Full Text for CTM Theological Observer 1-11 (Text)

(llnurnrbiu W'Qtnlngirul flnut41y Continuing Lehre und Wehre (Vol. LXXVI) Magazin fuer Ev.-Luth. Homiletik (Vol. LIV) Theol. Quarterly (1897-1920) -Theol. Monthly (Vol. X) Vol. I November, 1930 No. 11 CONTENTS Page PIEPER, F.: Eroeffnungsrede zum neuen Studienjahr 1930-1931 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 801 FUERBRINGER, L.: Paulus in Athen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 804 ENGELDER, Th. The Active Obedience of Christ ......... 810 KRETZMANN, P. E.: Die Bekehrung ein Prozess oder eine KrisisP ................................................. 818 DALLMANN, WM.: How Peter Became Pope.. . . . ... . . . . .. 828 KRETZMANN, P. E.: Clerical Vestments in the Lutheran Church .......................... ~. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 838 Dispositionen ueber die Eisenacher Evangelienreihe ....... 848 STREUFERT, F. C.: Pastoral Visits ....................... 857 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. . . . .. 864 Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 873 Ein Prediger muss nicht allein weide .. , also dass er die Schafe unterweise, wie sie rechte Ohristen sollen sein, sondern auch daneben den Woelfen wehren, dass Bie die Schafe nicht angreifen und mit falscher Lehre verfuehren und Irrtum ein· fuehren. - Luther. Es 1st kein Ding, das die Leute mehr bei der Kirche behaelt denn die gute Predigt. - Apologie, Art. 24. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 1 Oor.14, 8. Published for the ;J Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States r CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. i f .A.RCHIVER 864 Theological Observer. - ,!Htd}lid}~Seitllefd}id}tlid)es. Seldom was I able to present the sweetest story ever told in such richness and fulness as at the home of this one-time active member of my church. When I left, I felt assured that now the Gospel of Jesus Ohrist had been victorious, for the patient had quietly listened and seemingly acquiesced. The ceterum censeo "My sins, my sins 1" did this time not conclude our conversation. Oommending him into· the gracious hands of our Mastel', I left him. And what happened? Two days later he hanged himself. A ter- rible blow for all concerned! For thus came to an end a life of one who for many years had been a devout member and an active officer of the church. The verdict of the coroner's jury ruled that he died: by his own hand, being irresponsible. Ohicago, Ill. (To be oontinued.) F. O. STREUFERT. Theological Observer. - SfirdJndJ~.8eitgefdJidJtlidJe~. I. ,1{mcriktt. ~(ul3 bet 6l)nl.lbe. WnIanIidj bel3 bier~unbedia~rigen ;;subHauml3 ber Wugl3burgifdjen S1>onfeffion ~at bal3 Cl:oncorbia"Cl:oilege in WbeIaibe, Wuftra" lien, bie ljSrofefforen WrnDt, tsrit unb ®riibner bon unferer ®t. l!ouifer Cl:oncorbia au ::tIoftoren ber 5l:1)eologie honoris causa ernannt. - fBei ber anf.) unb P. anbibatennaffe fidj nodj filr ein ~ifariat entfdjIient ober aus einem anbern ®runbe aus ber S1>anbibatennaffe aUl3fdjeibet. - nber Die jffiirfung bel3 S1>riegel3 auf unfere ®emeinben in l!onbon, rieg fe~r geIitien. tsinaniJieIT fte~en fie fidj ailerbingl3 iett beifer af13 frli~er. P. fBa±tenberg arbeitd bod in lidjtIidjem ®egen. ::tIie ®emeinbe in Sfentifljt011ln mun fidj aITerbingl3 ft:li~er ober f~iiter mit ber tsrage eine§! neuen Sl'irdjeneigentums befdjiiftigen, ba bie lease bes ietigen elft an eutem :ireile, baB nie tniebet ein foIcljet ~tbeitetmangel ljier in ~tgentinien entftelje I ~ljt fonnt mitljeIfen. Unb ba£l 3tneite, tna£l iljt nicljt betgeffen font, ift: ~enn tniebetum :not in bet ~nacljbargemeinbe butclj ~aftotenmangel entfteljen fonte, bann ljeff! an eutem :ireUe gerne aU£l, ljelf!, too iljt nut ljelfen fonnt; benn toenn e i n ' much more for this reason than for the reason that they sometimes spoke regarding the kings and worldly affairs; which they also did and often made mistakes. But that other thing they did daily and made no mistakes; for that faith, according to the proportion of which they prophesied, does not err." ViT e