FORMAL AND MATERIAL PRINCIPLES OF THEOLOGY

While at some meetings recently, I heard one of the main speakers complained because the Missouri Synod’s constitution was altered to make the Formal Principle and it perpetuation the first objective of Synod over the Material Principle. This speaker advocated that the Material Principle, i.e. evangelism, should be the first objective of the Synod and its congregations. While this speaker in no way dismissed the Formal Principle, I was amazed at his opposition to its priority of the Material Principle.
After much further discussion and thought, it seems to me that many choose to ignore, if not outright reject, the Formal Principle as the starting and stopping point in doing all theology. Such willful ignorance or rejection is born of the belief that all theology must begin with the goal of theology – i.e. the salvation of souls.  In truth, the only reason for NOT starting and stopping all theology according to the Formal Principle, is that it would limit the means and the methods by which one would be otherwise free to use in achieving the ends of the Material Principle.
What is forgotten by such eager evangelists is that the Formal Principle is more than the starting and stopping point of all theology – it is the sole source of all theology and the sole means by which the Material Principle is accomplished. If one throws out the Formal Principle, the Material Principle of salvation by grace through faith alone will soon be altered to another outcome by another means. Lord have mercy.

I offer the following as a guide as a refresher in this matter.
PL -

FROM: http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Formal_and_material_principles_of_theology

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 refers to the authoritative texts or revered leaders of the religion.
A MATERIAL PRINCIPLE refers to its central teaching of the religion.
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]

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 (which are still hold to and are bound by the Lutheran Confessional writings) –
- 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.

FOOTNOTES
1. ^ F.E. Mayer, The Religious Bodies of America, (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1956), passim.
2. ^ F.E. Mayer, The Religious Bodies of America, (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1956), p.47.