Full Text for Die Vereinigte Lutherische Kirche und die Verbalinspiration (Text)

arnurnr~tu IDl1rulngtrul ituut111y Continuing LEHRE UND VVEHRE MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. VI November, 1935 No. 11 CONTENTS Page The Evangelical Lutheran Church the True Visible Church on Earth. w. Arndt ••••••••••••••.. '.' •••••••••••••• 801 Der Pietismus. Theo. Hoyer ••.•.•..••.•....••••.•..••• , 816 Der Schriftgrund fuer die Lehre von der satisfactio vicaria. P. E. Kretzmann . . • • • • • • • •• 822 Die Vereinigte Lutherische Ki-rche und die Verbalinspira.- tion. J. T. Mueller •• . • • • . . • • • • • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • .• 825 Bekenntnissynoden. w. Oesch. • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . • •• 835 Dispositionen ueber die altkirchliche Evangelienreihe.... 848 Miscellanea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .. 858 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. . . .. 865 Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 873 Ein Pretiiger muss ni~ltt nllein weiden, al~o dass er die Schafe unterwei. e, wic sie rechte Cbrlbten sollen ""in, :oltMrn auch daneben den Woelfen wehr n, el. sie die Schafe nieht angreiten und mit. fRlschar u,hre verfuehren und Irrtum aill fueh"n. - Luther. F i,t kein Ding. d,," die Leute meltr bd der K irch~ behaeJt denn die gute Preuigt. - Apologir. ir'. 9~. Jf the t rumpet gh'e an un. artaln llOund, who mall T'repare him 01 1 to the battle? 1 Oor . .q, 8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri. Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. I J ~ie mminigte \]utl)etifcf)e ~ircf)e unb !lie metbnIinflJitntion. 825 blooded craft of his application of it. He saw that an opportunity was given them of at once getting rid of an awkward factm in the com- munity, a person dangerous to their influence, and of currying favor with Rome, by putting to death one who was claiming to be the king of the Jews." ~ilt un5 Hegt Da5 ~aUfJtgeroie9t bet ~u5fage in ben 2Botien "ft e t fJ e f il t ({m:ee) b a 5 j8 0 If ". @:ljtifti ~ob foUte fteIIbedtetenb fein; et foUte nic9t nut im mamen be5 j8oUe5 ftewen, fein ~ob foUte nic9t nut 3um poHtifcgen j80tteH be5 j8oUe5 geteicgen, fonbetn Die @lteU" betitetung foUte im eigentric9ften @linne be5 2Botie5 gerten, bat namHc9 @:ljtiftU5 an @lteIIe be5 filnbIicgen j8oUe5 aI5 @lilnbet, aI5 ftlietite±et, ben ~ob leiben, roaljtenb ba5 fc9ulbige j80U Me j8etficgetung bet cfjrift unD De~ mefenntniffe0 gefcfjtieoen if±. mlir 1e:l;)en babei borau~, baB aUe Eefer unfer~ MONTHLY boUfommen hJi11en, hJorin bie Iu±fje~ rifcfje Eefjrc bon bet j8erbafinflJiration oeftefj±, hJarum fie a10 fcfjrifi~ gemiiB in ifjrem ganaen Umfang anauedennen ift unb hJie mit ifjt Da~ formafe llStinaijJ ber ffi:efotmation, ba0 sola Scriptura, unbebingi lJrei§~ gegeben hJirb. 2um [etten llSunft nut eine furae 9Cotia. ;Jft niimIicfj bie €>cfjrift nicfj± hJiirtficf} infjJirieri, fo baB fie nicf}± bon unb gana, im WU0brucl hJie im ®ebanfen, ®oite§ eigene§ mlod ift, fo fann fie nicf}t bie affeinige ffi:icfjtfd)nur unb ffi:egcf be§ ®lauben§ unb De§ Eeben0 fein; e§ mUB bann ein anbere0 unb neue§ principium cognoscendi fjinilu~ rommen, hJic ethJa bie menf cfjIicfje j8ernunft ober bie €>timme ber ~ircfje obet bie @ntfcfjcibung eine0 ~ajJf±e0. fioex biefen ~unft finb ficfj unfexe Iutfjetifcfjen stlogmatifet bomg flar gehJefen, unb fie fjaoen bie0 aucfj ofjne j8otoefjaft gegen bie ffi:omifcfjen, bie 9leformietten 1mb hie ®o~ 3inianet oefannt. @0 fjanbeH ficfj bafjet bei biefem llSunU um dnen fefjr aften fjiftotifcfjcn lutfjerifcfjen €>tanbjJunft, bet bon Eu±fjeranern gar nicfjt in ~ontrobetfe gebtacfj± hJerben fonte. 