The Rule of Faith

I've been reading some early church history for a book idea. One of those early church fathers that I have been reading is Tertullian (160-c. 220). Tertullian was from North Africa, which at the time was a major center of Christian thought and church growth. He is considered the first of the "Latin Fathers" (early church leaders and thinkers who wrote in Latin rather than Greek - the tongue of the New Testament). It was Tertullian that helped to develop the Rule of Faith. What is the Rule of Faith? Well, that is what this column is about.
The Rule of Faith (regula fidei) was the development of what the church would later call creeds. It was a statement of Christian belief, theology, and doctrine that became the norm against which heresies were then judged (Readings in Christian Thought by Hugh T. Kerr, p. 38-39). When Christians were tempted to go down a heretical doctrinal road, it was the Rule of Faith that prevented them from taking the road of falsehood. Tertullian was the first to really consider and develop the importance of such a guiding statement. Actually, it may be better to let Tertullian express this in his own words.
"The Rule of Faith (apostolic tradition; creed) - to state here and now what we maintain - is of course that by which we believe that there is but one God, who is none other than the Creator of the world, who produced everything from nothing through his Word, sent forth before all things; that this Word is called his Son, and in the Name of God was seen in divers ways by the patriarchs, was ever heard in the prophets and finally was brought down by the Spirit and Power of God the Gather into the Virgin Mary, was made flesh in here womb, was born of her and lived as Jesus Christ; who thereafter proclaimed a new law and a new promise of the kingdom of heaven, worked miracles, was crucified, on the third day rose again, was caught up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father; that he sent in his place the power of the Holy Spirit to guide believers; that he will come with glory to take the saints up into the fruition of the life eternal and the heavenly promises and to judge the wicked to everlasting fire, after the resurrection of both good and evil with the restoration of their flesh." (Readings, Kerr, p. 41)

Now, it should be noted that I come from a non-creedal tradition that has not used the creeds as part of its liturgy or discipleship process. However, my tradition is also deeply concerned about the issues of doctrine and theology. That provides and interesting and somewhat conflicting experience. How do you talk about the doctrine of the church and the doctrine of the early church without talking and teaching the creeds (Rule of Faith)? As a matter of fact, the creeds and the Rule of Faith were really designed to prevent the church from teaching wrong doctrine adn theology (heresy). You would think that we would embrace the creeds rather than create some distance between us and them. However, the reason that my tradition has been hesitant to embrace the creeds as a part of our worship really has to do with the fact that we believe the Bible should speak for itself. Reducing the teaching of scripture to a statement, however detailed, should not substitute for the study of the Word itself. With this I heartily agree. However, I understand the importance of the Rule of Faith.
If we are disconnected from the teaching of the apostles and the early church fathers, we are in danger of preaching and teaching things that are not a part of the church's teachings. If we are distanced in any way from the teaching of the Word we can be in grave danger of teaching tradition rather than the Word. What is the solution? To recognize that the Rule of Faith is different from the use of creeds in worship. The Rule of Faith is an appropriate study of the teaching and understanding of the early church, including the teachings of the New Testament writers. As with anything, it is the moderation of using the Rule of Faith that is crucial. The Rule of Faith dare not substitute for the Word but it may help explain the Word. After all, the Holy Spirit was working in the early church as well as working in the Church today.