Does Sola Scriptura mean that all we need is the Bible? Have you heard people say, “No Creed but the Bible!” What role do confessions and catechisms play in the life of the church today in light of the doctrine of Sola Scriptura? I believe there has been a misunderstanding of the doctrine of Sola Scriptura that implies that confessions, creeds, and other traditions have no authority in the church. This is not what the Reformers taught. They acknowledged both the place and benefit of creeds and confessions in the church. They simply did not believe these traditions had equal authority as the Bible. Creeds and confessions – like all other teachings – were to be judged by the Scriptures and not the other way around.
One challenge we have ministering in Southeast Asia is that our traditional Reformed confessions and catechisms were written in a specific cultural, historical, and social context. They not only articulated Biblical doctrines, but answered specific questions that were debated at that time. What place, role, or benefit do these writings have for the church in Southeast Asia today? How do we teach them to church leadership in Southeast Asia? Come and join the discussion at the 2016 SEANG Conference in Bangkok!