2. ~n oeaug aUf bie Eefjte bon bex ~nfjJitation unb mit ifjr berhJanbte Eefjren fjat man f cfjon bor 1917 berfefjrte liluBerungen gefjiirt. stlie oefte stlogmatif, bie ie in ben ~eifen ber TILO erfcfjienen ift, ift nocfj immer bie oefann±e, 1905 auerft etfcfjienene Summary of the Christian Faith> berabfaj3t bon ~rof. D. ~. @. ~aco05, bem efjemaHgen ~rofeHor bet stlogmatif am Lutheran Theological Seminary 3U llSfjiIabelpfjia. Woer fo bortteffficfj bief e stlogmaiif im gtoi3en unb gan3en aucfj ift, eben hJeif ;Jacob0 in bet ffi:egel fo Feii3ig aU0 unfetn Iutfjetifcfjen mefenntniffen f cfjiijJft (bgI. abet f eine ,,@inbiegung in§ fl:)netgiftif cfje 3'afjthJaff et U , €>. 216 f.; ~iejJet, ~fjtiftr. stlogm., €>. 219 f.), fo gibt bocfj ~aroM Die ~nfjJiration bet €>d]tift im €>inne bet 6cfjrift jJtei0, inbem er dis- crepancies bei ben fjeiIigen €>cfjteioern annimmt (€>. 284 f.; bgr.llSiejJer~ hJeitere ~titif fjietubet, I, 220f.), ja feIbft ®tabe bet ~nfpira~ tio n (bgI. ben mehJei0 fjierfut Dei llSiejJet, I, 221. 343), tuomit bann bet )Begtiff bet ;JnfjJitation fjinfiint. ~Uetbing0, ;JacoM rebet an biefen llSunften nod} fefjt: fot:gfiiItig unb 3l1tucffjartenb; benn ifjm ift hie miber nocfj immer ar0 ®anae0 inerrant unb bafjet bie unica regula et norma fidei. ~(ucfj gefjt er nocfj oiemHcfj aU0fiifjrIicfj aUf ben locus De Scriptura ein. mei j80igt aoer (Biblical Dogmatics> by Andrew Geo. Voigt, D. D., LL. D., Professor of Systematic Theology and Dean of the Theological Seminary, S)ie mereini(lte £ut~ettfd)e .reitd)t unb bie metbannfpitation. 827 Oolumbia, S.O.) ift e~ fdjon anber~. @Seine ~ogma±if erfdjien 1916, unb ttJie er ar~ bon ber mobernen ~ijeologie oerei±£l reief]Hef] oeeinfluBt baf±eijt, ttJeift D.lj3ieper tura, aoer fef]Iagenb in feiner ,,(fijrifHief]en ~ogmam" (1, 223. 352) naef]. 08gL j80igg ®inleitung: "Oon/es- sionalism does not mean that it is the office of dogmatics simply to reproduce and defend the accepted doctrines of the Ohurch. This was the conception in the seventeenth century." @S. VIII.) j80igt oringt iioerijaup± reinen eigenen ~trmer uoer Die &)eUige @Sef]rift unb raBt baijcr bie 2eijre bon ber :;'Snfpiration nief]t au iijrem 9'teef]t lommen. ~a£l ganae ~ijema mcref]t er tura unb burftig in feiner Introduction ao, luorin nur einige grunbIegenbe @ebanfen aU£lgefuijrt ttJerben uoer bie ;Offenoarung aI~ QueUe ber ~ogmatif. ~oer auef] er fuijrt noef] cine im groBen unb ganaen feijr pofitibe ®praef]e unb fteijt auef] noef] im jffiiberfpruef] au ben grooen ~u~ttJudjf en ber mobernen ~ijeologie, ttJa~ eoenfa@ bon !ffieibner£l Introduction to Dogmatic Theology bom :;'Saljre 1895 gUt. :;'Sn ber Ohristian Theology bon WCHton j8alentine, 1905 og 1907, ijingegen ift Die Eeijre bOn ber :;'Snfpiration gana aUfgegeoen, unb D. lj3ieper urteirt uoer iijn: "j8alentine bertritt f 0 aiemIidj aUe j8erirrungen ber mobernen ~ijeorogie in j8eroinbung mit arminianifdj" reformiertem 5d)luiirmertum. ~JCHton j8alentine£l ~ogma±if fann ag ein ~ettJei£l Mencll, iule erfolgreief] man fief] in ber @eneralfqnobe nic~t nur gegen ben 05in11u13 ber WCil1ourifqnobe, fonbern auef] gegen bie ~e~ muijungen D. S1'rautij£l gettJefjrt fjat." (fijriftr. ~ogm., @S. 223.) ®ine buref]au£l ungeniigenbe ~arfteUung, bom Iutljerif djen @Stanb ~ lJunft itt oeaug aUf bie ttJi.lrtrief]e 05ingeoung ber &)eiHgen @Sef]rif± au£l oefeljen, oringt ba£l Handbook of Ohristian Theology