OCTOBER 1965
Vol. XLVIII, No. 10
Editor JOHN H . TIETJEN
Consulting Editor ADOLF F. MEYER
Managing Edifor JOHN 5. DAMM
Business Manager THEODORE WITTROCK
Editorial Associafes
RICHARD E. KOENIG
F. DEAN LUEKING
ARTHUR CARL PIEPKORN
NORMAN L. TEMME
IY THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN PUBLICITY BUREAU
Member. Associated Church Press
CONTRIBUTORS
Richard Baepler
John H. Oaumgaertner
Carl W. Berner
Robert W. Bertram
George J. Beto
Walter R. Bouman
Lambert F. Brose
Wi l l iam A. Buege
Thomas Coates
Donald L. Deffner
Ernest R. Drewr
E. Julius Friedrich
Ernest J. Gallmeyer
Herman W. Gockel
Ronald G. Goerss
Alan Graebner
Wi l l iam H. Hi l lmer
Oswald C. J. Hoffmann
Dorothy Ressmeyer Hoyer
Curtis E. Huber
Alfred P. Klausler
Thoedore J. Kleinhans
Wi l l iam H. Kohn
Detlef A. Kraft
Justus P. Kretzmann
Martin L. Kretzmann
Norman D. Kretzmann
Herbert F. Lindemann
Richard H. Luecke
Paul L. Maier
Martin E. Marty
Edward C. Mav
Robert K. Menzel
Paul Meyer
Theodore C. Moeller
Raloh L. Moellerinq
J. F. E. Nickelsburq
Jaroslav J. Pelikan, Jr.
Erwin E. Prange
Henry F. Ressrneyer
Rudolph P. F. Ressmeyer
Ralph E. Richrnan
Mi l ton L. Rudnick
Clemonce Sabourin
Wayne E. Saffen
Robert P. Scharlemann
Ross P. Scherer
Howard J. Schoenfeldt
David S. Schuller
Fred Schurmann
Robert H. Smith
Richard E. Sommerfeld
John H. Strietelmeier
Wa ldo J. Werninq
Arnold A. Wessler
Andrew M. Weyermann
Henry F. Wind
CORRESPONDENTS
Robert F. Gusrick. Mexico Ci ty Mexico
B. H. Jackayya, Naqercoil, ~ o d h India
Norman E. Nagel. Cambridge, England
Elton J. Rengstorf. Manila. Philippines
Manfred Roensch. Heidelberg. Germany
Dwight E. Wenger. Wapenamanda, New Guinea
ly at Mount Morris I l l . by the American Lutheran Pub-
ditorial and ~xecu i i ve 'offices at 21 12 Broadway, New
I. Subscriptions $3.00 per year. Single copies 30 cents.
stage paid at Mount Morris. Ill.
,I,,I,/ O / I ~ I , ~ ( . ' / I L I ~ I . ~ I I ~ / ; / ; I ~ I I I I . " O I I ~ , I , [ III.,, 1/11 t .
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elu Y o r b .
I
I AMERICAN
\ V F l Y STILL BE LUTI-IERAN?
Arr thc.1-c. good reasons for still being a Lutheran? More
-
than thlec cmturies have gone by since the sixteenth cen-
tury Reformation was accomplished by Martin Luther.
Today the Lutheran Church comprises the third largest
family of Chris~ians in the world. numbering more than
70 million. Are Lutherans still justified in maintaining their -
O \ \ ~ I I c11ulc.h apart Irom other Christians?
Why raisr the question? Because the religious situation
today is not identical to the one which made a separate
Lutheran Church a necessity i n the sixteenth century.
'ritlies: Have Changed
' I ' , t ~ l ; t ! . ~ ~ I { U , I ~ I ; I I I ~ a 1 1 1 c j I i ( , CIIIIIY~II is 1101 the same ins ti(^^.