confess that we do not know what Luther exactly meant in stating that the prophets often erred when speaking concerning worldly affairs. But we do know that the contrast is not between what the prophets wrote con- cerning Christ and what they wrote concerning kings and temporal events. The contrast is between what they taught concerning faith on the basis ot Scripture and what they held concerning political and other worldly matters. - Luther probably means that the prophets, like the rest of us, were liable to err in their judgment on political matters. But as long as a man follows Scripture, where the matters of faith are clearly set forth, he will not err. At all events, Luther does not say that Bome of the prophecies of Scripture went wrong. Third proof: "As to the veracity of the books of Chronicles, he declares that 'the books of Kings are a hundred thousand times more trustworthy than the Chronicles' (Tischreden, Erl. Ed., 62, 132)." Once again we must ask to have the entire paragraph read into the indictment. (See also St. L. Ed., 22, 1414.) "The books of Kings are a hundred thousand paces ahead of the writer of Chronicles, who gave only the sum and the prin- cipal parts of the history, passing over what was of minor importance; therefore the books of Kings are more trustworthy (ihnen ist mehr IOU glwuben) than the books of Chronicles." The reason why Kings is "more 870 Theological Observer, - ~ird)!idje;'3citgefdjidjmd)e!!. trustworthy" than Chronicles is not that Chronicles is less inspired, but that it does not give the full history. A compendium is not less trust- worthy than the full exposition, but when you look for detailed informa- tion, you take up the larger work; and where anything is in doubt, you give the preference to the more comprehensive history. Dr. 'i'Y. Walther, an authority in these matters, years ago disposed of this "proof." He wrote in the Allg.Ev.-Luth.Kirchenztg., 1917, No. 14: "The passage itself explains the meaning of the 'more trustworthy,' 'mehr glauben': when these two histories seem to contradict each other in certain statements, you must rely on the books of Kings to solve the difficulty, because the detached statements given in Chronicles are more liable to be misconstrued_ - As to the strange phrase 'more trustworthy,' 'melw zu glauben,' one must bear in mind that we have a table-talk before us, where Luther, as is well known, was wont to be rather free and easy. He could feel assured that his friends, who very well knew what he thought of the Bible, would not get the notion to construe a theory regarding errors in the Bible out of this semijocular expression." Pastor Wendell then goes on to note what Luther said on the difficulty brought up by the quotation given in Matt. 27, 9, on the Book of Esther, on James, and on Revelation. But all of these matters and some others of a more weighty nature have long ago been disposed of. See, for in- stance, Oh1·istliche Dogmatik, I, 334 fI., Leh1'e und Weh1'e, 71, 162 ff., on "Esther," by Dr. L. Fuerbringer. A scholarly investigation of Luther's attitude cannot afford to ignore these and similar treatises. - We are surprised that the following has not been added to the list: "The Gospel of St. John is the one gospel, the fine, the true, the chief gospel, much, much to be preferred to, and far to be exalted over, the other three." (St. L. 14,91.) It deserves to be placed there with the rest. E. II. 2(u,hm~+ Drbination 1mb (Rnfilfjrnng neuer !llrlieiter in ber CNfiifftfdjen tyret~ fb:dje. SDer ,,@;Ifiifftfclje But~eraner" liericljtet: ,,2fm 9. (Sonntag naclj ;itri" nitati~ (17. 