Irenaeus & the Rule of Faith

Protestant Christians believe the Bible is the Rule of Faith and the ultimate authority in which all doctrines, values, mindsets, and answers are found. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, Scripture offers hope, guidance, reconciliation, and a greater understanding of who God is and our purpose in this life. 

The Church has wrestled with the authority and interpretation of the Bible throughout history. Irenaeus and other early theologians will suggest that Christians should be diligent in their own study and learn from Church traditions when engaging with Scripture.  

Today’s engagement with the Bible is shallow, and many pastors would agree that Biblical illiteracy is common in our generation. For Irenaeus, this handling of Scripture would be saddening. Irenaeus strongly advocated reading Scripture with an understanding of the overarching Gospel narrative (Provan, 46-47). Additionally, along with Tertullian, Irenaeus emphasized the importance of church ministers to “guard and transmit” the Bible.

Not only does frequent engagement with Scripture matter but also the interpretation and exegesis thereof. Tertullian wrote, Prescription against Heretics, and was a strong advocate for Christians, especially the leaders in the Church, to devote time and energy to expositing Scripture adequately (Allert, 83-84). 

Christianity is not an individualized faith, but one that has been passed down for thousands of years and ultimately has been formed since creation past. Our role as Christians is not to invent a new faith but to learn and understand how “the Bible grew and continues to live” in order to adequately understand the grand narrative of Scripture.

Recommended Reading: A High View of Scripture? by Craig D. Allert and The Reformation and the Right Reading of Scripture by Iain Provan