How should a Christian regard the writings of the Church Fathers? Let
Lutheran Confessions give the answer. Study how the Confessions use the
Fathers and what they say about them.
Negatively, they do not attribute to the Fathers any sort of
infallability; they admit freely that they could err and even
contradict themselves at times. (Ap. XXVII:95) Additionally, no article
of faith may be founded merely on a saying of a father - rather "the
Word of God alone shall establish articles of faith." (SA II, 2, 15)
Positively, they repeatedly cite the Fathers to demonstrate that what
the Confessors were teaching was nothing new, but the way the faith had
always been taught. (Too numerous to list out) They took completely
seriously that Scripture was not a matter of private interpretation. In
essence, they charged Rome with novelty in regard to the interpretation
of the Scripture, and they called in the Fathers as witnesses to Rome's
novel interpretations and to their own interpretation being in fact the
ancient, catholic one. Thus they could boast: "Since then this teaching
is clearly grounded in Holy Scripture and is, moreover, neither against
nor contrary to the universal Christian church - or even the Roman
church - so far as can be observed in the writings of the Fathers, we
think our opponents cannot disagree with us." (AC Part I conclusion)
The most extensive study done in the Reformation times on the question
of the relationship is found in Martin Chemnitz' Examination of the
Council of Trent, volume I. He treats there of eight kinds of
traditions. And there he makes clear the two above points which can be
seen in the Confessions. He goes so far on the second point as to say:
"We confess also that we disagree with those who invent opinions which
have no testimony from any priod in the church... We also hold that no
dogma that is new in the churches and in conflict with all of antiquity
should be accepted. What could be more honorably said and thought
concerning the consensus and the testimonies of antiquity?" And he
carefully balances this with: "But we confess also this, which we have
not invented ourselves, but have learned from the fathers: that we
search out and quote the testimonies of the fathers, not as though the
things which are shown and proved from clear testimonies of the
Scriptures were either not certain or not firm enough in themselves or
did not of themselves possess enough strength and authority unless also
the consensus of the fathers were added." (Examination I:258)