1io11 that rcsi~t(*d Luther's reforming work. Rome itself is i n
A M E R I C A N L U T H E R A N O c t o b e r , l ! ) ( i 5
I
I
T h e C h u r c h of t h e R e f o r m a t i o n 1
I n t h i s A g e of D i a l o g
A r t 1 1 1 1 r C a r l . P i e p l < o r n
I
f i n 1 9 5 0 a p r o p h e t w o u l d h a v e d a r e d t o f o r e c a s t t h a t
w i t h i n f i f t e e n y e a r s " A M i g h t y F o r ~ r e s s I s O u r G o d "
w o u l d b e s u n g a s t h e p r o c e s s i o n a l h y m n b e f o r e t h e f i r s t
m a s s o f t h e L a t i n r i t e t h a t a R o m a n C a t h o l i c c a r d i n a l ~ v o u l d
s a y i n E n g l i s h , w e s h o u l d h a v e h o o t e d h i m d o w n . B u t t h a t
h a s h a p p e n e d i n S t . L o u i s o n A u g u s t 2 5 , 1 9 6 4 , l e s s t h a n
1 5 y e a r s l a t e r . O t h e r e v e n t s t h a t w o u l d h a v e s e e m e d m o s t
u n l i k e l y f o r e c a s t s i n 1 9 5 0 h a v e h a p p e n e d . A P e n t e c o s t a l
b o d y h a s j o i n e d t h e W o r l d C o u n c i l o f C h u r c h e s . A m a j o r
p e r s o n a g e o f T h e L u t h e r a n C h u r c h - M i s s o u r i S y n o d h a s
b e e n i n v i t e d t o a t t e n d t h e S e c o n d V a t i c a n C o u n c i l a s t h e
g u e s t o f t h e S e c r e t a r i a t f o r t h e P r o m o t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n
U n i t y a n d h e h a s a c c e p t e d . E a s t e r n O r t h o d o x h o d i e s o n
h o t h s i d e s o f t h e I r o n C u r t a i n h a v e j o i n e d t h e W o r l d C o u n -
c i l o f C h u r c h e s i n s u c h n u m b e r s a s t o h a v e d i s p l a c e d t h e
L u t h e r a n w o r l d c o m m u n i t y a s t h e m o s t n u m e r o u s r e l i g i o u s
f a m i l y a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t h e C o u n c i l . A d i s t i n g u i s h e d R o m a n
C a t h o l i c b i s h o p b y i n v i t a t i o n a d d r e s s e d t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l
a s s e m b l y o f t h e l a r g e s t L u t h e r a n c h u r c h b o d y o n t h i s c o n -
t i n e n t . A p a n e l o f t h e o l o g i a n s c o m p r i s i n g L u t h e r a n s o f a l l
t h e m a j o r b o d i e s o f t h e c o u n t r y a n d P r e s b y t e r i a n a n d
R e f o r m e d c h u r c h m e n o f a l l t h e m a j o r d i v i s i o n s o f t h a t d e -
n o m i n a t i o n a l f a m i l y a r e s o b e r l y i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e i r r e s p e c -
t i v e c h u r c h e s ' s t a n d s o n t h e d o c t r i n e o f C h r i s t a n d t h e
d o c t r i n e o f t h e s a c r a m e n t o f t h e a l t a r . T h e i r p u r p o s e i s t o
d e t e r m i n e i f t h e c h a s m o f a l m o s t 4 5 0 y e a r s ' s t a n d i n g h a s
T h e a u t h o r , G r a d u a t e P r o f e s s o r o f S y s t e m a t i c T h e -
o l o g y a t C o n c o r d i a S e m i n a r y , S t . L o u i s , M o . , d e l i v -
e r e d t h i s a d d r e s s a t B r o n x v i l l e , N . Y . , i n S e p t e m b e r ,
1 9 6 4 .
a t l e a s t b e e n n a r r o w e d . I t i s n o e x a g g e r a t i o n t o c a l l t h i s a ; ( '
o f d i a l o g a n d p o l y l o g a n e c u m e n i c a l s p r i n g t i m e , a n c 1 . a o l
a n e x c i t i n g l y d i f f e r e n t c l i m a t e u n l i k e t h a t w h i c h w e h a ~ c
w i t n e s s e d i n o u r g e n e r a t i o n .
T h e r e h a v e b e e n e c u m e n i c a l s p r i n g t i m e s i n t h e p a s t , and
t h e r e h a v e b e e n e f f o r t s a t b r i d g i n g a n c i e n t c h a s m s i n o t h r r
c e n t u r i e s , b u t t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n h a s a p a r t i c u l a r s i g n i f .
c a n c e f o r U S b e c a u s e i t i s l a k i n g p l a c e i n o u r l i f e l i m c a1111
i s c o n f r o n t i n g u s w i t h t h e n e c e s s i t y o f r e f l e c t i n g o n t h c p a ~ t
t h a t w e c a n p l a y a n d t h e s t a n c e t h a t w e a r e b e i n g b c i n ;
c h a l l e n g e d t o t a k e .
I s h o u l d l i k e t o s u g g e s t L O y o u T E N T H I N G S T H A T T H E
C H U R C H O F T H E L U T H E R A N R E F O K M A T I O S W E D $
T O D O I N T H I S A G E O F D I A L O G .
