Luther's Understanding Research Articles

The Reformation and the Irrepressible Word of God: Interpretation, Theology, and Practice ed. by Scott M. Manetsch

Reviewed by: The Reformation and the Irrepressible Word of God: Interpretation, Theology, and Practice ed. by Scott M. Manetsch John T. Pless The Reformation and the Irrepressible Word of God: Interpretation, Theology, and Practice. Edited by Scott M. Manetsch. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2019. 244 pp. The title is a bit misleading as the reader is led to think that the volume focuses on questions of biblical authority and hermeneutics in the Reformation. While these topics are addressed in the two chapters in Part One, the remaining three parts of the book touch on a range of topics. The nine chapters were originally given as lectures(?) at a 2017 conference, "The Reformation and the Ministry of the Word" held at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. The two chapters that deal most explicitly with biblical interpretation are by the editor, Scott Manetsch, and David S. Dockery. Examining Jean Crespin's history of Reformation martyrs, Manetsch demonstrates how the scriptures were employed to interpret martyrdom in the context of the larger narrative of salvation history thus [End Page 370] providing consolation for those who faced imprisonment and death on account of their confession. Dockery treats Luther's understanding of biblical authority in light of Luther's Christology. A chapter by Michael A.G. Haykin takes up Hugh Latimer's approach to biblical preaching in the English Reformation. Perhaps the most interesting chapter is Ronald K. Rittgers' "Scripture as 'Sacrament' in Protestant Pastoral and Devotional Literature." Rittgers, the author of several major Reformation studies including The Reformation of Suffering (Oxford, 2012), masterfully develops his thesis that the scriptures functioned sacramentally in the pastoral and devotional literature of this era to give ordinary lay Christians a tangible connection with the divine without "superstitious" practices associated with late medieval Christianity: "Wherever it was found, Scripture was a Spirit-inspired and Spirit-enabled means of grace for those who had faith, especially for those who suffered in body or soul. God did not simply inform the afflicted of His will in Scripture; God also poured out divine grace to them through Scripture. God was present to them via the Word" (101). In advancing his thesis, Rittigers challenges the so-called "disenchantment" thesis that asserts that the Reformation de-mystified the world thus opening the way for the Enlightenment and modern secularism. Michael Horton's chapter looks at Luther's reading of the biblical texts on justification by faith in light of patristic exegesis, pointing out what he sees as similarities between Luther's opponents and positions taken by advocates of the New Perspective on Paul. Kevin DeYoung reflects on implications of the doctrine of justification for preaching and pastoral care in an age of "victimization." The final section, "The Christian Life in the Reformation," contains chapters by Thomas H. McCall on "The Sainthood of All Believers" and David Luy on "Luther on the General Priesthood: An Embedded Account." McCall, critical of Gerhard Forde's often repeated assertion that sanctification is "the art of getting used to justification" (148), does not so much seek to engage Forde as he does to point out positive references in Luther and the Formula of Concord to the renovating work of the Spirit and the presence of good works in the lives of those who have the status of sainthood. Luy takes a fresh look at "the doctrine of the general priesthood" [End Page 371] which he calls a "signature theme of Luther's reformation theology" (168). After critiquing "unembedded" readings of Luther's teaching on the priesthood of all believers, Luy draws connections with the Reformer's understanding of vocation as priests speak the Word to one another so that Christ is mediated to the neighbor. An Afterword, "What Evangelicals Can Learn from the Reformation," by Timothy George concludes the volume. George notes the increased interest in Luther and the Reformation among American Evangelicals over the last forty years, echoes Bonhoeffer's concern that America has experienced a Protestantism without a Reformation, and emphasizes the dangers implicit in such Protestantism also for Evangelicals. Overall, this helpful book signals a thoughtful engagement with the Reformation in light of contemporary challenges. [End Page 372] John T. Pless Concordia Theological Seminary...

