Rethinking the reciprocity between lex credendi, lex orandi and lex vivendi: As we believe, so we worship. As we believe, so we live

Abstract

The Catholics order is from the way they worship to the way they behave (lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi). Protestants, on the other hand, commence with the question, ‘What are we to believe?’ The Protestant order would therefore be lex credendi, lex orandi, lex vivendi. Lex credendi is the law of belief (what we believe). Lex orandi, lex credendi, literally means the law of prayer (the way we worship) is the law of belief (what we believe) or the law of praying (lex orandi) constitutes or establishes the law of believing (lex credendi). As we believe, so we live (lex credendi) forms the basis and foundation of both the Catholic doctrine and the Catholic moral life. Lex orandi, the law of prayer (the way we worship) has to do with the enactment of the liturgy itself. In this article, I argue that the liturgy of life (lex vivendi) makes apparent what we believe. Lex vivendi [the rule of life] therefore pertains to how one should conduct oneself in a specified way, especially in relation to others regarding the teachings of the church as well as to ethical and social questions. Lex vivendi has to do with the faithful living of the Gospel. This article will therefore attend to the following: the meaning of lex credendi, lex orandi, lex vivendi; expansion of adage to lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi; justice and lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi; interplay between lex credendi, lex orandi, lex vivendi in Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA).Contribution: From the perspective of Protestant dogmatics, this article aims to contribute to the reflection on the notion fides quaerens intellectum [faith seeks understanding].

The Role of Christians in The Correlation between The Notion of Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi and The Commitment of Cape Town

“…Kavanagh (1984) concludes that Christian beliefs are shaped and supported by how Christians ask God for their needs in worship. Proper's dictum evolved into simple equations, lex orandi, lex credendi, and liturgical material was used hierarchically and sometimes authoritarian (Marshall, 1995;Plaatjies-van Huffel, 2020).…”

“…Wainwright (1980) (Ahn, 2012). Furthermore, Roman Catholics prioritize liturgy as a doctrinal criterion, while Protestants usually prioritize dogma as a worship criterion (Plaatjies-van Huffel, 2020;Wainwright, 1980). In other words, the rule of prayer (liturgy) can affect the power of faith (doctrine), reversely also the law of confidence can affect the practice of worship.…”

As we live, so we believe, so we worship together

“…The presupposition or hypothesis is that if songs experienced in the fullness of life (lex vivendi), like those written and sung by Taylor Swift, can move people and the way they think or what they believe about certain topics (lex credendi); then these thoughts and/or beliefs ought to also alter how they worship (lex orandi) (cf. De Clerck 1994;Scott, Van Wyk & Wepener 2019;Smit 2004& Plaatjies-Van Huffel 2020, and alternatively who they worship with (lex (con)vivendi) in terms of being church in response to a profound hunger for God in community (cf. Long 2001:30 & Smit 2004.…”