The Big Idea
Doctrines are clean, clear, and simple expressions of faith drawn from Scripture. They are a good means to have a clear picture about what one believes and why.
However, they also can become overly reductionistic if treated as an end in themselves. Doctrine is meant to help clarify not replace the full council of Scripture.
With this in mind, Biblical Poetry and Scriptural Narrative are wonderful balancing forces. While doctrine is clean and simple and clear. Poetry is expansive, and imaginative. Poetry reminds us of the weight and importance of God and what He does in ways that doctrine cannot communicate effectively. Likewise, Narrative Stories put flesh and bones to the reality of God and His people pulling us out of propositional knowledge and into the beauty, heartbreak and messiness of life in a broken world.
Previous thoughts: A Creature Among Machines
The Problem of Disembodied Doctrine
Doctrine reduced and separated from scripture is not helpful and has lost its purpose
To rightly understand doctrine we need to see how it comes out of the classical frameworks of learning.
Grammar - Narrative, History, Law
Logic - Doctrine
Rhetoric - Poetry, Prophecy, Wisdom Literature
True doctrine is then seen as a kind of extracting and simplifying the core ideas and truths of Scripture.
This requires the classical distinction that an idea can be expressed in multiple ways with different words.
Reformation doctrine flowed out and was most fully expressed by the fullness of Scripture.
Shift
This is equally true of doctrine.
Since this work is so quickly thrown around in Lutheran circles without
“Responding to the above resolution, the faculties of the two seminaries devoted considerable time to a further study of the question “What is a doctrine?” and by the spring of 1956 had formulated the following statement and comments: A doctrine is an article of faith which the church in obedience to her Lord, and in response to her specific needs, derives according to sound principles of interpretation from Scripture as the sole source of doctrine and sets forth in a form adapted to teaching.” - CTCR What is a Doctrine? PP. 3-4
“No matter how skillfully or logically we divide the whole Christian doctrine into convenient parts, or “doctrines,” it is important for us to remember that the one doctrine God gave us is an organic whole. Therefore only that which is part of this one doctrine can claim the status of “a doctrine” in the Christian church. Moreover, Christians will seek to study the various parts in the light of the whole and as belonging to the whole. Such a practice will help “minister to sound doctrine.” (2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1)” - CTCR What is a Doctrine? PP. 12
- To state that a theologian who is not a logician is a monstrous heretic-this is a monstrous and heretical statement. This in opposition to common opinion.
- In vain does one fashion a logic of faith, a substitution brought about without regard for limit and measure. This in opposition to the new dialecticians.
- No syllogistic form is valid when applied to the divine terms. This in opposition to the Cardinal.
- Nevertheless it does not for that reason follow that the truth of the doctrine of the Trinity contradicts syllogisyic forms. This in opposition to the same new dialecticians and to the Cardinal.
- If a syllogistic form of reasoning holds in divine matters, then the doctrine of the Trinity is demonstrable and not the object of faith.
- Briefly, the whole Aristotle is to theology as darkness is to light. This in opposition to the scholastics. - Luther’s Works Vol 31. from Disputation Against Scholastic Theology 1517, p. 12.
Argumentation and discussion among Lutherans seems to suffer from an accumulation of calcified categories that are employed more like get out of jail free cards than the living structure of the Corpus Doctrine.
Even in the simple example mentioned above. Luther is clear: “The classifications are a help, so that we might more easily understand the Psalter, become adapted to it, and also be able to learn and keep it.”
The point of the categories is as an entry point into the full word of God. If they cease to operate in this capacity they have inherently been misused and abused no matter the underlying intention.
The core purpose of doctrine is teaching and reliance on God’s word
Interesting that in Melanchthon’s Erotemata Dialectices PP.177-179 He distinguishes between “Moral Doctrine” and “Doctrine that is proper to the Church.”
“For God wishes there to be some certainty in these doctrines. And since the things themselves which physics discusses were created by God, when we know them as they are, there is no doubt that knowledge congruent with the counsel and work of God is true.” - Erotemata Dialectices PP.176
“I have said these things that the young, being admonished, may maintain that the determinations divinely handed down to the church, which are posited outside comprehension of human reason, are certain on account of their Author; God, and the divine testimonies, as on account of the raising of the dead, and let them embrace them with firm assent, which is called faith” - Erotemata Dialectices PP.179
What we are missing today is not so much a clear definition of what doctrine is but an understanding of its proper place in the life of a Christian.
