Full Text for CTM Theological Observer 8-6 (Text)

(!tonror~ttt UJ4roingtral :!Innt41y Continuing LEHRE UND WEHRE MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. vm June, 1937 CONTENTS The Pastor and Mission Opportunities. Kleine Hesekielstudien. L. Fuerbringer Arthur Brunn - A Few Remarks on Col. 2, 18. 19a. L. T. Woblfeil - What the Liberal Theologian Thinks of Verbal Inspiration. Th. Engelder No.6 Page 419 41-1 _ __ ill 433 Sermon Study on 1 John 4, 12-14. Theo. Laet,;ch __ . ___ . _ . _______ __ 453 Outlines on the Eisenach Epistle Selections _ 410 Theological Observer. - Kirchlicb-Zeitgeschichtliches _ _ 468 Book Review. - Literatur Ein Predlger muss ntcht allein ",ei- den, also dass er die Schafe lDlter- weise. wle aie rechte ChrIsten sollen seln. sondern auch daneben den Woel- fen ",ehnn, daBs sle die Schafe ntcht anerelfen und mit :falsc:her Lehre ver- fuehren lDld Irrtum einfuehren. Luther 479 Es ist keln Ding. das die Leute mehr bel der Kirche behaelt denn die gute Predlgt. - Apologie, Arl. 24 If the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shan prepare himself to the battle? - I Cor. 14. B Published for the Ev. Loth. Synod of Missouri. Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUBLISHING BOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. 468 Theological Observer - .IHtd)licfH3eitgefd)id)tlicf)e~ Theological Observer - Sfirdj1tdj~geitgef!fjidjtlidjes I. 'xwcrUttl u. L. C. and the Coming World Conferences. - From the minutes of the executive board of the U. L. C., published in the Lutheran of Feb- ruary 4, we see that, "it having been decided previously that the United Lutheran Church in America would participate in the World Conference of Faith and Order to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in August, 1937, the following were elected as regular delegates: Dr. A .. Steimle, Dr. Charles M. Jacobs, Dr. A. R. Wentz, and Dr. E. E. Flack. The other members of the commission, Dr. John Aberly, the Rev. T. G. Tappert, and Dr. W. H. Greever, were elected as alternates." Concerning participation in the Universal Christian Conference of Life and Work, the report says: "Due .to the fact that this conference, which asks for official representation from the churches, continues to exercise the practise of cooption of in- dividuals as members of the conference, thereby vitiating the official character of the conference and giving much opportunity for special propaganda, the United Lutheran Church in America, through its execu- tive board, declined the invitation to participate in the meetings to be held in Oxford, England, in the summer of 1937. 'Coopted' members are individuals selected and elected by the continuation committee of the conference itself without regard for the status of such individuals in the church-bodies of which they are members. The United Lutheran Church has consistently protested against this action on the grounds of both prin- ciple and practise, without admitting either an unwillingness to cooperate with others on a proper basis or a lack of interest in the great questions to be discussed in such a conference. The following was submitted by the officers as a part of their report and was adopted unanimously: 'It is recommended that the United Lutheran Church in America be not represented at the meeting of the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work, the chief reason being that the membership of the con- ference includes a large proportion of coopted individuals. The con- ference thus ceases to be effectually a conference of the churches.''' It seems to us that this refusal of U. L. C. officials to be represented at Oxford this coming summer can justly be said to be based on a tech- nicality. What one misses in the report is a discussion of the question to what extent participation in these conferences would involve disloyalty to Lutheran doctrine and principles. A. A Pronouncement of the Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Convention on Intra-Lutheran and Interdenominational ::dations. - A document having the title Lutherans and Ecumenical Movements was issued by said Executive Committee, and we here present it in toto. The text is that submitted in the N. L. C. Bulletin, which we now quote: - "Among the many items that received the consideration of the Exec- utive Committee of the Lutheran World Convention when it met in New York September 29 to October 6, 1936, was the participation of Lutherans in ecumenical Christian movements. On this subject a statement of prin- ciples was adopted. Before this statement could be announced to the ·Theological Observer - .R'hd)lid)'8ettgefd)id)tnd)es 469 