bon :;'S. ~. @Sing" mafter, D. D., LL. D., Professor of Systematic Theology and President of Gettysburg Theological Seminary, ba£l naef] feinem :itob im :;'Saljre 1927 erfdJien. :;'Sn feinem Preface fcfjreibt D. @Singmafter unter anberm: "If they [his convictions] are in agreement with the long- established faith of the orthodox Ohurch and in harmony with the Lutheran Oonfessions, it is because these all rest upon Biblical and rational grounds [bon un~ ljerborgeljooen]. ~a13 @Singmafter bann audj im 05inHang mit biefer ~emertung ba~ sola Scriptura uoerljaupt nidjt im @Sinne ber reef]±gIiiuoigen Iutljerifef]en Sl'iref]e anertennen tu i r r, oe" ttJdft bie ~a±f aef]e, bn13 er fpiiter aI§ sources of theology angibt: the Bible, the Holy Spirit, religious experience, the creeds, anthropology, the universe, @S. 26 ff. ~caef] @Singmaf±cr fef]i.lpft baljer ber ~fjeolog fcine jffiei§fjeit nief]t aHein aU§ ber @Scqrift, fonbern auef] aU§ anbern QueHen. lioer religious experience, bie ef]riftrief]e 05rfaljrung, fef]reibt er: "The chief secondary source of theology is personal religious experience. The experience of the Ohristian community is of undoubted value; for unless a teaching commends itself to serious and intelligent persons and produces in them and in their lives the effect which its acceptance promises, it should not be received as true" (@S. 27). WCan merle, tua~ 828 :Die !Bmiuigte 53utI)ertfd)e ~itd)e uub hie !BerfJaHnfpitatiou. ba~ ljeittl ~ie mefennmiife, "the creeds", finb naclj @!ingmaf±er "by no means unimportant sources in theology", lJ:)ei! fie "landmarks in the progress of truth:' finb. IDCan mede ficlj auclj biefen 2I:u~bruc!'1 @!ing~ mafter berteiDigt bie mob erne ~l:ree bon ber mot lJ:) en big f e i t b e r .2 e lj r for t 0 i I bun g. ftoe.r anthropology aIB soulI'ce of theology fagt @!ingmaf±er: "A theology which ignores the average man fails to utilize its best material." 2I:1fo bom "average man" ljoIt ficlj ber ~ljeofog f ein "best material"! ~oclj genug ljierlioerJ ~ie lJ:)ortficlje ~nfpiration ber @!cljrif± im @linne ber xeclj±gIiiuoigen 1u±ljerifcljen ~og~ ma±ifer berlJ:)irfi @!ingmaf±er gana unb gar. . 67 ft.) @3ingmafter jer6ft bdenn± liclj aU einer tentative definition of inspiration, suggested by Professor Wood. ~iefe Iau±et: "Biblical inspiration is the personal influence of God, who so guided all who took part in producing the Bible that they made a body of literature unique in religious val1te and, so far as we can now' see, final in religious teaching." ~a§ ljeitt: Die miber ift ein menfcljHclje§ muclj, fjergeftelH allerbing§ unter bem itntion. 829 niCfj± eine suggestio verbalis an. (tr fCfjteili±: "God, particularly the Holy Spirit, was active in their origin by way of what is called 'in- spiration.' By means of this 'inbreathing' of the Holy Spirit the writers of the various books of the Bible were led to write down ac- curately the ideas and concepts awakened in them by the Holy Spirit. These writers were thus the spokesmen of God" (@5. 144). msieberum: "The writers of the vario'l1$ books of the Bible were not reduced to mere mechanisms [toa~ ia toa~r ift]. God worked in and with the sacred writers in giving them their ideas [alier niCfjt me~r~J. This principle is not foreign to our thinking; for in human experience we are continually imparting and receiving ideas from others. This God did with such clarity and force that the writers, being imbued with the Holy Spirit, faithfully recorded these truths. God gave them their materials in the light of their own peculiarities and experiences"'! (@5. 