ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University
Thornas M. W~nge~. AUGSUUKC CONFESSION TV M V Christ for the benefit of our salvation. ' Faith is inner, yet it comes orily from outside by the woi-k of the Holy Spirit through external means. This twofold discussion of the acquisilion of justification and its applicalion foreshadows the relationship of articlcs IV and V in the Augsburg Confcssion. THE SCHWABACH ARTICLES (1529) Thc most direct precursor ol' LIE doctrinal articles in the AC is the Schwnbach ~rticles," so called because thcy wcrc submitted as a basis of union by the Saxoris at a conference with southern Germans at Schwabach, 16-19 October 1529. Though rejected at this confcrcnce, they were picked up in he earliest negotiations at Augsburm in May 1530.'' The Schwabach Articles prefigure the AC in their subdued polemics. 28 Maurer dwells at length on the differences between these articles and Luthcr's Confession (1528), and lancnts the loss of the Trinitarian outline. 'lhis he attributes to Melanchthon's "abstract approach".21 Though "abstract" is less than accurate, the articlcs certainly show Melanchthon's systematic thinking, presenting for the first time a distinct article on justification. The older of articles surrounding that on justification suggests thc logic of this docurncnt. At least the first ten articles are co~mected by an introductory phrase which picks up on something in the preccding article. Justification (art. V) is connected to the previous article on original sin by the phrase: "Since now all mcn are sinncrs . . . it is impossible that a man worlc out by his own powers or good works that he again become righteous and godly."22 Justification is continually described as beyond Lhe powers within inan to aLPain. In fact, the harder man tries, the worse it goes for him. . . . but that the only way [weg] to righteousness and to deliverance from sin and death is as one without all mcrit or work believes in the Son of God, whv suffered fos us, etc., as we have said. Such faith [solcher glnwh] is our righteousness, for Gocl is pleased to AE 37:3hh=WA 2h:~~lh'~'~. The nature of these "other spiritual gifts" is not explained. Luther is conce~ned only with faith. The "internal-exrcmaI' [bst~r~caon is explained further below, inconnection virh the hkans urGrace. CC'A 3011':81-91; some articles are in I1KS; trans. in Reu "40-"44. On the baais of the dale of the Schwaback meeting, scholarv plw~ously assumed that these were a reworking of the Marburg Articles; ~esemcll has denio~lst~ated, however. that they had been In production already during the summer of 1529, and thus were llle fo~e~u~lne~ of the Ma~burg Articles. See the ~ntl.odnction in WA 30"':81; also Granc 15; and Wilhelm Maurer, Histor-ircrl Cornrtw~1ii1-v o~i the Aiq~Dur-R Con$ession, rrans. 11. Cieorge Andersnn (Philadelphia: Fomess. 1986) 4, 9 10. blmrer 21: "'l'hc scvcntccn Schwabach Articles depend on Luther's private confession [l5281 but lhcy are less cumprel~ensive. That stems frnln Ihc grcatcr rcstraint they maintain toward both the enthusiasts and the L~aditionalists.' Maurer 24. Maurer's predilection for Luther over Melanchtlron is evident ultimately from the fact that at the end of his commentary on Lhe AC he appends his personal suhzcription not to the A(:, hut only to Luther's 1528 Confession (419). All rcfcrcnces to the Schwabach Articles are translaled by the presenl author fiom WA 30'":87-88.
LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVTEW reckon and regard as righteous, god1 y, and h01 y, to forgive all sins and give eternal life to, all who havc such faith [solichenn glnwben] in His Son, that for His Son's sake they should be Laken into grace ancl be His children in His kingdom. Schwabach Article V is at pains to cxplain that the faith which justifies is that faith which holds to an object outside of man: the Son of God who suKered lor us. "Such faith" can be considered as righteousness becausc it is intcrchangeable with its object. 23 Article V1 contains elements of AC V and VI. It emphasizes "that such faith [Das .so/ichcr glawb]" is not a human work but is "God's work and gift which the Holy Spirit, given through Christ, works in us". This stresses the role 01 the Holy Spirit in giving such faith; even Saith is not "something in man" but is a gift from outside. However, it then adds to thc definition of "such faith" the fruits and good works produced before God, and for the neighbour. This progression OS thought runs thc danger of subsuming good works under justification. Thc order of thcse articles will continue to shift until settled in the AC. The seventh article coins the familiar phrase to be picked up in AC V: "In order to obtain such faith [Solicherzn glcxzrhen zuer.lalzngerz]", further qualified by the marvellous phrase, "or [rather] to give [it] to us ~iien". This means is further expounded: God instituted the Prcaching Officc or oral Word [daspr.edig ambt oder murltlich ~lort], namely the Gospel, tl~ough which He causes Lo be preached such faith and its power, use and fruit, and givcs also through thc same, as through a means, faith with His Holy Spirit, how and where He desires. Otherwise there is no other mean5 or manner, neither ways nor paths [weder. wege noch stege] to rcceive faith, for thoughts outside or before the oral Word, however holy and good they appear, Lire certainly vain lies and errors. This differs from AC V in two significant ways. First, as noted, it includes the fruits of faith under the definition of "such faith" which is givcn. Secondly, it speaks only of the "oral Word" in apposition to the "Preaching Office", without mention of the Sacraments. The Sacrame~its appear in the next article: "With and bcside this oral Word God also institutcd cxtcmal signs, namely Baptism and the Eucharist, tlxough which, beside the Word, Cod also offers and gives faith and His Spirit and strengthens all who desire Him." What definition of Predigtnmt docs this suggest? One could argue that it spcaks of thc "preaching office" in abstract as the oral Word in any ram. However, the separation of Word Srom Sacraments could simply bc bascd on the 23 Scc Rcclc 70-75.
