Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661) and <i>Adiaphora</i>: The Regulative Principle of Worship and the Rule of Christ

Abstract This paper explores seventeenth-century Scottish theologian Samuel Rutherford’s (1600–1661) views on adiaphora and the regulative principle of worship (RPW). Rutherford criticised those who endorsed the authority of civil magistrates and church government to legislate ecclesiastical laws concerning indifferent matters in worship. Scholars have focussed on the RPW of the Westminster Standards, but the theological and philosophical controversies surrounding the RPW and its relationship with adiaphora in early modern Britain remain understudied. While the Scottish Presbyterian understanding of the RPW and its relationship with adiaphora has faced criticism for perceived inconsistency, this paper argues that Rutherford’s view on the RPW and adiaphora is coherent. It further asserts that Rutherford’s RPW and his notion of adiaphora were rooted in the Reformation emphasis on Scripture and grace given through Christ. Also, the study highlights that Rutherford’s RPW was supported by his Two Kingdoms doctrine, emphasising Christ’s evangelical rule in the Church.