T h e S p i r i t o f U n i h
F
i r s t , l e t u s n o t j a i l t o g i v e t h a n k s t o G o d f o r t h i s r n n r r i
f e s t a t i o u o f t h e p o w e r a n d w o r k o f t h e H o l y S l ) i r i / 1 1 1
P a g e 6
o u r t i m e . H o w e v e r m a n y o t h e r a n d n o n - s p i r i t u a l [ a c t o l ~ 1
m a y h a v e b e e n a t w o r k a n d m a y b e a t w o r k , t h e i r n p o r ~ a o i
t h i n g i s t h a t t h e H o l y S p i r i t i s p e r f o r m i n g H i s s a v i n p tt1.i. ,
i n b r i n g i n g a b o u t t h i s d a y . T h i s i s n o t t o d e n y t h a t t h r r e a1.r
p o l i t i c a l m o t i v e s a n d p e r s o n a l m o t i v e s , m o t i v e s o f l r a r al!d
o f a m b i t i o n , o f e n v y a n d j e a l o u s y a n d e v e n of d i s b e l i e f t l r a l
e n t e r i n t o t h e d e c i s i o n s o f m e n a n d t h e c o u n s e l s o f c h u r c h p : .
A l o o k a t o u r o w n h e a r t s a n d a t o u r o w n m o t i ~ e s ~ v o ~ ~ l t l
m a k e u s s u s p e c t t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e s e m o t i v e s i n o u r I e l l o : , .
C h r i s t i a n s . B u t t h e C h r i s t i n w h o m w e a r e a l l o n ( : n i a t l e i i
H i s p r a y e r o n t h e n i g h t w h e n H e w a s b e t r a y e d I I I ~ I 1 1 1 ' .
u n i t y m i g h t b e m a n i f e s t e d f o r t h e w o r l d t o s e e , T h u s \ \ . l i e n
I
1
Vol. XLVIII, No. 10 AMERICAN I'UTHERAN
ae see this movement for the external rsprcssiorl of thc precsio,, !hat Martin Luther founded our church or that his
nil>- that we have in Him through our one rai~h. oltr one novel insights a rc normative for our Lait11 and lor our
I l a j ~ ~ i m , a ~ ~ i l our on(: hol~e, ~ l e sho~~lc l st:c it, i l 1I10 clivillc: R ~ I L let (IS also rcaliae illat the j)ressurt, of lonl.
rPs1)onse to the prayers and the lonair~gs autl i I ~ t * sufft.rir~; c,cbnturit.s o[ cvc:nts and oC inviricible public opinion has
l d members of His Body on earth. No mai.trr how Iimitrc! often forved us against our will and often without our own
'he expression, no matter how imperfect the structures that realization into the very position that we profess to reject.
:,re (kvised, no matter how small the immedialc rrsult niay At too many points we have come to think of ourselves as
lip, this is something that we must learn to thank (;ocl lor, really fashioned and determined by a variety of things that
lrlrl in thanking Him to learn to prize the more highly and are actually the incidental byproducts of four centuries of
In sllpport the more enthusiastically and positively. history. Wc define what is Lutheran-for ourselves and for
other.--in terms of a style of hymn, i n terms of a kind of
architecture, in terms of a dogmatic tradition that often Cause of &?paration
refler:ts the conflicts of bygone generations rather than the
issues that we encounter today. W e define "Lutheran" i n
rcond, let u.s see precisely where the tragedy ol our S terms of a narrow view of church history that sees nothing separation lies. There a re scores of had reasons for
of impor.ance as hav ing happened between the conversion
ulcouraging the responsible encounter of Christians across of St. Augustine and the posting-whether that be a matter
detlominational lines and for trying to unite or to reunite
of mailing or of nailing-of the 95 Theses, and that sees a
the divided communities that are the visihle segmcnis of
curtain of unimportance once more mantling the centuries
!he one holy catholic and apostolic church. The tragedy of f rom the death of the treat ~~i~~~~~ to the planting of
our separation is not to be measured i n terms of these
our particular tradition of Lutheranism on these shores. W e
:easons. Our separation is bad not merely because it may think of Lutheranism i n terms of customs imported from
\\-asteful of men and money at a time when the escalating
other countries and other of both
rhnllenge that confronts the church makes the waste of church and society, We think of it in terms oi an individ.
