed the Reformation tradition, yet went beyond it in all three of its principles. Most notable is Wesley’s complex understanding of religious authority. Albert Outler says:
The great Protestant watchwords of sola fide and sola Scriptura were in fact fundamentals in Wesley’s formulation of a doctrine of biblical authority. But early and late in his career, Wesley interpreted solus to mean “primarily” rather than “solely” or “exclusively.”[1]
In Latin, prima—rather than solus—is the appropriate adjective for modifying nouns such as faith and scripture.
In addition to religious authority, Wesley’s complex understanding of salvation affirmed more than grace alone and faith alone. Grace worked in prevenient as well as justifying ways; and people’s acceptance of salvation involved more than just faith. Salvation was a lifelong process that required responsible thoughts, words, and actions on the part of believers. Wesley’s prima understanding of the Reformation principles is as important to the present age as it was to Wesley’s age. In fact, his theological contributions become increasingly important to the so-called postmodern trajectory of our age. Wesley’s complex, dynamic, and holistic understanding of grace, faith, and scripture are crucial to both our personal Christianity and to the nature and mission of the church.
Although the sola principles remain important for understanding the history of Protestant Christianity, they are best understood theologically from a Wesleyan perspective as representing prima principles because Protestants—past and present—think that salvation and religious authority include more than grace, faith, and scripture alone. Salvation should be thought of in terms of prima gratia—initiated primarily by God’s grace—and prima fide—accepted primarily through faith. Likewise, religious authority should be thought of in terms of prima scriptura; scripture represents the primary religious authority of Protestantism but not its exclusive religious authority. Church tradition, logical reflection, and relevant experience all play important and authoritative roles in the founding and continuation of Protestantism.
In order to better understand, teach, and advance the received tradition of Protestant Christianity, it is helpful to re-examine the sola principles in terms of a more realistic and relevant perspective as prima principles. The prima principles help us to understand the history of Protestantism; we need to understand them in their historical context. They also help us understand our personal Christian vocation and the nature and mission of the church in our present, global, inter-religious context. The prima principles, in fact, are crucial to fulfilling God’s redemptive mission in the world in the present age.
Prima Scriptura, Prima Gratia, Prima Fide | The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