145). ~a~ mngt bieI lieffer, aI~ toa~ @5ingmaf±er fCfjrew±; alier Die .2e~re bon ber toortHCfjen (tingeliung ber @5Cfjrifi: toit:b bamit noCfj niCfj± geIe~r±, toenigften~ liefenn± fie WleIIenliruCfj niCfj± in Haren, ~eIIen msoden. mebeutenb lieffer noCfj ftanb ber fiiraIiCfj berftot:liene D. ZSof. @5tump, President of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, Min- neapolis, Minn., in feinem The Ohristian Faith, ba~ im ZSa~re 1932 erfCfjien. ~n @5tumlJ~ ~ogmatif ift manCfje~ au Iolim, olitoo~I fie boCfj auCfj an bieIen @5tellen biel au toilnf Cfjen illirigliint unb bie @5Cfjdftrefjten niCfjt immer Har unb rein aum ~u~brud lidngt. ~uCfj @5tump liefennt fiCfj niCfjt fIar unb beutriCfj aur .2e~re bon ber toortHCfjen (tingeliung ber @5Cfjdft. ~ie .2e~re unferer Iut~erifCfjen ~ogmatifer illier Die jUerliaI" inflJit:ation fieIIt er aum 5teiI bede~d bar, inbem er fagt: "The sacred writers were regarded as mere amanuenses, who wrote down what God dictated. Oonsequently in their view no human element entered into the writing of the sacred books", toa~ einfaCfj ~iftodfCfj niCfjt riCfjtig ift; benn unfere ~ogmatifer ~alien nie eine foICfj meCfjanifCfje jUerliaIinfpira" tion gelefjrt, toie fie ~ier @5tumlJ liefCfjreilit. iJerner: "Paul was eminently human; but he was nevertheless an inspired man. His inspiration, however, was an inspiration in matters of religion." (@5. 318.) "It must be borne in mind that the Bible is a religious book and not a text-book on science. The holy writers were inspired with a supernatural knowledge of God and His will; and on these subjects their words are final and infallible. On scientific matters they neither knew nor professed to know more than other men of their day." (@5. 319 f.) ~ie~ fCfjeint barauf ~inautoeifen, ban ber jUer" faffer Die ZSnfpiration in ben lReaIien niCfjt anedennt. Eu berfellien @5CfjIunfoIgerung toerben toir genotigt, toenn 1tJir Iefen: "The writer of Genesis lacked of course such a knowledge of the vastness of the universe and of the nature of chemical and geological processes as the modern man possesses." (@5. 66.) ~ie toeitere ~u~fil~rung aeigt, bat 830 '!lie mminigte 53ut~ttifcl)e .ffitcl).e unb bie merba1infpiration. ®tump b-as ®edjstageroed feugnet, rodf er hie ®djrift nidjt annimm±, roie fie fautet. SDa~er mUllen roir aud) bon i~m fagen, ban er, roenig" fiens in feinem lBudj, in ber Be~re bon ber ~nflJiration nid)t gani} tedjt fte~t. 3. ~ommen roir nun aUf hie iiingf±en @ntroicHungen, bor aUem in ben fioerafen ~reifen b-er ULO, bie oefonbers im Lu,theran unb nod) me~r im Lutheran Ohurch Quarterly bon ®ettt)sourg, !lSa., i~ren SDiffenfus ~aoen au ilBor±e fommen Ial1en. SDas oefagt aUerbings nod) nid)t, ban bie ganae ULO verdt ift, gegen hie fut~erifd)e Be~re bon ber roortIidjen @ingeoung ber §jeiHgen 6djrif! !lSrotei± au er~eoen_ ~m ®egenteU, im "Butljerifdjen §jerorb" finb gerabe in ben bergangenen WConaten erquicfenbe 8eugniffe fur hie ilBaljrljeit biefer Beljre gebtucf± rootben. ~mmerljin, ban in ber ULO fo bieIe unb 10 angefeljene !lSerfonen an b-er Be~te bon bet j8eroaHnfpiration fo gana ungeftraft ~ri±if uven burfen, ift bocq ~ocqft veforgniserregenb. §jierfur cinige lBeifpieIe. ~n ber ~anuarnuml11er (1935) be~ Lutheran Ohurch Quarterly vefpridjt unfere SDogrnatif ber in roeiten fueifen vefannte unb audj geacqte±e Beljrer unb ®djreioer WC. §j. j8afentine. ~n feiner gansen !Reaenfion berrat et ben "anbern ®ei,t" ber mobernen 5r~eorogie, ben roir in unf erer WCitte nicljt