churches it had to be sent to Europe and submitted to representatives of the churches in the Scandinavian lands. This has now been done, official translations have been made, and the Executive Committee herewith pre- sents its conclusions to the churches. It is believed that this message and these recommendations on ecumenical relationships will be found to ac- cord with the Scriptures, and it is hoped that they will afford guidance to the various Lutheran churches and will help them to resolve per- plexities and bring clarity into a confusing situation. The statement follows:- "The Present Trend to Ecumenicity "1. Ours is a day of enlarging relationships. The recent advances of the physical sciences and changed conditions in the economic, the edu- cational, and the political realms have brought about a number of ecu- menical movements. Organizations and fellowships hitherto largely lim- ited in scope are galvanizing themselves into world-wide proportions. "2. Religious bodies that have always laid claim to ecumenical char- acter are pressing those claims today with new vigor. Prominent among these are Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism. New organizations are coming into being and are aggressively striving for ecumenical expres- sion. In many quarters it is held that wholesale disaster to the Chris- tian Church can be averted only by closer integration of the Christian forces of the world. So there have come to be a number of cooperative organizations seeking the participation of Christians and church-bodies across national boundaries. Such are the World's Conference on Faith and Order, the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work, the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches, the International Missionary Council, and the World Student Christian Federation. "3. With reference to participation in these ecumenical movements and others of more local scope our people are perplexed. With reference to their relations with other Christian churches making ecumenical claims our Lutheran churches are waiting for light and leading. The Lutheran World Convention has several times discussed these and related questions and has occasionally made pronouncements on certain aspects of the problems involved. Today the ripeness of the times and the urgency of the situation seem to call for a comprehensive statement that may serve to guide the churches adhering to the Convention. The Executive Committee therefore presents the following message and recommenda- tions:- "A. The Ecumenical Character of Lutheranism "Amid the many claims upon Lutheran churches to participate in general ecumenical movements or to relate themselves to special Chris- tian groups, it may be useful to point out the ecumenical character of Lutheranism itself. Even apart from the large number and the geo- graphical distribution of its adherents, the very genius of Lutheranism is essentially ecumenical. It has always been so. "The heart of Lutheranism comes from the heart of the Bible and has its home in the heart of human personality. Based upon the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures and growing out of the elemental human ex- perience of personal faith, the Lutheran interpretation of the Gospel is not bound to incidentals, such as polity or liturgy or type of piety. With the God-man as its center and the universal priesthood of believers as its radius, it covers the whole range of the human family and can never be the exclusive possession of any particular race, nation, or tempera- ment. Because Lutherans hold that the only marks of the true Church are the ·ViTord and the Sacraments, they believe that there has been a true Christian Church through all time and that 'one holy Church will con- tinue forever' (Augsburg Confession, Art. VII). Because they lay no emphasis upon such local and temporal forms as organization, human traditions, rites and ceremonies, but teach that for 'the tr]le unity of the Church it is enough to agree concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments' (A. C., VII), they are ready to rec- ognize true Christians under whatever name or organization they may be found. The universal appeal of the Lutheran interpretation of the Gospel, the elemental quality of the Lutheran understanding of faith, and the catholic breadth of the Lutheran doctrine of the Church impart to Lutheranism an ecumenical quality that must be remembered in these days of emphasis upon externals. In the truest sense Lutheranism is itself an ecumenical movement. "B. The Need for Lutheran Solidarity "1. This fundamentally ecumenical character of Lutheranism should