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Individualism in the Christology of Helm Ut Thielicke's Sermons: Analysis and Response

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Individualism in the Christology of Helm Ut Thielicke's Sermons: Analysis and Response Durham E-Theses Individualism in the Christology of Helmut Thielicke's sermons: analysis and response Rueger, Matthew How to cite: Rueger, Matthew (2003) Individualism in the Christology of Helmut Thielicke's sermons: analysis and response, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3713/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Matthew Rueger Individualism in the Christology of Helm ut Thielicke's Sermons: Analysis and Response Doctor of Philosophy 2003 Abstract The overall purpose ofthis thesis is to explore the difficulty of an individualised christology in the postmodern world and to offer possible avenues for the Church in addressing it. Throughout the thesis we use the example ofHelmut Thielicke to demonstrate the nature of an individualistic christology. His sermons are particularly singled out because they serve as the main vehicle through which his christology reached the people. Thielicke is important to our goals for several reasons. For one, he represents a christological approach that is highly individualistic. Secondly, Thielicke is representative of a shift in the christological paradigm within Lutheranism. Discovering whether that shift is helpful or harmful directly affects how Lutheranism relates in the postmodern world. The thesis will progress through three stages to accomplish our goals. The first three chapters form the first stage. Their purpose is to establish concrete examples of the way Thielicke's individualised christology affects specific key doctrines in classic Lutheranism, as well as how it impacts the more general areas of Lutheran ecclesiology and sacramental theology. The second stage involves chapters four and five. The purpose here is to search for additional roots ofThielicke's individualism. Chapter four looks to the influences of both philosophy and secular social thought on Thielicke's christology. Chapter five seeks to find Thielicke's place within the overall development of the individual. Chapters six and seven form the final stage and represent our response to the kind of individualised christology Thielicke represents. We begin in chapter six by proposing a Theology of Presence as part ofthe solution to individualism. We conclude in chapter seven offering practical ways this theology can be applied in the postmodern context. Our conclusions will lead us toward the importance of establishing a new metanarrative based on a more corporate form of christology. Individualism in the Christology of Helm ut Thielicke's Sermons: Analysis and Response Matthew Rueger The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. - ~,-.· rJ r' r ·)n[·l ~ ' :.~' '• '·, ~~ ~ '·. Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Durham Department of Theology 2003 lV .ll.ntrodludimn 1 Chapter 1 TlllieBicke's Hndlividuall Clhristology: AppeaD amll Limmitations 10 1.1 Key Concepts Reinterpreted 11 1.2 Personal Rather than Ecclesiological Encounter 24 1.3 Solidarity Used to Reinforce Individualism 30 1.4 The Deus Absconditus as Support for a Personalised Christology 60 1.5 Transcendence in Relation to the Self 74 Chapter 2 The Ecclesiological Impact of an Individualised Cb.ristology 84 2.1 The Calvinist Background 84 2.2 Perceived Ecclesiological Problems 87 2.3 Benefits of the Ecclesiological Community 109 2.4 Two Sources for Personalisation: Spener and Schleiermacher 114 2.5 The Divorce of Sanctification from Ecclesiology 117 Cllnapter 3 Reshaping the Sacraments: The Individual and Community in the Balance 132 3.1 The Treatment of the Sacraments in Thielicke's Sermons 132 3.2 Thielicke's Challenge of Classic Lutheran Views Outside His Sermons 148 3.3 The Genus Majestaticum as a Point of Departure 162 Chapter 4 Forces Pressing Toward the Individual 166 4.1 The Line Between Individualism and Individualisation 170 4.2 The Pressure ofThielicke's Theology Meaning 172 4.3 The Force ofNihilism 175 4.4 Summary 189 Chapter 5 Thielicke's :Place within the Progression of Individualism 190 5.1 Roots of Individualism 190 5.2 The Nature oflndividualism Today 213 5.3 Thielicke's Approach in Light of Today's Individualism 220 Chapter 6 1I'Dte TllB.eology of Presence: Correctives for Individuali!im 225 6.1 The Attempt of Trinitarian Ecclesiology 225 6.2 Dangers to a Theology of Presence as Exemplified by Osiander and the Finnish School 232 6.3 The Use of Transcendence and