The Wesleyan Quadrilateral: What is it and is it relevant today?
How does this work in practice? Think
your experience above Scripture for
about a theological question like, "Is it
personal ends. And people do this all the
all right to lie?" To answer this, we would
time with contemporary issues. A proper
first look at what the Bible says. We would
grasp and application of the Quadrilateral
look at what the Church and what other
would have provided a clearer, more
Christians throughout history have said.
honest and truthful approach.
We would use reason to interpret the Bible and reflect on tradition. Finally, we
Scripture determines what we believe
would think about what the Holy Spirit is
and churches develop doctrines based
saying to us in our collective and personal
on Scripture. Individuals and churches
experiences today.
may have theologies that differ, which is fine because we are not identical. We
It is important to stress that in the
certainly need tools to interpret and apply
Quadrilateral, Scripture is the sole
Scripture in different situations and times,
authority. Tradition, reason and
and Methodists have a fine methodology
experience are but aids to interpret
in the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
Scripture. Our Quadrilateral does not have four equal sides. There are, however, people who think that one or more of the other sides are equal or even superior to Scripture. For example, imagine that you have children who are married and they now commit adultery. You know the biblical
Oden, Thomas and Longden, Leicester. The Wesleyan Theological Heritage: Essays of Albert C. Outler, 1st edition. Zondervan, 1991. p.35-36
1
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, p. 82 Section 4 – Our Theological Task. 2
3 Wright, N T. The Last Word; Beyond the Bible Wars to a New Understanding of the Authority of Scripture. Harper Collins, 2005. p. 101-102
commandment against adultery. But because it is your children whom you love
ABOUT THE COVER:
and you want to avoid blaming them, you reinterpret the Bible and argue that Vol 125 No 2 FEBRUARY 2023
Scripture
the commandment is time-bound to earlier societies and that the Church's
Reason Tradition THE WESLEYAN QUADRILATERAL
teaching against adultery is outdated and incompatible to 21st century life. You society. What you have done is to elevate
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 031/11/2022
find reasons to justify adultery in modern
Experience
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral: What is it and is it relevant today? Does my denomination matter to God? Fred Pratt Green: The other Methodist hymn writer
The mathematically astute may realise that the Venn diagram depicted is hardly a quadrilateral. However, in the age of iPhones and squircles, the editorial team has accepted this as "creative licence" as it explains the Wesleyan Quadrilateral concept well.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK An illustration of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, the four qualities of Reason, Tradition, Experience and Scripture, and how these may be challenged in our modern age. The artist used the parable of the faithful maidens awaiting the bridegroom, with sufficient oil in their lamps. They are holding lamps signifying Reason, Tradition and Experience, casting light on the surrounding Scriptures before them, to signify the all-encompassing importance of the fourth quality.
ABOUT THE ARTIST Yen Tun I is an artist and with the Arts Release ministry with Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ (WEC) missions agency. He seeks to create artworks based on Scripture, with fresh angles on arts and culture.
10 Methodist Message February 2023