Augustinus: ’n Studie oor die etiek van die kerkvader uit Afrika deur J.H. van Wyk

In this review article, the book by J.H. (Amie) van Wyk, Augustine: A study on the ethics of the church father from Africa is presented and discussed. Short overviews of the content of the six chapters are given. They are: (1) Introduction – the necessity for a book on Augustine’s ethics in Afrikaans, (2) Orientation – an overview of his life and works, (3) Grounding – the relationship between dogmatics and ethics, (4) Typology – the character of his ethics, (5) Themes – marriage and sexual ethics, political ethics and animal ethics, (6) Findings – evaluation of Augustine’s ethics. Support is given to the argument that Augustine is an important forerunner to the Reformation. Information is provided on Augustine and the early years of the Reformation in Wittenberg. Critical remarks are made about the author’s understanding of the relationship between faith and works, dogmatics and ethics. The Lutheran understanding of this topic is presented as an important alternative to the Reformed version that is defended in this book. Finally, attention is given to Augustine’s ‘theory of the two cities’. Also in this regard advice is given from one of Luther’s publication. His exposition of Mary’s Song (‘Magnificat’) in Luke 1:46–55 is used as an example of how a witness to the government could look like.

Consciences bound and liberated

AbstractA hallmark of Martin Luther's theology was his persistent concern for the individual's conscience before God. Nowhere were these concerns felt more deeply than in Luther's understanding of church reform, where he sought to introduce change in a way that did not introduce doubt or impede faith. Among Lutherans in North America, respect for conscience has found a second home in how early Lutherans attempted to establish an American identity for themselves and reconsider their ecumenical relations. After briefly outlining Luther's use of the appeal to conscience, this paper looks at its use in early North American Lutheranism in the thought of Samuel Simon Schmucker before finally considering its use in the twenty‐first century.

Radical incarnation and creative ambiguity

This article examines Martin Luther's perception of gender and ministry in relation to what may be coined his radical incarnation theology, the Word incarnate in Jesus Christ, in-fleshed in human beings and in the entire material, created world, and expressed in the verbum vocale through the ministry of the word. The article aims at presenting a thorough theological analysis of seminal texts on Luther's new understanding of the ecclesial office in the dialectics of the priesthood of all believers and the ministry of the word. The article claims that Luther's new perception of ministry opened avenues for women to gain authority as preachers, but that he was pressed – partly by his peers and particularly the papal church - and chose to express his liberal ideas by way of creative ambiguity.

Martin Luther and the Seven Sacraments: A Contemporary Protestant Reappraisal by Brian C. Brewer

Reviewed by: Martin Luther and the Seven Sacraments: A Contemporary Protestant Reappraisal by Brian C. Brewer Kathryn A. Kleinhans Martin Luther and the Seven Sacraments: A Contemporary Protestant Reappraisal. By Brian C. Brewer. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2017. 253 pp. Brewer offers a fascinating blend of historical and practical theology in order to strengthen Protestant appreciation for and appropriation of the seven ecclesial practices recognized as sacraments by the Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation. He devotes a chapter to each of the seven traditional sacraments, examining the history of each one from the early church, through the Middle Ages, and into the Reformation, noting at what point the rite was first labeled a sacrament. One might expect that such a study by a Protestant theologian would begin with baptism and eucharist, the two sacraments or ordinances most widely accepted. Instead, Brewer chooses to begin with penance, since the indulgence controversy considered to mark the beginning of the Protestant Reformation focused on the appropriate role of penance in the life of Christians. The chapters follow a similar structure: the rite in the early church, the rite in the middle ages, Luther's critique of the rite, Luther's positive understanding of the rite, subsequent Reformation perspectives on the rite, and a proposal for a contemporary Protestant appropriation of the rite. Brewer highlights the value that Luther found even in those rites that he concluded were not sacraments. He considers a wide range of other Reformation perspectives on each rite, including those of Zwingli, Calvin, Bucer, Cranmer, Hubmaier, and others. The result is an ecumenical appreciation of the best insights and pressing concerns of each theological tradition concerning each rite. An excellent example of this approach is Brewer's treatment of confirmation, a practice he uses to demonstrate how the theological emphases of infant baptism and believer's baptism can complement each other. Another example is the chapter on extreme unction, or anointing of the sick, in which he argues for the value of the laying on of hands and anointing with oil as an embodied expression of pastoral care in a religious culture that often devalues the material. One clear error in the book is the statement that in The Babylonian Captivity, "Luther called . . . for the laity to seize both kinds [End Page 336] by force" (205). In fact, Luther insists that even when the sacramental wine is withheld from the laity by force, they should not seize it by force but should endure the tyranny of the church in faith. The statement is such a clear misreading of Luther by an otherwise thorough scholar that one wonders if perhaps it is the result of an editorial error rather than the author himself. Expressing the nuances of Luther's sacramental theology is not always easy even for Lutherans. In the effort to steer clear of a quasi-magical view of the sacraments functioning ex opere operato, Brewer emphasizes the role of faith in Luther's understanding of the sacraments. Unfortunately, he often does this by saying that for Luther faith effects the sacraments. While he by no means minimizes Luther's central understanding of the power of the Word in the sacraments, Brewer's choice of the verb "effects" is unfortunate. Given his assertion that Luther's mature sacramental theology is found in the catechisms, he would have done well to use the catechetical language of faith receiving the benefits of the sacraments. The book reads easily, with minimal use of jargon. It is equally appropriate for parish pastors and as a text in a course on worship or sacramental theology. Kathryn A. Kleinhans Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University Columbus, Ohio Copyright © 2019 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Wolfhart Pannenberg se ekumeniese bydrae tot die debat oor kerkeenheid en die regverdigingsleer