Immanence Against Individualism 236 6.4 Individualism in Light of Christ in Word, Church, and Office 241 6.5 Recapturing Ecclesiological Language 246 6.6 Understanding the Relational Character of the Sacraments 251 6.7 Drawing on Biblical Imagery to Reinforce Communion 255 Chapter 7 Individual and Social Concerns United in Christ 275 7.1 New Directions for a Changed Perspective 275 7.2 Understanding Christ from a Social Perspective 297 7.3 Joining a Social Perspective to an Individualised World 306 7.4 Merging Christological Elements into a Semiotic Solution 335 Bibliography 344 ii Declaration I confim1 that no part of this thesis has been submitted for a degree in this or any other university. I also confirm that the thesis conforms to the word limit set out in the Degree Regulations. Statement of Copyright The Copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 111 Preface God ... does not allow us to find him in our thoughts. lfwe could do this, we would not need God; but because we need him, he has designated a place and a person -showing us where and in what way he ought to be found. [Martin Luther, (WA 40111:338)] The basic assumption of classic Lutheranism is that Christ binds himself to physical elements so that we, as limited and fallen creatures, can grasp him. Helmut Thielicke, who was an especially popular Lutheran preacher in Germany following World War Two, did not approach christology with this basic assumption. Instead, he presented a christology that was more subjective in nature, concerned to a greater extent with a spiritual encounter of Christ, and focused more obviously on the individual. The intent of this thesis is to explore the direction of Thielicke's christology and evaluate its applicability in the postmodem world where we live. Thielicke's sermons offer an especially important focus for our research because it is there in the spoken word where the Church most obviously communicates her christology to the laity. In order to ensure the accuracy ofThielicke's thoughts I have cited the German text whenever his sermons are quoted. Following each German citation I have given the published English translations unless otherwise noted. I have offered my own translation on several occasions because the given published translation was found lacking. Because Thielicke presents himself as a Lutheran theologian, and because I am myself a Lutheran pastor, exactly how his ideas relate to the broader tradition of Lutheranism is especially important. Throughout this thesis Thielicke's IV conclusions are measured back against the standard of classic Lutheranism and Luther himself. References to the American Edition of Luther's Works [55 volumes. Vols. 1-30, St. Louis: ConcordiaPublishingHouse, 1967; Vols. 31-55, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967] will be abbreviated as "LW." References to the standard German collection ofLuther's Works, known as the Weimar Ausgabe [127 volumes, 1883] will be shown as "WA." While a great deal of discussion is devoted to Thielicke's relation to Lutheranism, my hope is that the conclusions here reached have application within the broader Christian context. Being a Christian pastor I am especially concemed for the effectiveness of the christological presentation in the current postmodem world. Thielicke's genius was being able to connect with the common man or woman on the street. His focus was toward the soteriological impact of his christology. This pastoral drive in Thielicke is vital in my own evaluation of his christology. What is of paramount importance is how christology today is going to touch the real daily lives of people caught in the peculiar individualised world views of postmodemism. I am not so bold as to assert that this thesis represents a conclusion to the problem of negative individualism as it is expressed today. What I do hope is that this thesis provides a healthy starting point for the Churches' ongoing struggle to proclaim Christ effectively in a world that seems bent in on itself. V Introduction The following study ofHelmut Thielicke's christology seeks to examine the unique contributions of Thielicke to the field of christology with special reference to his sermons. Thielicke is an especially important subject for christological study because of the impact he has had on Lutheran preaching. While Thielicke has not enjoyed the lasting public recognition of other theologians of his era like Barth, Althaus, or Bonhoeffer, he was a prolific writer and enjoyed great acclaim as a preacher. Churches were filled to overflowing when he preached.
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