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Originally Posted by JohnV  1. By "prescriptive" do you mean that, since (we assume) that God approves of instruments and other songs, we must use instruments and other songs, otherwise we aren't filling the prescription? |
Well, first off, let's distinguish between
prescription and
command.
Actually, let's first define a hermeneutical approach:
1. The NT has greater prescriptive authority than the OT for the NT church.
2. However, unless abrogated by the NT, the OT prescription stands as normative.
Now, I use prescriptive in the context that affirms and expresses requirement (command)
and regulation (guidance). (Think in terms of a medical prescription "Take 3 times a day or as needed for pain...")
So, in context of Prescriptive Psalmody, the Scriptures determine what is
required and then what can be exegeted as appropriate in terms of
regulation.
So, with that said, I have stated before that it is clear in the NT that the
commanded worship element is
music, with
singing as the
required expression of the command and
instruments as an allowable and
regulatable circumstance for use as vocal praise accompaniment.
I'll touch on new songs in a different post, since I missed addressing it before submitting the post.
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2. In a context outside the EP/NI discussions, would you still use the same term? Aren't you running the risk of adding something that wasn't there before, bringing in a new idea?
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In terms of othrodoxy and orthopraxy, I don't see this as new, just reforming and refining.
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3. (Here's my point) Is not the term "prescriptive" a bit too strong a term?
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Not so much, if understood in the terms outlined above.