Wolfhart Pannenberg would have been 90 years old in 2018. This article is a tribute to his excellent contribution to the ecumenical debate on church unity and the importance to reach an agreement on the doctrine of justification. The first step is to explain Pannenberg’s Lutheran understanding of church unity. Secondly, Pannenberg’s contribution to mobilise understanding for the ecumenical efforts in coming to an agreement on the doctrine of justification is discussed. His efforts in convincing theologians that one cannot work towards church unity while churches continue to condemn one another for having different views on doctrinal matters, receive special attention. Pannenberg’s effort to convince his colleagues that one should approach these sensitive ecumenical matters from the perspective of present-day historical-critical thinking is also mentioned. The article concludes with a judgement on his approach and his success in these matters.

Vocation for planetary citizenship: Lutheran liberal arts education in the Anthropocene

AbstractThe focus question of this article is, “In what ways should Lutheran higher education's teaching on vocation be revised to include the fact that we are living in a natural world massively impacted by human behavior, the Anthropocene Era?” This can be broken down into two more explicit questions: “What is the role of liberal arts education in such a changed context?” and “What resources in the Lutheran tradition can contribute to preparing students to become effective sustainability leaders?” The thesis of this article is that Lutheran liberal arts education, to foster planetary citizenship, must move students from an anthropocentric to an ecocentric understanding of vocation, preparing them to become leaders for a sustainable, interfaith society. This change can be accomplished by reaffirming the value of the liberal arts to foster sustainability education and retrieving Luther's understanding of creation to elicit wonder and appreciation of the natural world.

New Perspectives on Paul: A Reflection on Luther's Contribution to the Doctrine of Christian Grace on the Occasion of the Fifth Centenary of the Reformation