“I would have been quite content to see my books, one and all, remain in obscurity and go by the board. Among other reasons, I shudder to think of the example I am giving, for I am well aware how little the church has been profited since they have begun to collect many books and large libraries, in addition to and besides the Holy Scriptures, and especially since they have stored up, without discrimination, all sorts of writings by the church fathers, the councils, and teachers. Through this practice not only is precious time lost, which could be used for studying the Scriptures, but in the end the pure knowledge of the divine Word is also lost, so that the Bible lies forgotten in the dust under the bench (as happened to the book of Deuteronomy, in the time of the kings of Judah) Although it has been profitable and necessary that the writings of some church fathers and councils have remained, as witnesses and histories, nevertheless I think, “Est modus in rebus,” and we need not regret that the books of many fathers and councils have, by God’s grace, disappeared. If they had all remained in existence, no room would be left for anything but books; and yet all of them together would not have improved on what one finds in the Holy Scriptures.” - PREFACE TO THE WITTENBERG EDITION OF LUTHER’S GERMAN WRITINGS Dr. Martin Luther’s Preface PP. 1
“It was also our intention and hope, when we ourselves began to translate the Bible into German, 3 that there should be less writing, and instead more studying and reading of the Scriptures. For all other writing is to lead the way into and point toward the Scriptures, as John the Baptist did toward Christ, saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), in order that each person may drink of the fresh spring himself,” - PREFACE TO THE WITTENBERG EDITION OF LUTHER’S GERMAN WRITINGS Dr. Martin Luther’s Preface PP. 1
Doctrine as derived from scripture should serve to ferry people directly back into Scripture.
This is not always the case. Doctrinal disputes can very easily devolve into convoluted debates and mincing of words ad nauseum.
Look back to the frameworks of the church fathers as a fuller approach to doctrine:
“History teaches, the Law instructs, prophecy proclaims, reproach chastens and moralizing persuades; in the Book of the Psalms there is the successful accomplishment of all this along with a kind of balm of human salvation” (St. Ambrose).9
Doctrine in the Life of a Christian
A framework for understanding the proper place of doctrine in the life of a Christian:
- But the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. - Psalm 111
- That is as the small catechism states “We should fear, love and trust in God above all things” - Small Catechism pp. 11
- Narrative Stories are wisdom’s soil - teach us the grammar of God’s word
- Wisdom Literature and Prophets are wisdom’s roots - teaching us the logic and difficulties of logic in understanding God and the world.
- Poetry is wisdom’s flower -
- Doctrines reflect back this great variety in simple and memorable ways
no doctrine no matter how well worded expresses the unfiltered voice of the Spirit. Only the direct words of Scripture have that authority. Therefore every doctrine should be understood as contingent, derivative and flattened from the “fresh spring” of Scripture itself.
Psalms as Core Seat of Oratio and Meditatio
Story/Narrative/History is the soil in which everything else grows. Without a good foundation of stories good poetry becomes meaningless, and good logic becomes abstract.
Exhortation/Instruction are essential for practical advise and learning the basic way the world works.
Prophecy reminds us that God’s designs are supreme and that all time and all things should ultimately point to Christ and His work.
Poetry/Prayer in the psalms and canticles poetry and prayer are synonymous. To speak in poetry is to speak in prayer. To praise, remember, and process the works of God and call on Him to continue those wonderful works in our lives.
Confession/Comfort the continual work of communion with a Holy God as a wretched sinner.
Wisdom seeks to stare at the riddles of life not looking for easy answers but ones that last.
Basil: Prophets teach certain things, the Historians and the law teach others, and Proverbs provides sill a different sort of advice, but the Book of Psalms encompasses the benefit of them all. - Basil the Great, Homilia in psalmum I. from The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship p. 3
Ambrose: history teaches, law instructs, prophecy proclaimes, reproach chastens, and moralizing persuades - Ambrose Exlanatio psalmi I. from The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship p. 4
Chrysostom: For where there is a psalm, prayer, the dance of prophets, and a pious attitude among the singers, one would not err in calling such a gathering a church. John Chrysostom In psalmum XLI. from The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship p. 5
“each book of Scripture serves its own purpose in what it relates” - Athanasius Letter to Marcellinus Para 2.