r~itller men or money indefensible. Our separation is bad llalistic kind of personal piety, in terms of a kind of
-rot only because it may stand in the ~ 7 a y of a more effel.tivc llnemotional acceptance of indoctrination, and in terms of
ritnrss to the world outside the church that can a t best
a spc,cialized denominational jargon that Other christians
- b l l l ~ be mystified b y and that a t worst takes maliciolls de- eith(.l. Inisunderstand or do not understand at all, What \ye
Iigllt in the spectacle of internecine warfare among the pro- need to is that these are only the transient masks of
iwscd followers of our Lord. Our separation is bad not only Luthclranism. The authentic j-lltherallism o j the ~ ~ f ~ ~ ~ ~ -
Ixcause it presents the constant temptation to perpetuate tion sees itself as being at heart that body of teaching whirh
divisions because of some vested interest in the status quo, finds its cxpression in the three ecumenical creeds as pos-
"(' matter h~~ laudably we manage t' disguise it. Our sessed of supreme authority under-the Sacred Scriptures, in
separation is had not only because it tends to ~O(:US attrn- the Augsl,llrg confession as a correct exposition of ~ i b l i ~ ~ l
tion on peripheral issues rather than on the central i s u e of doctrirle, and in the remaining Lutheran particular creeds
of sins by God's grace f o r Christ's sake through as guides to and commentaries on the correct
Faith and on the central task of being the Body o i Christ in of this faith. T~ take our proper role in this age of
1il0 world. Our separatjon is bad because it prevents the dialog we all need tb recover a just sense of what in our
6ody of ~ h r i s t from functioning as it should. I t is bad experience is indispellsably and essentially Lutheran and
i1ec:ause it inhibits Christians from engaging in their fra- what is transient and incidental and therefore neither to be
lcrnal ministry of encouragement and consolation and defended to the death nor imposed upon others.
atlmonition across denominational lines. I t is bad because
it prevents the fullest possible sharing across denomina-
tional lines of those spiritual gifts of understanding and Abandon Prejudice
teaching ancl loving and ministering that God has givcn to
each cell in the Body of Christ for the profit and benefit of
tbc whole Body. Let us see i n this the real tragrdy of our F ourth, let us learn i n this connection to abandon preju- separation and use the opportunitirs lhat a re now opening dices against perfectly acceptable practices and cere-
lo us to iulfrll our minirtry to one another to our monies UIIILCIL are n Legitimate part of our own tradition as
individual vocations and oppo,rtnnities. heirs of the Reformation and which in certain circum-
stances may actually promote ecumenical understanding,
but which we have banished because we regarded them as
Why BC Lutheran? eithcr Roman Catholic or Reformed. I have in mind such
fcaiures of our tradition as the use of the sign of the holy
hird, let us learn what it really means to 1~ Lrc.thercln. cross LO bless ourselves i n our private and corporate wor-
Every thoughtiul person among us must olirn enough ship and to invoke the protection and the saving help of
have expressed regret that an accident of history has sad- thc Crucified Redremer. I have in mind such an institution
tllcd us with a misleading name-a name that gives the im- at; private confession for the individual reassurance of the
A M E R I C L 4 N L U T H E R A N O c t o b e ~
i
I
p e n i t e n t w h o i n t h e w o r d o f a b s o l u t i o n
w h i c h t h e s e S c r i l , l u r e s a r c r i g h t i y t o
t ' h a t w e a l a s n o w k n o w i s n o t d e a d , a n d
h e a r s t h e \ w r y v o i c e o f t h e G o s p e l I ) e n n d e r s t n o d .
i t i , n o t i m p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e r o 1 1 r . c . 0 1
s l x a k i n g t o h i m h o r n h e ~ r i h u n a l oC
c : c : r l m e l i i c . a l e n c o ~ r n L e r w i l l 1 ) e i ~ \ \ a \ l v .
G o d . I t h i n k o f t h e r e c o g n i l i o n t h a t
S
i n g l i n e o n t h e g r a p h o f h i s t o r ! ; a s i t
s a c r i f i c e i s a p u r p o s e o f o u r c e l e b r a t i o n
i x t h y i n l h i s
l e t u s
a l t e r n a t e s b e t w e e n s u c c e s s e s a n d
I
o f t h e S a c r a m e n t o f t h e A l t a r a s e l l a s n o t b e u n ~ r ( ' t e f u ' f o r O ' L r O w n l a i l u r e s . ~ i s u l l d e r s t a l l d i n g s a 1 . e 1 " "
s a c r a m e n t . I t h i n k o f s u c h t h i n g s a s
c h u r c l r ' s p a . s t . I t i s n o t d i i f i c u l t t o f i n d d e e p l y i n g r a i n e d . p r e j u d i c e s
] , i a S i s
t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e H o l y C o l n m u n i o n
w i t h O u r O H n c h u r c h , t o r e p r d a r e t o o d e e p l y e n g r a v e d . S r i h i o n s r i o l ~ s
i n o u r c h u r c h e s a t l e a s t o n c e a w e e k , s o m e 0 1 h e r . i r a y s a s o u t m o d e d , s o m e a l l , j u n c o n s c i o u s h a t r e d s a r e t o o I , o l e l l l ,
a n d o f e p i s c o p a c y a s t h e p r e l e r r e d t y p e o l h e r s t a n d a r d s a s o u t - o f - d a t e , a n d o u r p a t i e n c e \ . v i l l b e t r i e d , o r l r h o y c
o f c h u r c h g o v e r n m e n t . A l l o f t h e s e h a v e
' O m e h e r a s a n d w i l l b e d i s a p p o i n t e d , o u r r c : s o l u t i o n
I
t h e e x p l i c i t i n d o r s e m e n t o f o u r L u -
r e s t r i c t i v e . B u t iT \ v e b e l i e v e t h a t G o d ' s l , , i l l f l a g , o u r h u m a n f l e s h M i l l I . e h e l ,
t h e r a n s y m b o l i c a l b o o k s . I n t h e f i e l d 0 1
' p i r i t i s a c t i v e w h e r e v e r t h e
o u r o w n s i n f u l n e s s a n d t h a t o [ ~ I I I .