receive more concrete expression than has yet been done. This concrete expression is not a matter of principle, but only of expediency in view of the present religious situation in the world. The times seem to demand that the inner unity already existing among the Lutherans of the world be cultivated and mobilized in Lutheran world solidarity. "2. The purpose of this outward expression of Lutheran fellowship is not ostentation, not the display of size or so-called achievements. Nor is it a political purpose, because Lutherans expressly renounce all secular motives and repudiate all intention of invading the proper sphere of the State. It is not in obeisance to an idealistic internationalism. Nor is it to form a super-Church; for that might hamper the individual churches in their work. The purpose in seeking to develop Lutheran solidarity is to help meet the difficulties that confront our churches just now in com- mon with all Christendom, to unite our forces in support of our Lutheran brethren who even now are suffering for their faith, and to secure co- operation of Lutherans everywhere in entering the new doors and trav- ersing the new paths that God has recently opened to the progress of the evangelical spirit. The purpose is to help one another in preserving, and sharing with all nations, the treasures we possess in the Gospel of our Lord, whom we know to be the Redeemer of the world from sin. "3. This purpose is to be achieved- "(a) By prosecuting vigorously all the objectives of the Lutheran WorId Convention as expressed in the resolutions adopted by its general gatherings; "(b) By cultivating a Lutheran consciousness in individual Lu- therans and in Lutheran church-bodies; "(c) By furthering Lutheran unity within the several lands where Lutheran forces are not at present united; "(d) By forming a practical entente, or alliance, among all the Lu- theran church-bodies in the world; and "(e) By harmonious voice and united action with reference to pres- ent-day ecumenical movements and general cooperative organizations among Christians, approving what appears to Lutherans to be evangelical in those movements and organizations and repudiating what appears to us to be unevangelical. "4. In thus expressing the world solidarity of Lutheranism, it will be constantly incumbent upon the Lutheran churches of the world to bear unequivocal witness to the truth of the Gospel as they understand it. This will involve several relationships of these churches:- "(a) Their relation to their common Lutheran heritage in the Word of God; "(b) Their relation to one another as Lutheran churches; and "(c) Their relation to Christian churches claiming ecumenical char- acter in themselves and to other churches in those movements and or- ganizations that aim at the solution of present-day problems of larger scope. "C. Recommendations "The Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Convention there- fore makes the following recommendations:- "I. Concerning Evangelical Consciousness "I. That the Lutheran World Convention take all possible measures to deepen the evangelical consciousness of the Lutheran churches of the world, to intensify their devotion to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to stimulate their fidelity to His revealed Word. "2. That the Lutheran World Convention urge each of the Lutheran churches of the world to take warning from the present religious situa- tion and to multiply its efforts to cultivate the Lutheran consciousness of its members and their faithfulness to the Gospel of our Lord. "3. That the Lutheran World Convention warn the Lutheran churches of the world against the growing range of such pernicious influences as atheism, secularism, syncretism, sectarianism, and politico-ecclesiasticism. "II. Concerning Lutheran World Solidarity "1. That the Lutheran World Convention take all possible measures to cultivate among the Lutheran churches of the world a sense of com- mon interest and to fashion among them the implements necessary for Lutheran solidarity. "2. That the Lutheran World Convention urge each of the Lutheran churches of the world to cultivate in its members a sense of common interest, above all with the Lutherans of the whole world. "3. That the Lutheran World Convention with its volume of service to World Lutheranism present itself as the agent for such world-wide cooperation among Lutherans as the churches of the several lands may desire to employ in these efforts to cultivate their evangelical conscious- ness and their sense of Lutheran solidarity. "4. That the Lutheran World Convention urge the Lutheran churches of the world in their relations with other