# What is the source of the term: "Regulative Principle"?



## Semper Fidelis (Sep 15, 2015)

Who coined the term?


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## Jeri Tanner (Sep 15, 2015)

I came across that information a while back and now can't remember! I seem to recall it's of fairly relatively recent origin, though.


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## OPC'n (Sep 15, 2015)

Not sure if this is correct but found something on it link It's from this site


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## MW (Sep 15, 2015)

Who coined the term in itself, or who coined the term to relate to worship?

In itself it derives from 19th century philosophy, where a "regulative principle" more generally relates to the goals and conditions of action while a "constitutive principle" strictly refers to the concrete form of action. In the ecclesiastical discussions of the 19th century it was the tendency to use the term "constitutive" to apply to those things we refer to the "regulative principle" now. In the twentieth century the "regulative principle" was innocently used by supporters of the more conservative side of the worship debates. It was a misnomer, but we are probably stuck with it now. The CPJ series is more precise as to the use of the term in the 20th century, on which Chris can shed more light.


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## NaphtaliPress (Sep 15, 2015)

It comes out of Southern Presbyterianism and United Presbyterianism with the American usage of saying "regulative principle of worship" over the British "principle regulative of worship" becoming something 'coinable' as a moniker for the historic principle of worship which has been owned as a rule or principle since Knox and the first reformation. Murray uses the British usage in a piece for the Sovereignty of God in the mid to late 30s; and uses both phrasings in the bit on the RPW he wrote for the OPC preliminary report of 1946 on worship song.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Wayne (Sep 15, 2015)

Thornwell employed both terms, regulative and constitutive. I've never seen anyone earlier using those terms in an ecclesial context.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Jake (Sep 15, 2015)

See a recent thread here where I asked a similar question and got some good responses : http://www.puritanboard.com/showthr...e-principle-quot-(referring-to-worship)-arise

Reactions: Informative 1


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