Formal principle and material principle are two categories in Christian

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

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 Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

, religious movement, tradition, body, denomination, or organization. A formal principle tends to be texts or revered leaders of the religion, while a material principle is its central teaching. Paul Tillich believed the identification and application of this pair of categories in theological thinking to have originated in the 19th century. As early as 1845 the Protestant theologian and historian

Philip Schaff Philip Schaff (January 1, 1819 – October 20, 1893) was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and ecclesiastical historian, who spent most of his adult life living and teaching in the United States. Biography Schaff was born ...

discussed them in his ''The Principle of Protestantism''. They were 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 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. This is also treated in a theological pamphlet entitled ''Gospel and Scripture'' by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

F.E. Mayer's findings

Eastern Orthodoxy

* Formal Principle – the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

and the "sacred tradition." * Material Principle – Jesus Christ's work of ''theopoiesis'' or '' theosis'' (θέωσις), the ultimate deification of man. They cite Athanasius of Alexandria from his ''Incarnation of the Word'': "Christ assumed humanity that we might become God."

Roman Catholicism

* Formal Principle – the

, Tradition, Reason, the

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

, and the

Magisterium The magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church is the church's authority or office to give authentic interpretation of the Word of God, "whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition." According to the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Chu ...

. * 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. Man's body is subject to sin and is alienated from God. Therefore man must be progressively justified, i.e., be made just. This result is effected when through the sacraments man enters into the 'state of grace' and observes the commandments which the church... by her 'divine commission,' imposes upon the 'faithful.'"

Lutheranism

* Formal Principle – the

alone (''sola Scriptura'') * Material Principle – "a synopsis and summary of the Christian truth" that people are justified by God's grace through faith in Christ alone.

Anglicanism

* Formal Principle in general—The

, the authority of the church, and reason.Mayer (1961), p. 276. Specifically, for individuals of different churchmanship: :* Low Church—the

as the only source and the all sufficient norm of religious truth. :* High Church – "doctrinal authority rested successively in Christ, in the teaching church, in the Scriptures, and in the councils." This is called the ''consensus fidelium'' ("agreement of the faithful"). :* Broad Church—along with the

and the ''consensus fidelium'' is included "God's self-disclosure in the religious and moral development of the human race as a whole, in the religion of Israel, the person of Christ, and the life of His mystical body, the church." * Material Principle: :* Low Church – "the doctrine of God's grace which faith apprehends without the addition of human works." :* High Church—the worship of the church and apostolic succession. :* Broad Church—a life which conforms to the ethical teachings of Jesus.

Zwinglianism

* Formal Principle – the

and direct revelation from the Holy Spirit. * Material Principle – absolute divine causality.

Calvinism

* Formal Principle – the

as the sole standard of all truth (''sola scriptura'').Mayer (1961), p. 207. * Material Principle – sinful man is justified by faith alone (''sola fide'').

Methodism

* Formal Principle – the

, reason, teachings of the ancient church.Mayer (1961), p. 289. * Material Principle – the perfected man, i.e. entire sanctification.

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Formal And Material Principles Of Theology Systematic theology Christian terminology Christian theology of the Bible