churches and general ecumen- ical movements or organizations carefully to maintain existing unities among those who hold the Lutheran interpretation of the Christian faith and not to jeopardize the solidarity of ecumenical Lutheranism. "III. Concerning Ecclesiastical Relationships "1. That, recognizing that there are true Christians in every Church of whatever name, the Lutheran churches of the world should approach the question of their relationship with general movements in the spirit of catholicity and without hostility or prejudice. While they should make no effort to gloss genuine difference, they should nevertheless proceed in the sincere and humble desire to render service and cooperate in works of Christian love. "2. That the Lutheran churches of the world should proceed with united front in their relations with ecumenical Christian movements, general cooperative organizations, or Christian churches claiming uni- versality. They should agree among themselves as to their united par- ticipation or non-participation. "3. That participation of Lutheran churches in cooperative move- ments or general organizations among the Protestant churches of the world can be effected only when the following principles are observed:- "(a) The cooperative movement or general organization guarantees to every participating Church the right to declare unequivocally what it believes concerning Christ and His Gospel and to testify definitely and frankly against error; and the cooperative movement or general organi- zation guarantees that such testimony will receive courteous and respect- ful hearing. "(b) The cooperative movement or general organization specifically declares that the participating churches are not bound by the actions of the entire group nor are responsible for the opinions of the entire group, but only such actions and opinions as the individual church-bodies them- selves may enact or adopt. "(c) The cooperative movement or general organization in all of its assemblies, conferences, and parts is constituted of official representatives of church-bodies. "(d) The cooperative movement or general organization cherishes only such purposes as lie within the proper sphere of church activity. It recognizes that the proper functions of the Church are the preaching of the Word, the administration of the Sacraments, and the performance of the works of Christian love. The true function of the Church does not include the use of the church organization as an agency for securing the enactment or enforcement of law nor the application of other methods of external force. "(e) The cooperative movement or general organization recognizes the following doctrines and principles, derived from the Holy Scrip- tures, to be fundamental to the Christian message:- "(1) The fatherhood of God, revealed in His Son Jesus Christ, and the sonship bestowed by God, through Christ, upon all who believe in Him. "(2) The true godhead of Jesus Christ and His redemption of the world by His life and death and resurrection; and His living presence in His Church. "(3) The continued activity of God the Holy Spirit among men, call- ing them into the fellowship of Jesus Christ and enlightening and sanc- tifying them through the gifts of His grace. "(4) The supreme importance of the Word of God and the Sacra- ments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper as the means through which the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ and thus creates and strengthens faith. (In common with the whole Evangelical Lutheran Church we confess the mystery of the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and we invite all Christians to a renewed study of the teachings of the Holy Scriptures concerning this Sacrament and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.) "(5) The authority of the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the only rule and standard by which all doctrines and teachers are to be judged. "( 6) The reality and universality of sin and the inability of men, because of sin, to attain righteousness or earn salvation through their own character or works. "(7) The love and the righteousness of God, who for Christ's sake bestows forgiveness and righteousness upon all who believe in Christ. "(8) The present existence upon earth of the kingdom of God, founded by His Son Jesus Christ, not as an external organization, but as a spiritual reality and an object of faith. "(9) The hope of Christ's second coming to be the Judge of the liv- ing and the dead and to complete the kingdom of God. "4. That the Lutheran W orId Convention urge the Lutheran churches of the world to maintain a united