New Perspectives on Paul:A Reflection on Luther's Contribution to the Doctrine of Christian Grace on the Occasion of the Fifth Centenary of the Reformation Paul O'Callaghan This study will deal with different ways (or "perspectives") in which Paul's central teaching on justification, faith, grace, and works have been interpreted in the context of the Reformation, and especially in the teaching of Martin Luther. It is made up of three parts. The first briefly considers Luther's own interpretation of Paul and its applicability or otherwise to the situation of the Church in society five centuries ago. The second part presents an interpretation of Paul commonly called the "new perspective," which has consolidated over the last fifty years or so, a perspective that recontextualizes Luther's view, situating it within challenges of an ethical and ecclesiological kind typical of the late-twentieth-century Christian world. The principal authors involved include E. P. Sanders (especially his work Paul and Palestinian Judaism), N. T. Wright, and James D. G. Dunn.1 In the third place, we shall consider how the "new perspective" has been contested in different ways of late, and not only by classical Lutheran authors who insist on the perennial value of Luther's intuition. We shall pay special attention to the recent work of the Anglican exegete John Barclay, Paul and the Gift.2 [End Page 797] Luther's Perspective on Paul's Doctrine of Justification by Faith Luther consistently envisaged his understanding of the Gospel as centered on the doctrine of justification by faith alone,3 without works, as a rediscovery of St. Paul's fundamental and determinative intuition as regards the justice of God. For Luther, iustitia Dei, the "righteousness of God," is not the justice by which God judges our actions and rewards (or punishes) them accordingly, but rather the justice by which God accepts the believer as being truly just. That is to say, justification is by faith, not by works: humans cannot win justification by their good deeds; they can only accept it gratefully in faith. Although the Christian is meant to carry out an abundance of good works, the latter are of no use in winning or maintaining divine favor. This, of course, decisively influences Luther's understanding of salvation, of the Church, and of ethical life. The context in which Luther's revolution took place, as he saw it, constituted an almost exact replica of the situation Paul found himself in when faced with the Judaizing movement within nascent Christianity. He applied the Pauline tension between "faith" and "works" (especially present in Galatians and Romans)4 to the tension that existed between his personal situation as a conscience-smitten monk seeking a merciful God and the late medieval Church enslaved (as he saw it) to a religion of works far-removed from the original Gospel message of simplicity and freedom. The comparison Luther made between the two historical situations, in spite of obvious religious and cultural differences that not even he denied, is highly significant. If Luther's contention was right, his would be an epoch-making rediscovery of authentic Christianity, and by insisting on "justification by faith alone," he would be paying signal service to the Church's evangelizing mission. His doctrine, as expressing anew Paul's authentic teaching, would necessarily constitute a living statement of the permanent and perennial core of Christian life and doctrine, in his own time as well as five hundred years after the Reformation began. [End Page 798] And on the same account, the medieval Church Luther encountered could well be accused of having severely prejudiced, at least in practical terms, the core belief of Christians that God, in his mercy, had sent his only Son to save his people from their sins. However, in attempting to re-present authentic Christian teaching in terms of the doctrine of justification by faith, Luther made two assumptions, both of which need to be carefully appraised.5 Paul's Conversion and Luther's Firstly, Luther took it for granted that Paul underwent the same experience he (Luther) had undergone before discovering the true meaning of iustitia Dei, the "righteousness of God," the justice by which...

Marcuse's Critique of Luther's Concept of Freedom

1968 was a momentous year not only in American politics but also in the international history of ideas, such as "freedom." As we have seen in the quincentennial year of 2017, Luther's theological understanding of freedom can be (mis-)appropriated by all manner of moderns. Oswald Bayer, our most frequent essayist, noticed in 1968 that Herbert Marcuse (and Karl Marx) were all the rage on this topic, and it stimulated him to appreciate Luther's quite different understanding of Christian freedom, as seen in this 1969 essay (and current preface), translated by Jeff Silcock, and also in his other essays and many books, including Promissio, due next year in Silcock's translation. jeff.silcock@bigpond.com; Bayer@unitybox.de; Kurhausstrasse 138, G-53773 Hennef, Germany.

Christian Participation and Creative Resistance: Reflecting on Luther's Two-fold Governance in Muslim-Majority Malaysia

How can Luther's contribution in theology and lessons arising from the Reformation have any relevance for Christians in Muslim-majority Malaysia? In this article, I propose that a reflection on Luther's understanding of the so-called “doctrine of two kingdoms”—better understood as God's two-fold governance—offers a critical contribution that not only is relevant for the Malaysian Christian community, but also may have intercultural and interreligious implications for dialogue and engagement with the Muslim majority for interreligious solidarity and the common good.

Can Lutheran Theology and Virtue Ethics Be Friends?