p r a c t i c e I t h i n k o f S O u n i v e r s a l a n d
i s p r e a c h ' ( ' a n d t h e S a c r a m e l l t s
f e l ] o w - C h r i s t i a n s . r \ r i l l r i s e t o t h j V a r t 1 1 s .
a n c i e n t a p r a c t i c e a s h a v i n g t h e c e l e -
a r e a d m i n i s t e r e d , \ \ c m u s t b e l i e v e t h a t ~ ~ ~ i ~ a l l d a g a i n w e S h a l l
t c m l , , c , i t l ,
b r a n t o f t h e H o l y E u c h a r i s t s t a n d b e - H e h a s b e e n a n d i s a c t i v e i n o u r m i d s t c e a s e o u r
a n d t o
I , l l r .
I
h i n d t h e a l t a r f a c i n g t h e c o n g r e g a t i o n .
I f w e
t h a t G o d a c t s i n p o s e . W h e n t h e t e m p t a t i o n c o n i e s , 1 1 . 1
'
1 t h i n k o f t h e
t h e w o r c l s h i s t o r y a n d i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e c h u r c h , , , , n o t b e i m p a t i e n t ,
o f ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ a t t h e ~ ~ l ~ c ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ w e m u s t b e l i e v e h a t H e h a s a c t e d a n d
i n a p r a y e r o f t l l a n k s g i , , i n g a l l d r e - i s a c t i n g i n t h e h i s t o r y o f o u r c h u r c h
m e m b r a l l c e , I t h i n k o f t h e m a i n t e l l a l l c e a l s o . I t i s n o t n c c , w s a r y f o r s o m e t h i n g
E
i g h t h , l e t u s n o t d r a g o u r j e r . 1 .
I
, t o h e e s s e n t i a l f o r i t t o b e u s e l u l , a n d
T h i s i s t h e o p p o s i t e t o i r n p a -
o f a d a i l y s c h e d u l e o f s e r v i c e s i n o u r
a n i n s t i t u t i o n d o e s l l o t h a v e t o b e i n -
t i e n c e . A l t e r i n g t h o u g h t p a t t r r l ~ s t h a t
c h u r c h b u i l d i n g s . L e t u s o u r s e l v e s r e -
I
d i s p e n s a b l e t o b e s a l u t a r y , ~ h ~ ~ M , e h a v e b e e n
p a r t o i u s f o r a l i f ( : - ~ i m c i .
c o Y 7 e r s o m e o l t h e a s p e c t s of L u t h e r a n -
i s n l
a r e c a t h o l i c a n d e c u m e l l i c a l m a y f i n d i t b e n e f i c i a l l o r u s a n d f o r ' l o t e a s y .
a ' ' d ' " "
o u r f e l l o w - ~ h r i 5 t i a n s t o b e v e r y p r a g - c o n v i c t i o n s t o t h e c r i t i c i s m 0 1 r h o s ~
b u t t h a t w e h a v e i n d e E e n s i h l y f r i t t e r e d
l l l a t i c i l l a s a n c t i f i e d l a s h i o n a l l d e v e n
w h o d o n o t s h a r e a l l o u r a s s l i m p t i o n :
a w a y .