front in combating militant ecclesias- ticism wherever it seeks to invade evangelical ranks or with politico- ecclesiastical measures to oppress evangelical minorities, and that the Lutheran World Convention authorize and implement a special agency to have charge of this matter." This is a long statement, but it is undeniable that it is important, constituting an earnest attempt to lay down correct principles to guide Lutherans in their attitudes toward each other and toward other denomi- nations. Weare here stating our first reaction. The document, while commendable in many particulars, has its weaknesses and faults. For Theological Observer - Ritn,lin,.,geitgefn,in,tlin,ell 473 one thing, the authors do not differentiate sufficiently between a nominal and a real Lutheranism. By implication something is said on this point, but there should have been incorporated a more vigorous and direct reference to it. With respect to contact with other Christian bodies, the authors insist, as a condition of cooperation, on acceptance of certain doctrines and principles which indeed are important, but which, on the one hand, are too comprehensive for determining whether or not a given church-body should be regarded as Christian and which, on the other hand, are not comprehensive enough for the establishment of church- fellowship. It seems to us there is a chasm here which the authors have failed to bridge. They recognize that "there are true Christians in every Church of whatever name," and still they limit the circle of those church- bodies with which they are willing to cooperate to those that accept the nine doctrines and principles given under m, 3, e. We ask, By what are they guided in deciding with whom to cooperate? Must the respective church-body merely be one that can be called a Christian Church, or must it be Christian and orthodox, or must it be Christian and in the greater part of its doctrines orthodox? One gets the impression that the authors have unwittingly slipped from a discussion of the question of outward cooperation into that of church-fellowship. Furthermore, a per- son naturally asks, What is meant by the expression (111,1) "to render service and cooperate in works of Christian love"? Have the authors in mind outward cooperation (as we just surmised), for instance, Lutheran representation on a governmental commission for Army and Navy chap- laincies and participation in a campaign for famine relief in China, or do they think of joint religious endeavors, such as the evangelization of China or Afghanistan would be? If cooperation in externals is thought of, why the insistence on the above-mentioned nine points of doctrines and principles? Let us hope that, as a discussion of this statement of the Executive Committee will be carried on, these and other matters will receive clarification and, where necessary, correction. A. Free Conference on Theological Trends. - Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, the Western School of Prophets of the Amer- ican Lutheran Church, is planning the establishment of an intersynodical Luther Academy for the second half of July, 1937. This is envisaged as a sort of free educational conference on a higher level, open to any one who cares to participate. Its object is to bring leading men of our Church into closer contact with one another and also to enable our pastors to become more conversant with the theological, social, and generally current questions of the day. That both are necessary if our Lutheran Church is to recognize and discharge the function which it has for our land and people hardly needs further comment. The conference is to meet for ten days (July 19-29), and on the basis of well-prepared lectures by leading men in their lines is to discuss important questions in the field of theology and the practical work of the Church in this day and age. The full name given to the enter- prise is Luther Academy for Religion and Life, a name suggested by the Lutherakademie of Sondershausen, Germany, a similar undertaking, which has produced most valuable results for mutual recognition and 31 understanding of Lutherans over there. If it meets with the necessary support, it will be continued from year to year. The cost will be nominal, just enough to cover expenses. A letter or postal card to Dr. Emil Rausch, President, Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, will bring more detailed information. The above report is taken over from the National Lutheran Council Bulletin. We have received the personal assurance that this Luther Academy will be conducted strictly as a free conference and that par- ticipation in it will not involve