AbstractLutheran theology is generally suspicious of virtue ethics. This suspicion arises from (1) the Lutheran commitment to justification by faith in God's unconditional promise; and (2) Luther's corollary understanding of sin as existential self‐absorption. Some Lutheran theologians have sought to incorporate virtue ethics by using it as an orientation for Christian life, while making sure to avoid any contamination of the doctrine of justification by virtue ethics. My project is to consider the possibility of a mutual illumination and interaction between the doctrine of justification and virtue ethics’ focus on formation by habituation. As an aid in exploring this possibility I use the distinction in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Ethics between the “ultimate” and the “penultimate.”

The Forgotten Luther: Reclaiming the Social-Economic Dimension of the Reformation ed. by Carter Lindberg and Paul Wee

Reviewed by: The Forgotten Luther: Reclaiming the Social-Economic Dimension of the Reformation ed. by Carter Lindberg and Paul Wee Deanna A. Thompson The Forgotten Luther: Reclaiming the Social-Economic Dimension of the Reformation. Edited by Carter Lindberg and Paul Wee. Minneapolis: Lutheran University Press, 2016. 114 pp. Approaching the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, there is much debate over how the Reformer and his work should be remembered. The contributors to this book argue forcefully and persuasively that the time is ripe to attend to Luther's under-appreciated economic vision that was integral to his reforming work. Growing out of a symposium hosted by the Church of the Reformation in Washington, D.C., this volume offers six engaging and accessible essays on how a vision of economic justice flows directly from Luther's key Reformation insights. The volume is written with congregational use in mind. All but one of the essays are less than fifteen pages and discussion questions encourage reading and reflection on biblical passages as well as the claims of each essay. While each of the authors—Carter Lindberg, Samuel Torvend, Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Jon Pahl, Tim Huffman, and Ryan Cummings—focuses on varying economic insights from Luther, they all share several common convictions: that Luther's most significant theological commitments have important economic implications; that these economic insights have too often been severed from their theological foundations; and that the time is now for theological heirs of Luther to reconnect boldly the theological and the economic dimensions of his thought. The volume begins, appropriately, with an essay by Carter Lindberg, whose 1993 book, Beyond Poverty: Reformation Initiatives for the Poor, [End Page 220] brought economics and social reform back into Luther scholarship. His essay presents a concise, cogent version of his larger argument about how Luther's commitment to "justification by faith" radicalized him to move "beyond remedial philanthropy to address the social and political roots of poverty" (18), specifically through establishments of the "Common Chest." The essay also includes a rousing call for the socioeconomic dimension of the Reformation to inform preaching, teaching, and the mission of the church today. Samuel Torvend underscores Lindberg's call for increased attention to Luther's economics when he reports that in a 2012 study of 100 Lutheran clergy, only seven were aware that Luther had written on the economy. Torvend's essay on greed offers insightful comparisons between Luther's analysis of the sin of greed and Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical, Laudato si'. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda's hard-hitting essay on "The Subversive Luther" calls for "re-reformation" of Luther's understanding of justification in order for Lutherans to claim their heritage of resistance, most particularly in Luther's call to resist civil authorities when obeying them would constitute going against matters of faith. Jon Pahl offers an engaging reading of the economic implications of the Large Catechism, particularly Luther's critique of economic idolatry that forms the basis of his discussion of the First Commandment. After noting how few liberation theologians hail from the Lutheran tradition, Tim Huffman illumines how many liberation theologians have drawn on the doctrine of justification, and calls on Lutherans to move beyond viewing the Reformer's work as "merely theological." The final essay by ELCA World Hunger program director Ryan Cummings interrogates the concept of offering "relief" to those in poverty, offering instead a robust version of the "economy of grace" to counter the "economy of merit" operative in many relief organizations today. Spending time with this volume will help ensure that Luther's commitment to economic justice is forgotten no more. [End Page 221] Deanna A. Thompson Hamline University, Saint Paul, Minnesota Copyright © 2017 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Mary Mühlenberg Speaks

Mary Muhlenberg (1727-1802) received a two-volume devotional book from the Royal Court Chaplain in London, Friedrich Michael Ziegenhagen (1694-1776). The devotional was entitled Tagliche Seelenspeise zur Nahrung des Glaubens ( Daily Soul-Food for the Nourishment of the Faith ). Mary's marginal notes on the pages of these books attest Mary's devotional piety, which was derived from Luther's theological dictum: Prayer, meditation, and struggle make a theologian. Anna Maria Weiser Muhlenberg was clearly shaped by this Lutheran understanding of the interplay between prayer, reflection, and the struggles of daily life. She lived her Lutheranism in its classic expression and crafted a testimony that she, our foremother in the faith, shared with her family, God, and now us. Her unexpected gift is heartwarming and extraordinary.