anedennett £onnen. @r fdireiOt u. a.: "Naturally, therefore, the material is- shaped into the f01'm of the traditional presentation of the Missouri Synod's well-known doctrinal position. Underlying is not only the generic Protestant doctrine of the Holy Scriptures as the only rule of faith and practise, but the lJlissouri doctrine of verbal inspiration'; (bon unfl ljerborge~ooen). SDann aitied er mit ftarfer 2'(0feljnung 6ate aufl unf erer SDogmatif, roorin roir barfegen, roafl aufl ber Beljte bon ber j8eroalinfpiration mit 2'(nroenwng aUf bie ®cqrift feIoft forgt, ni"imHdj, fura Qcfa\3t, baB infolge ber j8eroalinfpiration tie ganae ®dirift in a[(ell iljren 5reHen unb a[(en i~ren ilBor±en ®ottefl eigenefl )illor± ift. mafentine feIoft uot an ben 6aten nicqt fuitU; aoer roafl barin gefag! roirb, ift i~m nidit generic Protestant doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, fonbern MissOL~Ti Synod doch·ine, bon ber er fidi IOflfngt. SDas gilit m a len tin e oU, 1nenn er gegcll 6cqfuf3 bief er lBefpredJung fummnrif d) fdJreio±: "The book under review largely derives its differentiating features and conclusions from its underlying doctrine of the Scrip- tures as requiring for their proper interpretation the theory of verbal inspimtion. . .. These dijJe1'ing attitudes in approaching the source material of OhTistian theology inevitably result in differing inter- pretations and in dijJeTing views of the consequences that follow for faith and practise." wm bern !lSrinilip, bafl malentine ljier aUflfpricljt, fjat efl feine !Ricljtigfeit. ilBer hie merbaIinfpira±ion annimmt, roirb bie 5d)rift gani) anbcrfl oe~allbeIn nI£l bel', roeIcljer me ~eroannfpi.ration bcrlDirft, unb leiber ge~or± nun mafen±ine au benen, bie ber Ee~rc bon ber \nortficljen @ingeoung ber 6cljrift nicljt i)uf±itnrnen. ~ie mminigte S3ut~etii cf)e .reitcf)e unb bie metbnfini~itation. 831 lScrlentine fdjHej)± feine lReaenfion mit einet ~ritif, bie un£! crT£! ba~ griiB±e Eob liber unfere ~rbeit gUt. @ir fdjreibt: "Those who desire a restatement of Christian doctrines as they are presented by the Lutheran Confessions and early dogmaticians, as these, in turn, are explained and interpreted by accredited Missouri Synod teaching, will find this a convenient handbook. Those who are seeking a discussion of Christian doctrines in the light of present-day knowledge and thinking and the problems they have created for the theologian will have to look elsewhere." ~alentine tuill aIfo nidjt bie "Ohristian doc- trines as they are presented by the Lutheran Oonfessions and early dogmaticians" ; er tuill Die 1110berne :it~eoTogie mit ifjren neuen "problems for the theologian". ~n ber ~uIinummer be£! Lu,theran Ch1~rch Quarterly tuith P.lS. lRuppredjg Bible History References bon [.:it. menae befptodjen. ~ber crudj fjier finben tuit cine abfiilIigc \Bemerfung liber bie bon un~ ber~ treiene Eefjre bon ber ~erbaIinfpita±ion. \Benae fcljreibt: "The stand- point is that of verbal inspiration to such an extent that the days of Genesis are treated as days of twenty-four hours each." ~aran fjat ficlj audj lScrlen±ine in unferer ~ogmcrtif gef±oten, unb unter ben @5ii~en/ bie er miBbilligenb in f ciner lReaenfion crnflifjrt, finb f oIcljc tuic bief e: "This verbal inspiration covers the entire content of the Bible, includ- ing the 'historical, geographical, archeological, and scientific matters contained in the Scriptures.'" "Consistently with this it is main- tained, in treating of the doctrine of creation, that 'the whole 1lniverse was created