unionism. The lecturers are Drs. Hult, Reu, Mellby, Gullixson, Schaefer, all of whom are Lutherans, and one man from the University of Chicago, Dr. John T. McNeill. A. Brief Items. - The year 1936 marked the jubilee of the Bethel Mission. It was founded in Berlin fifty years ago in connection with the acquisition of German colonies in Africa. In its fields the Bethel Mission has eighteen chief stations and 169 outstations, 10 native pastors, 339 men and 59 women helpers, and 17,945 Christians. In the 174 village schools and two intermediate schools for boys and two for girls there are 8,501 pupils. In the Bukoba field the mission is experiencing a remarkable revival among the heathen. New groups constantly offer themselves for Baptism, and the capacities of the few missionaries are strained to the utmost. (The PTesbyterian.) - The Archbishop of Canter- bury, so a correspondent of the Living Church writes from London, is being bitterly attacked by several British newspapers on account of what he said when King Edward abdicated and on account of his "recall to religion." Weare told, however, that the public, generally speaking, is inclined to support the archbishop and that his "recall to religion" is bearing good fruit. - In the question-box column of the Christian Cen- tury, where in a recent issue the matter of Christian union and the Episcopalian insistence on acceptance of the historic episcopate as a con- dition of union were discussed, the editor says: "Little progress will be made toward the conversion of the free churches to the acceptance of the historic episcopate, particularly when the validity of Anglican orders is denied by the Roman Church." What a dark day it would be for Christianity if the church-bodies professing it all agreed to accept this condition of the Protestant Episcopal Church and of Rome as one laid down by Christ, the Head of the Church! - One of our exchanges reports: For half a century the North Africa Mission has maintained a healing and preaching center in Tripoli, the only evangelical witness in the whole of Libya. Complying with government requirement, the purpose of the mission was described as "explaining the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ in obedience to His commands and also endeavoring to show the love of God in our medical consultations." A government ordinance authorized the mission on three conditions: (a) No religious propaganda; (b) nurses to have Italian diplomas; (c) promises to conform to hygiene inspector's regulations. The mis- sionary doctor was unaware of this ordinance until it was read to him at the police station on October 13, last, and then, charged with not ob- serving its terms, a second ordinance, dated October 1, was handed to him, and this ordered the closing of the mission. - The magazine This Week is quoted as stating that America's current annual crime bill is fifteen billion dollars. Stated simply, that amounts to $120 a year or $10 a month for every man, woman, and child in the United States. Every year our prison population increases by 25,000 inmates. Felonies now number 5,000 a day, or more than 1,500,000 annually. The Federal Government records 5,000,000 persons in its criminal files and estimates that 500,000 professional criminals are at large. According to one authority, 135,000 murderers are at large, or more than all the police- men in the land. (The Presbyterian.) - A person can hardly trust his eyes when he sees in recent reports from New York City that the Protestant membership in that metropolis is merely 454,045, which means less than 7 per cent. of the population, and that the Sunday-school enrolment is merely 194,428, which makes it a little more than 2 per cent. What a mission-field! - In the American Lutheran Church the golden jubilee of the New Guinea Mission at Madang was observed last March. The Rhenish Society founded this mission, and during the World War its management and maintenance were assumed by the Australian Lutheran Church and the Iowa Synod. In 1932 the field was taken over definitely by the American Lutheran Church. The mission numbers 9 stations and 16,000 members. - The shah of Iran has given his strong support to the unveiling of women. The queen and court appear in public unveiled; all the more educated women have followed their example. Cinemas, shops, and public places are barred to veiled women. (The Presbyterian.) - We learn from the religious press that in Indiana a Baptist minister, Rev. Verdi Allen, pastor of the Beech Grove Baptist Church of Indianapolis, is valiantly testifying against the false teachings of evolution and the attempt to teach this theory to