2fuguft) wurbe burclj ben ~riife~ unferer llirclje, ~farrer mliller au~ &;>eUigenf±ein, bel' neuerwii~fte ~farrer bel' (S±ratliurger Si'reuagemeinbe, )fii1~ehn )fioIff, in fein 2fmt eingefii~rt. ,3ugIeiclj Illurbe Si'anbibat iYrit Si'rei\3 aligeorbnet flir btl' lJ)hffion~arlieit unferer Si'irclje in ~ari~. SDie &;>iinbe Iegten lieiben mit aUf bie ?Brliber Si'ramer unb ?Bente. SDurclj ®o±te~ ®nabe ift aIfo bie Blide, berurfacljt burclj ba~ 2fu~fcljeiben unfer~ lielien ?Bruber~ (Strafen au~ bem SDienfte unferer Si'irclje, boIIig wieber au§geflillt. SDie (Stra\3liurger ®emeinbe ~at wieber dnen (SeeIforger in i~rer mUte, unb auclj bel' jungen ~arifer ®emeinbe blirfen wir dnen eigenen @Jed" forger unb miffionar f enben. @;in recljte§ iYreubenfeft IlJar e§ ba~er, ba~ an bem (Sonntag ber @;infii~rung unb 0rbination fo bide ?Befucljer be§" fellien naclj @Jtratliurg aUfammenftromen liet, fo ba\3 ba~ ®otte~~au~ beL Si'reuagemdnbe lii~ auf ben Ietten ~Iat gefiirrt war. ;Jm mormi±tag§" gotte§bienff prebigte ~iife§ IDCiiller lilier 2 Si'or. 3, 4-11. @;r ftellte ben lieiben jungen SDienern am )fiort bie &;>errlicljfeit ber lidben [emter bor bie @JeeIe, bie fie forlan in bel' djriftIicljen ®emeinbe fii~ren follen, inbem er i~nen auniicljft ba~ furcljfliar ernfte 2fmf be~ totenben ®efete§liucljftalien~ Theological Observer. - stird) Hd)<3citgcf cl)icl)tlid)es. 871 ans .l,)cra Iegte ag unerliif3Hcfj l1ot\uenbige lEoroereitung fUr bie recfjte ~us~ ricfjtung bes anbern ~mtes, bas ben ~cmgell @eifi gibt unb Ieoenbirr macfji, bes feHgen ®bangeIiums." is.~. "The Australasian Theological Review." - This is the name of the new theological quarterly which the "Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Australia, Inc." is now publishing (Vol. 1, January- March, 1930) for "the presentation and discussion of divine truth, re- vealed in Holy Scripture and affirmed by the Lutheran Confessions, to- gether with a review of general church news." In the "Foreword" Dr. C. F. Graebner, president of Concordia College, Adelaide, writes among other things: "The lack of a theological periodical that would particularly meet our Australian requirements has been felt for many years by the pastors of our Synod; for although there are probably not many members of the Lutheran ministry in the Commonwealth who do not read one or more of the excellent pUblications issued by the sister synods in America and in Germany, the conditions which obtain in the Australian Church at large, and in the Australian Lutheran Church in particular, called for special theological treatises, which naturally would not be supplied through pub- lications written overseas by men unacquainteci with our conditions and needs." "The purpose of this periodical is a twofold one. In the first place, it is to offer doctrinal articles on matters of faith and of life, including also treatises on the practical part of a pastor's work. The writers will be guided by the declaration laid down in our Lutheran Confessions .... (Formula of Concord, § 1.) The Bible, as the verbally inspired Word of God and as 'the pure, clear fountain of Israel,' will be regarded as the only principle, the norma normans, of theology, while the Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church will be upheld as the correct exposition, the norma normata, of Biblical truth." "Our periodical is to report anci to review past and present events in the religious world, especially in the Christian Church, above all in the Lutheran Church of Australia and of other countries. This will, of course, give occasion to publish apologetic and polemical articles, mainly in view of the deplorable fact that the divine truths are assailed in our day, per- haps more than ever before, not only by such as are outside the pale of the Church, but also by many who claim to be adherents of the Christian religion. We shall endeavor to adhere to the motto adopted by our Con- cordia College and Seminary: F'oj·titer in 1-e, suaviter in modo. Our policy will be to uphold the truth with firmness, but to avoid undue harshness in dealing with persons who are erring, while the eITor itself will be ex- posed in no uncertain terms." "Being fully convinced that the pUblication of this theological peri- odical IS justified, we have the hope that it will find favorable reception and that it will achieve its object." In this prayer also the CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY joins as it extends to the new theological period- ical its most cordial felicitations. J. T. M. ~uguftllnllfeier ber freinen freifirdifidicn @etneinllc in ~ugs6urg. 5l)ar" iioer oericfjtet eoenfa@ ~farrer jillartljer,,®rfangen in ber "iSreifircfje": ,,5l)af) in ~ugsourg aucfj eine Ueine Jutljerifcfje iSreifircfje oefteljt, ift ber ,offentricfj" 'feit betootgen geoIielien. @Sie feietie bas ~ulJHiium bet ~ugsoutgi;cljen $j'DnfeHion in oefcljeibener )illei;e in ber )illol)nung eines il)rer @Iieber, bes g:aorifan±en ~ugu;t )illeifeI in 2ecljl)au;en, @Scljac!ftrate 40 b, mit einem @o±±esbienft. ben biesmaf ljSfarrer )illerbermann bon ljSfor3l)eim l)ieH. ~n memmingen, tuo eoenfaUs eine Heine fu±l)erifclje freifircljIiclje @emeinbe ficlj finbe±, tuurbe am eigentficljen ~uoifiiums±age ein fcljIicljter ljSrebig±~ gD±±esbienft bon ljSfarrer )illartl)er ~ '@rfangen gel)ar±en unb am @Sonntag barauf bie eigentficlje g:eftfeier mit einem tueiteren ljSrebig±gDttesbienft. mit etner 2el)rliefprecljung iilier ~rtiM 9 unb 10 ber ~ugsliurgifcljen Si:onfeHion unb aoenbs mit einem mDtirag iilier ,:.Die ~ug§liurgifclje Si:onfeHion unb bie Si:ircljen ber @egentuart'. :.Die meranf±ar±ungen tuaren auclj bon einigen g:rembenoefucljt, lllenngfeiclj beren :iteHnal)me infolge ber gfeiclj3eitig in .ben lanbesfircljficljen @emeinben ber @S±ab± f±attfinbenben g:eiern geringer lllar, afi3 man unier anbern Umf±iinben l)ii±±e ertuarten biirfen. @D±± lenie .ben Qauf feine§ @bangefium§ auclj liei uns in ma~ern 3um SjeHe bider @SeeIen!" g:. ljS. ~atijomen lieteUigen fid) an ber !2luguftanafeier in !2lug~liurg. :.Dariilier iiericljtet ljSfarrer )illar±l)er~@rfangen in ber "g:reifirclje": "mei ber g:eiel: in ~ug§liurg oegriit±e ber fa±l)oHfclje lia~rifclje Si:ur±usminifter namen§ bel: oa~rifcljen @Staat§regiernng ben SNrcljentag, eoenfD ber tatl)DIifclje miirgel:~ meif±er bDn ~ugsliurg namen§ ber @Siabt. :.Diefe megriitungen tuurben el:~ tuibert mit bem SjintueiS aUf bie g:reube iilier bie ~nieHnal)me bes fail)o~ Iifcljen :iteHs ber meboHernng an ber g:eier unb mit dner @rinnernng an ben furil borl)er berfioroenen rail)oIifcljen mifdjof bon ~ug§liurg. mei ber @inilleil)ung ber neuen Si:DnfeHiDnsfirdje in ber ~ug§ourger )illetiacljbDrfiabt am ljSfingfimoniag, bie afi3 ®infeitung au ben ~uoifiiumsfeierficljfeiten ge~ badji tuar, tuurbe bon bem am±ierenben Si:rei§befan au§briicfHclj bie ®in~ traclji mit ben fail)oIifdjen mitoiirgern l)erborgel)olien, lllie audj einige lmona±e borl)er oei ber ®inilleil)ung bes neuen ~m±0geoiiube§ in miindjen fiir ben 2anbe§firdjenrai ber Si:ircljenpriifiben± ber oaLJrifdjen 2anbesfirdje oei ober bieUeidjt auclj tuegen ber ~ntuefenl)eit be§ oa~rifcljen minifterpriifiben±en un±er Sjintuei§ aUf eine in ber lniil)e liefinbfidje fatl)ofifclje Si:irclje bie ljSffege be§ g:rieben§ un±er ben Si:onfeHionen oefonber§ oe±onte. )illenn fofcljer Sjin~ tuei§ lebigfidj bie ljSflege gutel: oiirgerfidjer meiliel)ungen mein±, ;0 ift er cigentriclj fUr ~l)rif±en fellifiberf±iinbHdj, bie mit aUen menfcljen g:rieben l)aUen foUen, fotueit e§ mogfidj ift. . .. )illenn l)ie unb ba g:rieben§ftimmeH au§ .ber romifcljen Si:irclje erflingen, fo foU ba§ atuar mit g:reuben anedannt tuerben, aoer fie tuiegen nidjt f djtuer angefidj±0 bel: Si:ampfe§f±eUung, bie ffiom l)euie noclj gegen ba§ @bangeHum einnimm±. Um fo mel)l: l)ii±±e man ertuatien foUen, bat oei ber ~uoerfeiel: ber ~ug§ourgifcljen Si:onfeHion bie g:reube iioer bie mefreiung aus ber piipftridjen g:infterni§ unb @etuiif ens~ fnecljtung bel: @rnnbton getuefen tuiire. ~nfiatt beffen tuar immer tuiebel: bie ffiebe bon ber @emeinfdjaft ber oeiben Si:onfeffionen. )illie foU .ba§ nun aUf bie maffen tuiden, bie Dl)nel)in in ben moU§firdjen bon ber mebeutung bet ffieclj±fertigung au§ @naben burclj ben @Iauoen niclj±§ Dber fo gut toie niclj±§ ltJiffen unb febigIidj in einaeInen g:ormen unb @eoriiudjen ben Unter~ fcljieb heibel: Stircljen fel)en? man madjt gegeniioer ben g:reifircljen Dft gertenb, bat fie bie @StDtfraft .be§ ljSroteftantismu§ burclj il)re ~ofpIitternng f djtoiicljen. )illo ift bie 6totfraft bes ljSroteftanti§mu§ oei bief el: ~uoHiiums< feier geoIieoen, bie boclj toirflidj geniigenb ~nfa\3 3U il)rel: ®ntfaltung ge~ botcn Ijiitte ~ " g:. ljS.