i l l t h o s e t h i n g s \ , , h i c h w e l n a y f e e l t o m a y p r o v e d i f f i c u l t . T h i s i s p a r ~ . i c w l a r l y
F
d i s p e n s a b l e t o
i f w e c a n n o t
t r u e f o r t h o s e o f u s w h o h a v e c n j o ! ' e d
i j t h , l e t u s o n t h e o l h e r h u r z d ? t o t
g r a t e f u l l y c o n t i n u e t o u s e t h e m , w e d o
t h e c o z i n e s s o f t h e r e l i g i o u s g 1 1 ( : 1 1 0 c j i l l
b e n z i n i r n a l l s t s , a s p i r i r t g o n l y l o a l l o t h o n o r c o d b y d e p i s i n g t h e w i s -
\ v h i c h C h r i s t i a n s o l d i f f e r e n t d o r ~ o n i i -
l e s s t h a n C h r i s t i a n a n d C a t h o l i c m i n i -
d a m w i t h w h i c h H ~ e n d o . r v e d o u r f o r e -
n a t i o n s h a v e t e n d e d t o s e t t l e . Y c t \ \ - l i e r e
r n u l n o / a g r e e m e n t . A f l u s h o f e x c i l e - h e a r s , l o n g a s a \ , a i l o u r s e l o e s o f G o d p u t s b e f o r e u s t h e o p p o r t u ~ ~ i t y 1 0
m e n t i n e v i t a b l y o v e r t a k e s u s w h e n w e t h e i r i l l s i g h t a n d , . h e i r s o l u t i o n s t o s h a r e o u r i n s i g h t s w i t h o t h c r C h r i s -
d i s c o v e r t h a t i n o t h e r c o m m u n i o n s a n d p e r e n n i a l
w i t h o u t
g i v i n g t i a n s a n d t o r e c e i v e f r o m t h e m i n s i g h t <
i n o t h e r d e n o m i n a t i o n s t h e G o s p e ' l o f t h e m a b s o l u t e l o r c e a l l d v a l i d i t y ,
t h a t w e m a y n o t p e t p o s s e s s , t h e : o l i l i ~ a .
t h e g r a c e o l G o d i s b e i n g p r e a c h e d a n d s h a l l b e b e t t e r e q u j , p P e d t o m e e t a n d t i o n t o g i v e a n d t o t a k e i n t h c o b ~ d i -
I
e f f e c t i v e s a c r a m e n t s a r e b e i n g a d m i n - t o h e l p o u r f e l l o l , , - c h r i s t i a n s i n t h e i r e n c e o f a c o m m i t t e d f a i t h i n o u r c o m -
i s t e r e d a n d m e n a n d w o m e n a r e r e c e i v -
d i l e m m a s .
m o n h e a v e n l y F a t h e r i s n o t s o m c t h i n :
i n g t h e n e w h i r t h o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t .
h a t w e c a n e v a d e . I n t h e m e a n t i m e xvr
I t i s h e a r t w a r m i n g t o r e a l i z e t h a t t h e s e
S
c a n a c t t o i n s u r e t h a t t h e c o m m o n w i t -
c o m m u n i t i e s b y t h a t v e r y t o k e n a r e
e v e r z t h , l e t u s n o t b e i m p a t i e n t . W e n e s s o f t h o s e w h o b e a r t h e L u t l i e r a ~ l
p a r t s o f t h e o n e h o l y c a t h o l i c a n d a p o s -
h a v e c o m e a l o n g w a y i n t h i s a g e n a m e w i l l b e a s u n a n i m o u s a n d a s c o n -
t o l i c c h u r c h . I n t h i s p e r l e c t l y p r o p e r
o f d i a l o g , b u t t h e w a y s t i l l t o b e t r a v - s i s t e n t a s i t c a n b e m a d e . W e c a n 1 e 1 1 t l
e m o t i o n a l r e a c t i o n , h o w e v e r , t h e r e l i e s e r s e d m a y p r o w t o b e m u c h l o n g e r . o u r i n d i v i d u a l a n d c o r p o r a t e s r ~ l i p o r t
t h e p e r i l t h a t w e s ' h i l l f o r g e t o u r c o m - U n i v e r s a l i n t e r c o m m u n i o n a m o n g t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f a n e f f e c t i v e s u c r e s s o r
m i t m e n t t o t h e t o t a l i t y o f t h e t r u t h t h a t
C h r i s t i a n s , t h e h a p p y s i t u a t i o n w h e r e o r g a n i z a t i o n t o t h e R a t i o n a l J , u t h e r a n
C h r i s t h a s c o m m i t t e d t o F I i s c h u r c h a n d o u r m i n i s t r i e s a n d o u r a l t a r s a n d o u r C o u n c i l a n d t h u s p r o v i d e a n a g e n c y f o r 1 1
t h u s b e t e m p t e d t o b e u n c o n c e r n e d p u l p i t s a n d o u r p a r i s h e s a r e i n t e r - t h e l n a s i n ~ u m d e g r e e o f c o o p e r a t i \ . r
a b o u t v i t a l a n d i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t s o f c h a n g e a b l e , d o e s n o t l i e i m m e d i a t e l y e f f o r t . W e c a n e n c o u r a g e s u c h p r o j e c t . :