pupils in the public schools of the State. It is reported that he found evidence that pupils in the eighth grade of some school in Indianapolis were . taught Darwinism. He discovered furthermore that the infamous book of Van Loon in which the animal ancestry of man is taught as a fact had been put on the State's list of reference books. First there was some talk of a debate, before a scientific jury, between Van Loon and Pastor Allen; but the former has now, as reported, definitely refused to engage in such a debate. - Who are the Uniats? One sees the term occasionally, and hence we herewith submit a definition which appeared in the Living Church: "The Uniats are Christians of various Eastern rites who have at one time or another split off from the Eastern orthodox communion and accepted the papal obedience, retaining many of their own rites and ceremonies," Dwelling on the Roumanian Uniats, this paper, quoting Ame1'ica (Catholic), informs us that these people are permitted to celebrate mass in their own language. Rome has here adapted itself to the exigencies of a particular situation. - In Roumania a strange anti-Semitic fanaticism is said to be manifesting itself. The leader of the movement is Cornelius Z. Codreanu. Opposing Communism as well as the Jews and their influence, this man and his followers are described as being brutally intolerant, not stopping at torture and murder in carrying out the dictates of their misguided, unbridled religious ardor. If the report before us is correct, then this movement wants to ''purge public life, exterminate corruption and cor- 476 Theological Observer - Ritd)lid)~.8eitgefd)id)tIid)e!l rupters, and reorganize social life on a new basis. - Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, a Protestant Episcopal school located at Evans- ton, Ill., "now requires students to obtain their bachelor's degree in arts or science before beginning the study of theology. Students without a bachelor's degree from an approved college are accepted as special students only and cannot become candidates for the bachelor-of-divinty degree."-The total Moslem population of India, 77,500,000, exceeds the combined Moslem populations of Arabia, Persia, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. Indian Moslems have sent missionaries to Europe, Africa, and America and support mosques in Berlin, London, Australia, Brazil, and Trinidad. (The Presbyterian.) A. II. l.u.siaub (H nt, ~ringt, diriftfidie Slirdit. ZSn einer "Hturgifdjen @Ioffe" unter bem 5tite! Una Sancta? oe~anbelt D. lJr. mraun~miindjen bie 5ttrlfadje, baB in ben lffiorten be~ britten WrtifeT~ "eine, ~eiIige, djriftIidje ~rdje" ba~ e i n e ar~ Bal)IllJort unb nidjt aI~ unoeftimmter WrtifeI gemeint ift. mei~ riiufig Mrft aoer feine ~wfuffion audj .2idjt auf ba~ lffiort "djriftHdje", ~ ba~ lateinifdje lffiort catholicam luiebergiOt. ~odjfirdjlidje Slreife in pro~ teftantifdjen ®emeinfdjaften ~aoen ie unb ie flir "djriftridje" audj im ~eut~ fdjen ober en, auniid}ft wrd) bie fteie m5a~r cinet @enetar~ ftJnobe. ,SDie ~td)e foII in boUet g;tei~eit nadj eigenet l8eftimmung bei:.l ~td}enboIfi:.l fid} feroft bie neue metfaffung unb bamit eine neue ()tbnung geben.' ,SDie ~td)e in boUet g;teiljeit', bamit ift beutridj gefag±, bOB l:>et 6iaat lid) jebet ®inmifd)ung in ben meuaufbau ber ~tdje entljarten will, en±fptedjenb bem m5efen bei:.l nellen @5iaatei:.l, bet, roie bet ,mi.iffifd}e l8e~ obad}tet' aui:.lfii~rl, ein ,ffieid) bon biefer m5eIt' fein roill unl> ,Me @Iaubeni:.l~ fteiljeit jebei:.l einaeInen unangetaftet faBt.' SDie @enetalf~nobe foU einen 3uftanb ljetbeifiiljren, ,ber bie ~rage bei:.l l8efenniniffei:.l bon jeber aUd} nut fd}cinbaten merquicfun(l mit bem @Staate roft unl> gnnil offenfid)iHd} au l>em mad}t, luai:.l fie flit bie mationalfoi\iaIif±en immet luar, ilu cinet priba±en WngelegenljeH'. 60 bet beadjtridje Si'ommen±ar au bem ~analeterIal3 im ,miiIfifdjen l8eobadj±er'. ,SDie llitdje qat bai:.l m5orl', fo fdjlieBt bet Sfom~ men±ar. "m5ie luitb fie bai:.l 11Borl neljmen? 6ie fielj± bot ®n±fdjeibungen, roie fie nie (lef±anben ljat feU ben :itagen bet lJtefotmation. ®i:.l ift nidjt meljt bie 3cit au fCeinIidjen Sfiimpfen; e~ ift cine 6±unbe bet Sfitdje bon emi~ nen±em WlaB angebtod}en, uub bet miiBte taub fein, bet nidj± aui:.l bem g;teiljcigerIaB bei:.l ~nnaleti:.l bie 6timme @o±±e~ ljetaui:.lljiirle: 6±unbe bet Sfitdje I 2a13t fie bie 6±Unl:>e ungeniit!±, roelje iljr I Wli13braudjt fie bie 6±unbe, nodjma1i:.l luelje iljtl 3unad}ft rottb fie bie ,motberei±ung' bet 11BaljI aut &eneraff~nobe abauroarten ljaben, bie bem ffieidji:.lfitdjenminiftet bon bem ~ii~tet iiberlragen luutbe. ~et bie S)aup±fadje ift bie 11Ba~r fellif±. 