in six days of twenty-four hours each. To change the six days into a mere moment or to expand them into millions of years is equally contrary to Scripture.'" Unfere ®egner in ber ULO tuoUen alfo feine Eefjre bon ber ~nfpitcrtion, Die Die ganse @5cljrift ®otte~ unfeT)TbareB \mort fein fiit±. wean tuill ®rabe in ber ~nfpira±ion ~aben: e t tu a B gana infpirier±; b i e I e B tueniger infpitiert; a nb ere ~ , tute S)if±orifclje£!, 2!rcljiiologifdje£! uftu" gar nicljt infpitiet±' Unb tuie benU man ficlj biefe ganse @5aclje~ ~n ber ~priInummer (1935) macljt biefen l13unft ~. @i. ~ei~ bon Eong ~£!Icrnb, ~. g)" feinen Eefern fIar, inbern er fdjreibt: "And so, taking the Bible as we have it to-day and recognizing whatever doubt or uncertainty there may be about any of its statements [bon un£l fjerborgefjooen], we may liken the teaching of the Bible to a large circle at the center of which we place Ohrist and the cross, since the Bible is primarily the book of redemption through Ohrist. Then, around that center, there is a large region of certainty which includes all the great teachings of the Bible about religion and morality. Out at the circumference we may place these unessential matters [bon un£! ~erborge~oben] about which for any reason there may be some doubt, such as hist01'ical in- accuracies, numerical errors, etc. N ow, if we inquire, How far out toward the circumference does the region of certainty extend? answers 832 SDie lSminigte IJutf)etifd)e Stitd)e unb bie lSerOalinfjlitation. may differ, but for the present writer the region of certainty reaches far out towar'd the circumference. It includes sup87'natural and mir'aculous elements in the Bible>' for the process of human redemp- tion logically requ.ires more or less of the supernatural and mirac- ulous [?]. It includes in general the history in the Bible> since that history> when challenged> has again and again been proved accurate and reliable on further investigation." (~lIfo bie ?aibeI ift nid)± a priori, fonbern nur a posteriori tualjr; ba~ fjeiB±, man glauot nidjt ®o±t, fonbern ben ~rdjiiologen unb Sjif±orifern.) "Of course, :finally we come out to the region of uncertainty [bon un~ fjerborgefjobenJ where the Bible as we have it to-day leaves us in doubt beca1[se of the condition of the text or because of the apparent contradiction or some- thing of the kind. Thus the realm of certainty gradU(111y fades out into the uncertain and unknown, just as it does in every other depart- ment of human knowledge." (~f± benn bie l8wel ein menfdjHdje§ ?audj?) aBut the presence of some doubtful matters at the circum- ference of Bible teaching should not be allowed to throw any shadow over the great central region of unquestioned assurance and certitude." (~er giot un~ aber biefe "unquestioned assurance and certitude", tuenn Me l8ibel nidj± gana ®o±±e~ eigene~ ~ort ift? S'eiinnte fidj bie )Biber nidjt audj fjier trren n t"Yur SDei\l i f± bie ?awer nidjt mefjr ®o±±e~ ~ort, fonbern en ± fj ii I ± nur ®o·ite§ ~ort, unb atuar nur in iljren "central regions". linb fo barf er in einem angefefjenen ±fjeo~ Iogifdjen ?alatt ber ULO fdjrewen. Wber luit finb nodj nidj± fertig. ~n berfelben 9htmmer be§ Quarterly (~.