t h e t r u t h t h a t i s i n C h r i s t a n d t h a t i s o v e r t h e h o r i z o n . ' l ' h e p r o b l e m s c r e a t e d
a s a c o m m o n h y m n a l a n d s e r v i c e I ~ o o k 1
C h r i s t a n d w h i c h : b y G o d ' s p r o v i d e n c e
b y f o u r a n d s o m e t i m e s m o r e c e n i u r i e s l o r a l l t h e L u t h e r a n s o f A m e r i c a . ' F e
H e h a s c o m m i t t e d t o o u r c a r e f o r a l l o f o f s e p a r a t e d e v e l o p m e n t c a n n o t b e c a n j o i n r a n k s i n l o c a l e f f o r t s t o a c h i e v e
C h r i s t e n d o m t o p r o f i t b y . L e t u s t a k e m a d e t o e v a p o r a t e b y a s t r o k e o f t h e a
c o n s e n s u s 0 1 c o n v i c t i o n a n d a c o r n I
o u r s t a n d a r d f r o m t h e d i v i n e s e l f - p e n , o r e v e n b y d a y s a n d w e e k s a n d m o n p u r p o s e i n a c h i e v i n g c o r n m o l l
r e v e l a t i o n i n t h e S a c r e d S c r i p t u r e s a n d
m o n t h s o i c o n s c i e n t i o u s s t r i v i n g . T h e o b j e c t i v e s . A n d o n a b r o a d e r b a ~ i s a b r
i n t h e c r e e d s t h a t e x p r e s s t h e m i n d o f s a m e s p i r i t o f s e p a r a t i s m a n d s e c t a r i a n - c a n w o r k t o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r ( . : h r i c .
t h e > \ i h o l e c h u r c h a b o u t t h e v 7 a y i n i s m t h a t p l a y e d a r o l e i n t h e s c h i s m s l i a n s i n e v e r y m o v e m e n t a n d a c l i \ . i l !
Yol. XLVIII, No. 10 AMERICAN LUTHERAN
ichcre the support of Christians can a h r m i n g them against their perennial Still another channel is the Body and
9cIp to right wrongs and to achieve the denial either in Christendom or in our the Blood of the crucified and risen
i119Lice that is God's design for His socicty. Christ i n the Eucharist, to give 11s for-
rreation. Where God places opportuni- First is thr (:onviction that God is giveness of sins, the divine life itself,
ties before us to practice the charity indeed he (:rcsator of our entire uni- and salvation here and hereafter.
tl~nl we have learned f rom Him jn His verse and that Hc holds i n His hand all Fifth is the certainty that this same
lovr for us in Christ Jesus, the impor- the m i ~ h t of man and of nature. Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets
Ian1 thing is that we accept the oppor- Secal~d is the rc:cognition o~ mall's and the apostles. I n this way, the pro-
:uliity according. to our vocation and constant of the grace of God and phetic and apostolic Scriptures-how-
r~sponsibility. of the a~~ai lah i l i ty of that: grace. We ever varied in their talents, their
must counter both the optimism that vocabularies, their outlook, and their
N man can build hi.: own lIridges to God personal theologies the human authors inth, let u.s equip ourselves to and the pt,ssimism that afirms that man may have been-have as their princi- represent our faith as effec- is hopelc~sly 117ircd in his painful exist- pal author God HimselE. Here is the
ricaly and as intelligently as possible.
ence beyond the power of even God's guarantee of their authority, their Centuries of separation have helped to grace to rescuc him. truthfulness and their dependability-
rnake our religious languages mutually
Third is the unshakable laith that their inspired disclosure of God's self
:1nintelligible across denominational
God has reconciled His world to Him- and of His purpose to save the world in
:barriers. When we talk our special Lu-
ihcran language we cannot expect self in Jrsus Christ. Without trying to J e s ~ ~ d h r i s t .
explain what remains inexplicable mys- This is the heritage of truth that we
members of other religious communi-
tery, \\re have the assurance that in can bring to our dialog with others for lies to understand us. Nor can we
Christ God (lid what we are Llllable to our mutual encouragement and assur- Illithely assume that we really under-
do. H e himself hecame a human being ance i n the one Faith.