6d}on bot i~rem l8eginn mut ficlj hie ~td)e fIat fein, roai:.l fie roill, um lua~ e~ fid) fiit fie ljanbert. ,,®i:.l ift fein lmer \.)Slat, auf bem bie ~td)e f±e~±' 3unadjft ftelj± fie auf bem WtiUel 1 be~ ffieidji:.lfirdjengefetei:.l, wonadj bie @runbIage bet eban~ gelifdjen Sfitdje bai:.l @bangelium bon;s®fui:.l ~ljrif±Ui:.l ift unb Me l8efenntniffe bet lRefotmation. SDicfe &runbIage i1± unaufgebbat. &ibt bie ~tdje ba£l @bnngerium aUf, !jat fie ltufgeqort, S1:irdje au fein. SDiefe &runbIage mut bai:.l ~unhamen± audj fur Die m5a!jf luerben. 11Bet bie &tunbIage berIa13±. ljat bamit bie Slirdje bcrfaffen unh !jat fein lRedj±, fid) bei i~ten 11Baljfen au bdiitigen. ~amit id)eiben bon fefbft Die aui:.l, bie aui:.l bet ~itdje aui:.lgette±en finb' ebenfo bie Wnljiinget bet SDeutfdjen @Iaubeni:.lbelDegung, b-ie fidj nototifd) bon bem &fauben bet Sfitclj'e foi:.lfagten; nidjt minbet aIle, bie ben Sfampf gegen 2!pofteI unb \)3topIjeten, gegen ben @Iauoen unb lJie ~efenntniffe bet Sl'irdjc auf iqre lSaqne gefdjrieoen Ijaben. jffiir gonnen iqnen bie ~rridjtung dner eigenen ,Sfirdje', obet roie fie e~ nennen roollen; fie follen gerug!g in einem molfe rooqnen, in bem jeber ,nadj feinet lSaffon' felig roerben fann. ilCur bei ber @encrarf~nobe dner SNrdje, bie aUf jener genannten @runbrage fteqt, lja6en fie nidjt miteinaufommen. mai3 ift bai3 eine. :Bum anbe:cn finb tm meidji3firdjengefeJ,? bie llirdjen bet einaelnen @ebiete anerfann±, beren ~efenntnii3 nidjt angetaf±et roetben foll. mamH finb bie Illtqerifdjen ,~irdjen anerfannL ebenfo bie !Reformierlen unb Unierten. miefc SHrdjen finb nodj ba; unb roai3 bie Iutljeriidjen Sfirdjen anoetrifft, fo qaben fidj biefe aum gro\)ten steH im ,!Rat bet Eu±ljerifdjen SHrdje meu±fdjlanb~' aufammenge~ fdjloffen. miefer :Bufammenfdjluj3 barf nnb foll nidj± lutcbet roeggelUifdjt roerben; er oirbet dnen roerlbollen iSaftor bei ben jffialjIen aur @eneraI" flJnobe. menn roenn cine Sfirdje aUf bem ~bangenum unb ben ~efenntniITen ber !Reformation f±elji, finb e~ in erf±er Einie lJie Intqerifdjen Sfirdjen. lSUr ben ,Butqerifdjen !Rat' gilt unaroeifelqaf± bie IDealjnung: ,~arte, roai3 bu ljaftl' ,,~r6et nidjt nur biefe~ iiu\)ere SHrl;ljengebHbe unb nidjt nur ber 2!difeI 1 !Je~ meidj~firdjengefeJ,?e~ fteljen aUf bem ~irdjenplaJ.? ;;'5naroifdjen ljaben fidj ftarfe ~eroegungen ber SHrdje bemiidjtigt, ~elnegungen um 6djrift ltnb ~e~ fenn±niB, audj biefe finb ba. 60 bier IDeenfdjHdjei3 babd unterIaufen ift. eB ift burdj fie bieI gefdjeI)en, um bie @emdnben bet @otieB jffiorl au ljarten, ben @Iauben au ftiiden, titierIidj fUr bie 6adje @otieB einautreten. 6ie ljaoen ,opfer gebradj±, gro13e ,opfer, unb geljoren fdjon beBljalo in eine @ene~ raIf~Jnobe ljinein. jffiie im einae1nen bie jffialjlen au geftalten finb, \lJeIdje ,orbnung fidj bie @eneralf~nobe geben roiU, UberIaffen lUir ben betufenen iSiiljrern. 2!ltf fie roirb man Ijoren mUffen; \)3farrer unb ~irdjenboIf roerben iidj ftrengfte mifaipIin gelooen, bamit aUftanbe lomm±, roaB auf±anbe fom~ men foU. "ilCut cinB fagen roir nodj, 11nb baB ift baB jffiidjtigf±e. ;;'5ljr neben ~rUber ljin unb ljer, roir befdjrooren eudj bor @oti, ba13 ifjr baB striegBlieiI auB ben ~anben leg±. ~B girt ljeute nidjt meljr eine ,@ruj?pe', fonbern bie Stirdje. mie ,6t11nbe ber Shrdje', Die unB @ott gegelien qat, mUf3 eine 6tunbe be~ ~egrabniffeB roerben, beB ~egtabniifeB bon 6tteit 11nb :BanI, bon @eridjt unb merbammniB innerIjalb ber glaubigen ®emeinbe; eine 6tunbe beB ~iinbe~ tcidjens; ber @etrennten, ber in 6pannung .I:lelienben, be~ lSriebemadj€11B bot bem 2!ngefidjt ;;'5~fu [qrifti. Sfeiner fann eB berantroorten, roenn roit roie~ ber getrenn± bie 6adje ber llirdje fUljren, bielleidj± gar in bie jffialjlcn ben aIten !Streit ljineiniragen. @B geIjt um cine Stirdje, bie stirdje [ljrifti, 11nb um ein ~efenntni~, baB ber !Reformation. lffiir finb ja bodj bon ,e i n e m 6tamm' unb follen baljer audj ,fUr e i n en IDeann' fteqen. lffierben roir 11ntereinanber iSrieben madjen, bann roirb ber @oti be~ iSriebcn~ mit 11n~ fein; toenn nidjt, roirb er unB berIaffen, ltnb fein @eridjt ift 11MufljaUfam. mer ~rnf± bet :Beit ift gro13; oider ~eraen finb mit 60rgen erfUlIt; niemanb roei\), roie eB enben foll. ~~ ift grof3e @nabe, baf3 @oti un~ ben jffieg aeigt, ben lnlr geljen fallen, ben jffieg feine~ ~bangeIiumB, ben jffieg beB ~efennt~ niffeB, ben jffieg beil iSrieben~ untereinanber. ,stu bu bail meine, fa ±ut @oti baB 6eine.' @eljen roir feinen jffieg, roirb et audj butdj gro\)e jffiaffer ~aljn madjen; nnb bie ~irdje ber iSreiljeit roitb eine ~irdje feiner ~ljre werben, ern 6egen fUr unier moll, ein ~orl fUr bie 8ufunft. H :;So st. IDe.