The Distinction Between Law and Gospel as the Basis and Boundary of Theological Reflection by John D. Koch, Jr.

Reviewed by: The Distinction Between Law and Gospel as the Basis and Boundary of Theological Reflectionby John D. Koch, Jr. Joshua C. Miller The Distinction Between Law and Gospel as the Basis and Boundary of Theological Reflection. By John D. Koch, Jr.Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2016. 228 pp. The distinction between law and gospel is not merely one locus amongst others in the Lutheran understanding of theology. Instead, it determines the entire enterprise of Lutheran theology. In this volume John D. Koch adopts this viewpoint, defends it from its detractors, and explores the heights and depths of what this distinction means for theological method, justification, sanctification, and eschatology, as well as for life itself. Koch begins with an assessment of the theological situation of the twenty-first century, in which there seems to be some consensus that the doctrine of justification by faith alone should be abandoned in the quest for organic ecumenical unity and the preservation of cultural Christianity (3–5). Against this, Koch argues that justification is the matter upon which the church will fall or stand, and that whether [End Page 450]the church falls or stands is dependent on a proper understanding of law and gospel (25). In advocating for a renewal of the Lutheran sense of law and gospel for the life of the church today, Koch draws from Gerhard Ebeling, Gerhard Forde, and Oswald Bayer. For Koch, a proper understanding of law and gospel is one that takes seriously the reality of what Luther labelled Anfechtungand how it affects the accused sinner. Anfechtungis not merely the attack on conscience that comes through the law. While it includes the law's work of convicting sinners of their sin and demonstrating the need for salvation, Anfechtungalso includes the believer's experience of the contradiction of the gospel. Following Bayer, Koch understands the experiences of evil and suffering in the world as how Anfechtungis experienced, namely, as the contradiction of the comfort that comes from justification by faith. Anfechtungincludes the work of the law, but its parameters are not limited to it (7–8). Following both Bayer and Forde, Koch takes a somewhat functional approach to the understanding of law and gospel. Koch argues that the law and the gospel should both be understood in terms of what they do. On the one hand, the law, through Anfechtung, makes sinners constantly aware of the reality of death and judgment. The gospel, on the other hand, does what it says; it justifies sinners before God and makes them new creatures. Koch responds to many critiques of the Lutheran view of law and gospel and of justification by faith alone, including those by Krister Stendahl, Karl Barth, Ernst Ratzinger, Robert Jenson, David Yeago, and the New Finnish School of Luther studies through its progeny in the United States, Paul Hinlicky and Christine Helmer. Koch carefully and charitably represents these views and then defends the Lutheran view through arguments that are both theologically and historically responsible. Koch's responses to Jenson and Yeago are especially important and warrant attention, as these theologians have consistently argued that the law and gospel theological method leads inexorably to antinomianism and Gnosticism (55–56, 184,197). Responding to these charges, Koch makes a detailed exploration into Forde and Bayer's shared understanding of sanctification as the continual re-creation of the new creature in Christ (158). Koch cites Forde's warning against antinomianism as "fake theology" (185–191) and Bayer's insistence that justification and creation must be [End Page 451]understood in the context of one another and that justification is a return to creation and creatureliness through the sacramental mediation of justification. Koch argues that the errors of antinomianism and Gnosticism are precluded in the views of Forde and Bayer because the law puts works righteousness to death and the gospel opens the sinner as a new creation to God and others (153–159). Koch organizes and articulates well the view of law and gospel he believes to be vital to the life of the church. While his account is theologically faithful and rich, it lacks commentary on a major figure in the law and...