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- Page 6 and 7: EDITORIAL FOREWORD FOREWORD This is
- Page 8 and 9: E. EDWARD HACKMANN: AN APPRECIATION
- Page 10 and 11: TOWARDS CONSTRUCTING A SPIRITUAL FA
- Page 12 and 13: E~win A. Brcsc: BLOOD AND WATER 11
- Page 14 and 15: Erwin A. Brese: BLOOD 4ND WATER APP
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- Page 18 and 19: John R. Wilch: ABRAM IN EGYPT: SINN
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- Page 30 and 31: Thornay M Winger 4lJGSBlJRG CONFESS
- Page 32 and 33: p Tlloma~ M Wmgei: AUGSBURG CONFESS
- Page 36 and 37: Thornas M. Wmger: AUGSRllRG CONFESS
- Page 38 and 39: Thomas M. Winger: AUGSBURG CONFESSI
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- Page 46 and 47: Bruce G. Schuchard, Scripture Withi
- Page 48 and 49: Koger J. Humann: SCRIPTURE WITHIN S
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- Page 54 and 55: REMEMBRANCE DAY 1993 John R. S teph
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LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVTEW<br />
reckon and regard as righteous, god1 y, and h01 y, to forgive all sins<br />
and give eternal life to, all who havc such faith [solichenn glnwben]<br />
in His Son, that for His Son's sake they should be Laken into<br />
grace ancl be His children in His kingdom.<br />
Schwabach Article V is at pains to cxplain that the faith which justifies is that faith<br />
which holds to an object outside of man: the Son of God who suKered lor us. "Such<br />
faith" can be considered as righteousness becausc it is intcrchangeable with its<br />
object. 23<br />
Article V1 contains elements of AC V and VI. It emphasizes "that such faith [Das<br />
.so/ichcr glawb]" is not a human work but is "God's work and gift which the Holy<br />
Spirit, given through Christ, works in us". This stresses the role 01 the Holy Spirit in<br />
giving such faith; even Saith is not "something in man" but is a gift from outside.<br />
However, it then adds to thc definition of "such faith" the fruits and good works<br />
produced before God, and for the neighbour. This progression OS thought runs thc<br />
danger of subsuming good works under justification. Thc order of thcse articles will<br />
continue to shift until settled in the AC.<br />
The seventh article coins the familiar phrase to be picked up in AC V: "In order<br />
to obtain such faith [Solicherzn glcxzrhen zuer.lalzngerz]", further qualified by the<br />
marvellous phrase, "or [rather] to give [it] to us ~iien". This means is further expounded:<br />
God instituted the Prcaching Officc or oral Word [daspr.edig ambt<br />
oder murltlich ~lort], namely the Gospel, tl~ough which He causes<br />
Lo be preached such faith and its power, use and fruit, and givcs<br />
also through thc same, as through a means, faith with His Holy<br />
Spirit, how and where He desires. Otherwise there is no other<br />
mean5 or manner, neither ways nor paths [weder. wege noch stege]<br />
to rcceive faith, for thoughts outside or before the oral Word,<br />
however holy and good they appear, Lire certainly vain lies and<br />
errors.<br />
This differs from AC V in two significant ways. First, as noted, it includes the<br />
fruits of faith under the definition of "such faith" which is givcn. Secondly, it speaks<br />
only of the "oral Word" in apposition to the "Preaching Office", without mention of<br />
the Sacraments.<br />
The Sacrame~its appear in the next article: "With and bcside this oral Word God<br />
also institutcd cxtcmal signs, namely Baptism and the Eucharist, tlxough which,<br />
beside the Word, Cod also offers and gives faith and His Spirit and strengthens all<br />
who desire Him." What definition of Predigtnmt docs this suggest? One could argue<br />
that it spcaks of thc "preaching office" in abstract as the oral Word in any ram.<br />
However, the separation of Word Srom Sacraments could simply bc bascd on the<br />
23 Scc Rcclc 70-75.
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