Normative principle of worship

The Normative Principle of Worship is a Christian theological principle that teaches that worship in the Church can include those elements that are not prohibited by Scripture. The most common traditions utilizing this are Anglican and Lutheran.

The opposing view is the Regulative Principle of Worship which teaches that with regard to worship "whatever is commanded in Scripture by command, precept or example, or which can be deduced by good and necessary consequence from Scripture is required, and that whatever is not commanded or cannot be deduced by good and necessary consequence from Scripture is prohibited". This is most often seen in many Presbyterian and Reformed churches.

A supposedly new principle has been recently introduced into this discussion that seeks to strike a balance between the regulative and normative principles. Sometimes referred to as the "informed principle of worship", it teaches that what is commanded in Scripture regarding worship is required, what is prohibited in Scripture regarding worship is forbidden, what is not prohibited in Scripture regarding worship is permissible, but only if validly deduced from proper application of Scripture using good and necessary consequence.

However, the attempt to promote the "informed principle of worship" is self-evidently mistaken for a very simple reason: the Regulative Principle of Worship already teaches and insists on the regulative and morally binding role of good and necessary consequence. One of the most explicit assertions of this authoritative and morally binding use of good and necessary consequence is readily found in probably the most famous of Protestant Confessions of faith, the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), Chapter 1, sec. 6, as well as in many others(1646), Chapter 1, sec. 6, as well as in many others, including the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the London Baptist Confession (1677/1689).

Therefore, any worship practice or worship element, which is not prohibited in Scripture, but which can be properly deduced by using good and necessary consequence from the Scripure is already covered and authorised under the Regulative Principle of Worship.

This shows that the only really 'new' thing about the principle recently introduced as "informed principle" is its label, whic perhaps arose due to a misunderstanding of what the Regulative Principle of Worship already teaches.