Geschichtsbewusstsein und Zukunftserwartung in Pietismus und Erweckungsbewegung

Geschichtsbewusstsein und Zukunftserwartung in Pietismus und Erweckungsbewegung

From Breaking News to Old News

This article presents a part of Danish church history which has previously suffered from a lack of attention: The story of homosexual pastors in Denmark. I want to show how the discussion on homosexuality and ministry ran in Denmark in the 1970's and 1980's and how homosexual pastors were integrated into the ELCD. Moreover, I will analyse this discussion material from the perspective of the German Pfarrhaustradition and point to the civil side of the Lutheran understanding of ministry – marriage and household – as a crucial reason why homosexual pastors, as well as unmarried heterosexual pastors, have been considered a theological problem. Finally, I will compare the image of the pastor in the Lutheran Pfarrhaustradition with a Catholic understanding of ministry and suggest that both set the pastor apart from the world through regulation of relationships and sexuality.

Divinização: é possível ser Deus sem tomar o lugar de Deus?

Sideresis, the divine spark or human consciousness is understood as a moral power of discernment which remained with the human being after his fall. Encourages the human practice of doing what is good, decent, high and condemns the evil, as a natural habit of the human being, living God-given principles, fairly and correctly. Furthermore the act of man consists in the constant practice of the recognition that he is nothing before God. Therefore, the option is to practice what is good, but recognizes himself humbly as a sinner. Through the grace of God the human is able to awaken their original seed or spark and then be one with God. The question is if this momentum can take him back to God, while a connection with something higher than himself. According to the Lutheran understanding of salvation by grace and faith, intends to enter into dialogue with Duns Scotus and Aquinas and so differentiate human initiative to graceful and divine activity.

Paulus retro?

The article discusses claims made in a recent Danish bookentitled Paul Plus – Four Prisms on Paul: Paul & Paul, & the Jews, &Luther, & Nietzsche (ed. Anna Vind; Copenhagen: Publications of theFaculty of Theology 30, 2012). Against the contributors, who are basicallypresenting a traditional, Lutheran understanding of Paul in oppositionto the ‘New Perspective on Paul’, it is fi rst argued that not only wasPaul a Jew: he also continued to see himself as a Jew and took the newChrist faith to be an eminently Jewish phenomenon; and secondly thata number of further features of a ‘New Perspective’ on Paul (he speaksethnically about Jews and Gentiles, not about human beings vis-à-visGod; and he envisages an actual fulfi llment of the Mosaic Law amongChrist believers, not a continued state of being simultaneously ‘justifi edand a sinner’) follow directly from the fi rst basic feature.

Bonhoeffer and the Powers-that-Be

This article traces the impact of the Hitler dictatorship on Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a highly perceptive and critical scholar who remained loyal to his Lutheran formation. Bonhoeffer strenuously maintained a strict Lutheran understanding of the role which history had decreed for the Protestant German Empire and its Emperors. Revolution in the Western sense was, therefore, never an option for German subjects; it was theologically unthinkable. However, with regard to Adolf Hitler, the situation demanded a radical revision, because Hitler proved to be a false ruler. Essentially, having declared war on his own helpless subjects, the Jews, Hitler had violated the Lutheran understanding of a legitimate ruler and, therefore, had to be removed from office.

The Networking of Differences That Makes a Difference: Theology and the Unity of the Church

Abstract: What does the church mean when it confesses through the Creeds its oneness? My aim is to reflect on how and why theology needs to bring to the fore a hidden dimension in the discourse on the unity of the church, that is, its tendency to fall into a “solid” and “totalizing” disciplinary technology, i.e., an ideology. I will approach the theme following these basic theological pointers: (a) a biblical primary symbol as it emerges to unveil a new existence and practice—Paul's metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12; (b) a secondary symbol through which the church understood itself to be lodged—the trinitarian understanding of being as a communicative relationship; (c) the regulative principle of law and promise as guiding a discursive practice that supports different levels of decentering and centering that signals a breakthrough of the eschaton—Luther's understanding of law and gospel. These overlapping theological dimensions allow a different metaphorization of the oneness and unity of the church.