{prif 1935) finben tuit aud) cinen anbern Wrtife! mit ber uberf djrift "The Bible - the Word of God". (fr ftammt au§ ber t"Yeber ~oljn 2Ioerrt)§ bon ®ettl)~Ourg. SDer erfte 5reiI be~ Wrtifel~ ift uoer~ fdjrieoen "Weakness of the Theory of Verbal Inspiration". Woedl) loot unfere SDogmatif aT5 eine "very :fine Ohristian dogmatics", oemedt aoer: aWith all its strong points in its loyalty to its theory of verbal inspiration that guar'antees an infallible Bible, and further its fidelity to the confessions formulated in the sixteenth century, a reading of it yet malces one wonder whether it is a theology for men of our day." omiU man benn nidjt mefjr Me djriftIidje 5rfjeologie, Me in ber unfefjI~ baren @3djrift unb in ben fdjriftgemiif3en ?aefenntniffen unferer Iutfje~ rifdjen seirdje niebergeIegt if H) "One need but point to its presenta- tion of the doctrine of creation as being finished in six days of twenty- four hours each to see that it follows a view of scriptuTe that would make a good many who are loyal to the scriptures unable to follow it." (Wrfo, Um unfer mobernif±ifdje~ 5rfjeorogengefdjredjt uub feine "aufge~ fliitten" ~ilnget unter ben Eaten nidjt bor ben ~oj)f au ftoBen, barf man nid)t meljr lefjren, tua~ bie @5djrift feloer fo flar Iefjd, niimIidj baB ®oit in fedj§ natfrrHdjen 5ragen - bon anbern 5ragen rebet mofe~ bodj tuafjrHdj 1m @3djiij)fung~oeridjt nidjt - gefdjaffen fjat.) :Die mminigte ~utljetifdje .Ritdje unb bie merliaHnfVitation, 833 \yerner: "We Luthe1'ans have so stressed the perspicacity of the scriptures and the right of private judgment in their interpreta- tion [;Dai3 mUf3 alIerbingi3 redjt berftanben merben; mir lietonen bui3 "right of private judgment" gegenfrlier bet ~nmai3ung ber tiimifdjen Sl'ird)e, baB nur bie fjeiIige .mutter ecclesia, refp, ber ~a\Jft, bie @:ldjrift berf±eijen fann, nidjt alier ber einfiirtige [ijrif±; ein "private judgment" in bem @:linn, baB jeber .menfdj bie @:ldjrift nadj ieinem eigenen ;Dfrnfer ulli3fcgen barf, geftefjen mir niemanb au, fonbem befjaupten auf ®runb ber @:ldjrift: Scriptura ScriptUl'am interpretatur 1] that we are in danger in our theological formulations of failing to give due weight to the COTporate thinking of the Church urnder the SpiTifs guidance." OBdlag± fidj ber @:ldjrciber barfrber, baB mil: ber Sl'itd)e fein medjt geben, djriftHclje £efjren aufauf±elIen? @i3 fdjeint fo,) "But then the question arises whether such corporate thinking can be confined to anyone period." (;Der @:ldjreiber mill offenliar £efjrfortbUbung, fo baB mir nidjt meijt au glaubcn braudjen, ®o±t fjalie bie lmelt in fedji3 natlirIidjen :tagen gef djaffen, fonbem bie @bolutioni3tfjeorie annefjmen bfrrfen." "But even keeping within the limits of the scriptures, can we escape from a process of selection that makes some truths normative and regulative, others subordinate and peripheral?" "The saint who loves his Bible Caber nidjt fo ;Dabib im 119. ~iarm] does make a difference between the discourses in the upper room and the Apocalypse and between the Psalms and Lamentations, even as" Luther made a dif- ference between the epistles of Paul and that of James." (;Der mer" gIeidj gilt nid)t, meH £utijer ben ZSafobui3brief a[i3 ein Antilegomenon betrad)tete; aIle Homologumena betrad)±ete unb liefjanbeHe £utfjcr bon ~ liii3 3 ali3 ®oHei3 eigenei3, roafjrei3 unb bai3 ®emiffen binbenbei3 lillor!, feIb;t bie [fjronologie.) ~uf bie \yrage "What is meant when we call the Bible the Word of God?" fdjreibt bann ~berlt;J: "In times past and for not a few now the answer is a very simple one. The very words of scripture are the Word of God. The Bible and the Word are one and the same." (@:lo ftefjen mit IDUff ourier nodj fjeute, unb bei3ijaTh liefIagt man fidj bider" orti3 frber uni3. mun abet lommt ei3: "May I here throw off reserve and state how I ... have been compelled to revise my own