Every book, but especially every book of the Bible, has a particular style and dynamic that “glues” the book together. This is sometimes referred to a genre (which is helpful in its right). However, I think this way of thinking gives the false impression of how these aspects of the text work to hold things together.
Example of Luther’s “genres” of the Psalms. He is very clear that the category of each Psalm is not the point. Each category is meant to help us see what is gluing things together not get us stuck on shoving things into a box.
Bible Genres and the Expression of Truth
Bible genres are often used as a way to start thinking about the huge variety of ways of speaking in scripture.
Have the epic story of the exodus and Jesus crucifixion
The poetic songs of the Psalms
The clear confession of doctrine in Paul’s epistles
Example of this kind of division of literary styles in Scripture Literary Styles in the Bible
If you just go by volume there is far more episodic story and poetry then there are ever doctrinal statements throughout the pages of Scripture
Doctrine is important to be clear and concise
but poetry and story are the way that doctrine actually soaks into your being and imagination
story and poetry are both written in scripture to be remembered
patterns and repetition
layout of material
all meant to help memory
memory is more than rote memory
Memory, the Things We Keep with Us
There seems to be
The same truth can be expressed in doctrine or poetry. One is simple the other is imaginative.
Example of God speaking.
Story: Moses and the burning bush
Doctrine: God Speaks through His written word
Poetry: Find a verse that describes the voice of God through scripture.
Wisdom literature (Especially Job and Ecclesiastes) are able to foster intellectual humility that we do not know exactly how everything works
Therefore we need them all doctrine to be clear, poetry to imagine and experience, and wisdom to slow down and wonder.
Proclaiming the Gospel in its fullness should look like
Telling the eternal stories
Singing/praying/imagining the eternal poems
Teaching the eternal truths summarized in doctrines
Mythic is way to make a story big enough to live in. It directly informs my life and how to world works around me
Historical is important but not all there is for the long haul of faith in Christ
Parable is a good place to start accessing mythos from Jesus as he actually uses it
Epic Story as language big enough to live in. different from pedestrian or thin stories.
Doctrine as clear language to show us the true shape and logic of things.
Poetry and Wisdom as way to be opened up, challenged and formed.
Imagination, Logic, and Memory
Poetry trains our imagination
Doctrine trains our logic and reason
Stories train our practical sense of the world and life
- Pattern
- Logic
- Narrative
- Image and Metaphor
Athanasius - Narrative, Exhortation, Prophecy, Prayer, Confession
Luther - Prophecy, Instruction, Comfort, Prayer, Thanks
Oriented by Story
Example of the story of Jesus life and his death on the cross.
Grounded in Poetry
Athanasius’s letter to Marcellinus (Para 5-8) lays out a beautiful Christology straight from the Poetry in the Psalms.
Christ is coming from Psalm 50 and 118:
Psalm 50
The Lord will clearly come, our God, and He will not remain silent.
Psalm 118
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and He has illumined us.
Christ is the Word of God from Psalm 107:
Psalm 107
He sent His Word, and He healed them, and He delivered them form their ruin.
This Word of God is also the Son of God begotten before all worlds from Psalm 45, 110, and 33:
Psalm 45
My heart has uttered a good word.
Psalm 110
From the womb, before the morning star, I have begotten you.
Psalm 33
By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their powers by the breath of his mouth.
This Christ is coming into His kingdom from Psalm 45:
Psalm 45
Your Throne, O God is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. You have loved righteousness and hated injustice. Because of this, God, your God has anointed you with oil of gladness beyond your companions.
Christ came bodily in the flesh as a man from Psalm 87:
Psalm 87
The Mother of Zion will say, “A man, and a man is born in her, and the Most High himself established her.”
Christ is born of a virgin as prophesied from David who is Mary’s ancestor from Psalm 45:
Psalm 45
Listen, daughter, and see, and bend your ear, and forget your people and the house of your father, because the king has set His heart upon your beauty.
Clarity in Doctrine
Example of end of Athanasian creed as a summary of all this.