The Heidelberg Disputation; April 26, 1518

Abstract

The Heidelberg Disputation; April 26, 1518 Nicholas Hopman Amid the turmoil surrounding Martin Luther's 95 Theses, he was invited to introduce his theology at the tri-annual meeting of his Augustinian Hermits order in Heidelberg. The Heidelberg Disputation took place on April 26, 1518, in the lecture hall of the liberal arts faculty at the University. For this occasion Luther carefully crafted twenty-eight theological theses and proofs along with twelve philosophical theses attacking Aristotle. He impressed Johannes Brenz (Württemberg), Martin Bucer (Strasbourg), and several other significant future reformers who attended the disputation. Luther here began to define several theological concepts that together would play an essential role throughout his career. His theological anthropology contradicted the scholastic dictum facere quod in se est (do what is within you, namely, do your best) by attacking free will itself (Thesis 13), and identifying human righteousness, even before the fall, as passive. He claimed that God's law cannot create righteousness but only sin (Thesis 23). Luther contrasted the law and its works with the gospel and faith in Christ (Theses 25-26). The Heidelberg Disputation is also the locus classicus for Luther's theology of the cross (Theses 19-21). He contrasted theologians of glory, who interpret God in terms of the good, the true, and the beautiful, with theologians of the cross, who comprehend God in his human nature, in weakness, foolishness, and suffering in Christ. In accordance with this distinction, Luther defined the creative love of God, which makes something out of nothing, in opposition to sinful human love, which is attracted by what is already good or beautiful [End Page 436] (Thesis 28). The theology of the cross articulated in the Heidelberg Disputation also previewed Luther's teaching on the hidden God (deus absconditus), as God hides his eternal glory and instead reveals himself in death itself. Text 13. Free will, after the fall, exists in name only, and as long as it does what it is able to do, it commits a mortal sin. The first part is clear, for the will is captive and subject to sin. Not that it is nothing, but that it is not free except to do evil. According to John 8[:34, 36], "Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. . . . So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." Hence St. Augustine says in his book, The Spirit and the Letter, "Free will without grace has the power to do nothing but sin"; and in the second book of Against Julian, "You call the will free, but in fact it is an enslaved will," and in many other places. The second part is clear from what has been said above and from the verse in Hos. 13[:9], "Israel, you are bringing misfortune upon yourself, for your salvation is alone with me," and from similar passages.1 19. That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who looks upon the invisible things of God as though they were clearly perceptible in those things which have actually happened [Rom. 1:20]. This is apparent in the example of those who were "theologians" and still were called fools by the Apostle in Rom. 1[:22]. Furthermore, the invisible things of God are virtue, godliness, wisdom, justice, goodness, and so forth. The recognition of all these things does not make one worthy or wise. 20. He deserves to be called a theologian, however, who comprehends the visible and manifest things of God seen through suffering and the cross. The "back" and visible things of God are placed in opposition to the invisible, namely, his human nature, weakness, foolishness. The [End Page 437] Apostle in I Cor. 1[:25] calls them the weakness and folly of God. Because men misused the knowledge of God through works, God wished again to be recognized in suffering, and to condemn wisdom concerning invisible things by means of wisdom concerning visible things, so that those who did not honor God as manifested in his works should honor him as he is hidden in his suffering. As the Apostle says in I Cor. 1[:21], "For since, in the wisdom of God...