approach to the Bible? It was both my duty and an exalted privilege to try to proclaim and bear witness to the truths taught in the Bible before men who professed loyalty to other sacrecl writings." (®ivt e~ iold)e aUBer~arb ber @:ld):rift? "Even their Weltanschauung, or philo- sophical outlook, was different from that in which I had been reared and felt myself at home." "I found 1 could not meet these by falling back on the claim that the BibZe was the literal Word of God by quoting passages of scriptures that are supposed [fo?] to support this view. "1 found that other faiths make even stronger claims for their own sacred writings." "One was compelled to go on to an examina- 53 834 ~ie mereinigte 2ut~etifd)e sthd)e unb bie merlHtHnf.pira!ion. tion of the scriptures themselves, and their authority of the truth would in the end have to be made to rest on the authority of the truth the script1iTes contain." "And in doing this, one was compelled to differentiate between various levels of scripture." (~a§ ~eint, mand)e§ ift roaljr, mand)e§ iff ni(1)± roa~r; e. g. nad) be§ ®d)reil.Jer§ roeiterer ~at!egung: roo bon ber lBielroei6erei ber \lSa±tiard)en ufro. 6erid)tet roirb, ba§ ift ein "lower level" ber ®d)tift.) "It compels one to shorten his lines of defense", ba§ ~eint, "to limit oneself to Jesus and Him crucified." Cm:6er roie roenn fid) nun bie &.;>eiben aUd) baran ftonen ~ ®oll man baun aud) bie§ aW uninfpitiert fallen laffen? ®o rod± ge~en bann ia aUd) Me e!;±temen IDloberniften.) "One may well asle the question whether men have not been repelled at times by a mis- handling of the scriptures, and that, too, by those who have been most zealous in their defense. And then, when one reexamines the scrip- tures from this standpoint [ban in ber ®d)tif± berfd)iebene levels finb, bon benen mand)e @oite§ lillort, anbere ~Renf d)enroot± finb], he may be s·urprised to see that this is just what those very scriptures asle him to do." ilHrgenM tut ba§ hie &.;>eiHge ®d)riftl Unb nun nUt nod) einige roeitere ®a~e au§ bem langen m:rtHeL m:6et!t) fd)reib±: "It raises the question, perhaps a somewhat delicate one, but a question that must be faced, whether there may be factual errors in the sacred records . .. , If it [this question] raises per- plexities in the minds of lovers of the Word, may it not also relieve them in resolving other diffiC1ilties? One may point to the very evident fact that in matters of psychology [~o benn 3. m.~] the Biblical writ en followed the accepted views of their own time." (~nfo nid)t @ott, fonbem lJure IDlenfd)engeif±er ~a6en hie miDer gefd)rie6enl) "Why should one be perplexed if he finds that equal freedom must be allowed them in using the cosmology of their day?" m:lfo lBalentine, ~ei~, m:liet!t) - alle§ ~erbottagenbe .2e~rer in ber ULO - finb .2e11gner ber bon ben liefennini§ireuen lu±~etifd)en mer~ ±eibigern borgeiragenen unb berteibig±en ®d)rif±re~re bon !ter gottrid)en @ingeliung ber gan3en &.;>eiHgen ®d)rift. ~od) roir lired)en ali. Un§ roar e§ 6ei biefem m:rtifel barum 311 tun, au§ ben neueften ~116ma±ioncn ber ULO bar311Iegen, roie ffrljrenbe IDlanner bor± 1te~en unb reben. m:llerbing§ nid)± alle. ~a§ tDiffen roiL m:6er rom bie ULO bem luiljetifd)en Bier flarer, reiner .2e1)rbadegung aUf ®runb ber ®d)rif± 11lirUiclj naljer lommen, bann mun lie .2 e lj r ~ 3 u d) t ii6en:*) *) lJJ1an bergfeidje aud) bie fo{genben ~rtite{ in Mefer ,8eitfd)rift: I,21-32; II, 190-193; 655-666; 754-761; III,941; V, 192-198; III, 838-848. - SD. jJt e \l . ~. 5t. IDl ii II e r. ~ . ~