. t ad what they are saying when they
in the completely human individual Here then is the prescription for the
.II.C talking in their own denomina-
whom his conlemporaries knew as Church of the Lutheran Reformation ionnl tongues. W e may use the same
Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth. As in an age of dialog: First, let us not
~rords and mean different things; we
this man H e livcd a life of utter perfec- fail to give thanks to God for this Inay use different words and mean the
tion in all that He did and all that \vas manifestation of the power and work
came thing. This applies even to funda-
done to Him, n c w r swerving a hair's of the' Holy Spirit i n the Church.
wntal. concepts o l the Christian faith,
breadth from thc demand of total Second, let us realize where the tragedy il~cre in all honesty both parties be-
obedience to the will of His heavenly of our separation really lies. Third, let lie\[? that they can appeal with utter
Father, cvcn when it invol\7ecl deal11 on us learn what it really means to be
-0rrectness to the same Sacred Scrip-
a cross. 111 Lhis lashion> al thol~gh in Lutherans. Fourth, let us abandon our !orc~-concepts like grace, and faith,
a way that we can only diullp and prejudices a g a i n s ~ acceptable practices lnd salvation, and church, and rebirth,
vaguely understand, H e therchy atoned and ceremonics which we have re-
I I I ~ holiness, and hope, and authority,
for all our s i n s By Hi:: dcatll H e has jected because we thought them to be
:nd inspiration, and real presence, and
destroyed death for us and by His rising the peculiar patent of a n alien denomi- haptism, and conversion. W e know so
to life again has restoretl to 11s cver- nation. Filth, let us not be minimalists.
many things about other people's faiths
lasting life. Sixth, let us not be ungrateful to God
I I I ~ other people's churches that a re
Fourth is 1he ar;surancc\ that ~h~ T-loly for our own past. Seventh, let US not be not so, and they know so much aboul
lLlrs that is not so. ~ ~ ~ i ~ f ~ ~ l dialog Spirit is d c y ~ ~ n d a b l y acrl:siible to rnm impatient. Eighth, let us not drag our
,!cnlands careful preparation of our- and women through the (.hannc%ls that feet. Ninth, let US equip ourselves to
He himPclf has (,rested. ()Ile (:llZlnnel is represent our Lutheran faith as effec- ii.l\,es, and the effort LO achieve a sym-
pthetic of the other the holy community of the one catholic. t i v e l ~ and a s intelligently as we can.
IIP,.son~s position even when cannoL and apostolic church and lh(: sacred Tenth. let us gratel~llly relnenll~er what
ministry that proclailrls (;otl's w o r d God has given us to share with the rest rharc it.
and administers His sac.rnrnenls. An- of c h r k t a ~ d o m .
other chanrrc,l is the o r Bap- What result this era of dinlog. will
enth, let us remember what God tism that makcs us partic:ipanl-s in and bring I d o not know. No one living
h,as given to us to share with the beneficiaries of Christ-s clralll ar111 knows. I do know and you know what
rest of Christendom. I n setling for th Christ's rising to life again and that God wills-that His holy community on
[he points that follow I would not have washes away ollr sinfulness in (;od7s earth manifest its onencsxs as a sacra-
l~nderstand me as denying that sight and that- irnl)arts 1.0 115 daily po\\cx m ~ n t and a symbol 01 His oneness in
Christians holtl somc 01. rvc.11 all Tor holir,c*ss. A rr~~.t.l,t.r c , h a ~ ~ ~ ~ c $ l is ~hc: Himself anrl w i l h His ow1.1. I know and
&In i n colnnron \vil l i 11s. My put.- senterlcscA of I1oIY Al)~ol111io11 I I I ; I I i l l 1 \ O I I I ~ I I O ~ V I O O ~ / I l i l t 1111: tl~I\/?rsary ol
. i l l lislil.lg tllell, is 10 rt:(:all yo[, 1 ( I , I I I I ( ;()(I i l l l ( I l l l i l l l ~ I c : ~ i l - e ~ 111~: s ~ ) ~ i l l l c ~ r i ~ ~ &
I to myself he pere~inial need lor o l which oirr c~onsc:ic~~t,ch ~ ( . I : I I s ( . s 11s. ( C o ~ ~ t i n i ~ e c l on page 25)
I'ol. XLVIII, No. 10 AMERICAN LUTII1~:lZAX
to sc*c.urc: a rlergyman to deliver a
srrmotl.
SECRETS
PAUL TOURNIER combines in-
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Help for Daily Living
mzoDoRE S. SMYLIE pinpoints
the relevance of God's Word for
man's needs. These daily med-
i ta t ions inc lude Scripture, a
NO GREATER LOVE
WYN BLAIR SUTPHIN delivers
' striking perspectives on the pas-
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wonder of God's love. $2.00
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