Staying True to the Scriptures
December 18, 2007 by hrgiles
St. Vincent of Lerins, in 434 A.D., devised a method for evaluating truth claims in the Christian church.
He believed truth begins and ends with holy Scripture. Even in the fifth century, everyone didn’t agree on what holy writ said or meant.
He wrote about what is taught everywhere, what has always been taught and what everyone teaches.
By everywhere, he meant what’s claimed or practiced by the church in every region.
By always, he meant what’s claimed by the apostles and through succeeding generations.
By everyone, he meant what’s claimed by teachers of great note.
It’s called the Canon of St. Vincent, and it’s good for today’s church leaders to remember it. It might be considered a vision statement for traditionalist-conservatives and can help explain difference between them and progressive-liberals in mainline Christianity.
Mainline churches, including the Episcopal church, are splitting into traditional and progressive camps over universal claims of Jesus Christ, the authority of holy Scripture and sexual morality.
Along with today’s traditionalists, St. Vincent taught truth is universal and constant, and doesn’t change according to time or place.
