Theological Discernment in the Church

John Wesley, at the end of his "Roman Catechism and Reply" shares this great quote from St. Vincent of Lerins, one of the Early Church Fathers.  St. Vincent (died A.D. 445) was describing how the Seven ancient Ecumenical Councils determined what was and was not orthodox Christian belief, as they attempted to clarify the Bible-based faith during times of theological controversy.

Embracing this theological method as a gift from God was United Methodist theologian Thomas C. Oden's great point that he argued for in so many of his books: From the Ancient Councils right down to John Wesley, right down to the Classical Christians of today (over against all forms of what might be called "revisionist" Christianity), we have a remarkable agreement about how to do theology.  Look for what is held in common across the ages, across the cultural boundaries, by the great mass of Christians.  That is orthodoxy.  This is what is meant by doing theology by "catholicity" or "ecumenical consensus."

This saves us from odd, idiosyncratic, or culturally captive forms of belief.  This is how we hear what the Spirit has been saying to the churches.

It is ancient; it is also Wesleyan.  It is Classic Christianity.

Since Wesley was an Anglican priest, it will come as no surprise that this method is largely the approach to theology taken by the Anglican tradition as well.