Join Pastor Stephanie as she gives her take on how important history is for shaping and preparing us for the future. She goes through her thoughts on hope for the future using the book The Great Emergence by Phyllis Tickle.

I mention in this episode something called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Some, if not most of you, probably have not heard this term before and were a bit confused as to what it meant. From what I know and have know learned, this viewpoint takes ideas that were in the church (I believe the Anglican church to be specific) and combined it with the teachings of Wesley to illiterate what we believe to be 4 sources for theological coherence. They are a way of determining what is theologically correct by taking Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and also Experience and determining coherence from them. When we study the Scriptures we can confidently say what is truth based on what is said, what church history says, what we have witnessed and experienced, and common sense and reasoning.

Nazarene Essentials from Holiness Today puts it like this:

"These are our sources for theological coherence.

-Scripture: We believe the holy scriptures are foundational and vital in forming our identity in Christ.

-Christian Tradition: We celebrate the orthodox teachings of 2,000 years of history through various Christian traditions.

-Reason: We believe the Spirit of God works through out intellects and gives us discerning minds

-Personal Experience: We believe God works in and through the lives of individuals and communities who follow Christ."

Whenever I reference this Quadrilateral, I am using it as a guide or tool to help us understand God's truth. By knowing that we can rely on Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience to learn and grow. I don't necessarily want it to come off that these are distinct ways of determining what we believe. I believe these are 4 sources, that when brought and used together and help us better understand the message God is telling us.