The Wesleyan Quadrilateral really is about how we interpret Scripture. No one comes to Scripture with a totally blank mind…we all hear the Word of God through the lens of our own experience, the traditions of our church and culture, and the ways we have been formed to use logic and reason to make conclusions. John Wesley just cast lots to make decisions, but us Wesleyans have the Quadrilateral, and that’s not a bad bit of progress.
The Bible doesn’t speak directly to a LOT of stuff we deal with today, so if we will continue to claim it as our authority for Christian living, we need to have meaningful ways to interpret this ancient text so that it continues to speak to us in every circumstance. In the end, it’s not about making the Scripture relevant to us, but making us relevant to the Scripture.