Christoph Blumhardt's Eschatology and Kingdom-Of-God Movement

Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3

Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’

LIM Hee-Kuk, Dr.theol. Professor, Historical Theology Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, South Korea

I. Introduction II. Christoph Blumhardt’s Kingdom-of-God Movement III. Blumhardt’s Eschatology IV. Conclusion

Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 (2014. 9), 113-136 114 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3

Abstract

This article focuses on exploring Blumhardt’s eschatology and his kingdom-of-God movement. His eschatology affected Moltmann’s theology of hope. The eschatology of Christoph Blumhardt and his Kingdom-of-God Movement was the legacy of his father, which began with the healing of Gottliebin Dittus. Blumhardt’s eschatology was God’s promise to renew the Church and to transform the society. The promise testified by the outcry “Jesus is Victor!” was already fulfilled in the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With that fulfillment the reality of the life of resurrection, or the new creation of new life, began the kingdom of God on earth. The reality of resurrection is still working and will continue to work until the reconciliation of all humankind and the of all things. The life of Blumhardt pursued only to witness of the Kingdom of God, which is going on a new social order of life, justice, and peace in the earth. Moltmann also understood the outcry at Möttlingen, “Jesus is Vic- tor!” as an event of God’s eschatological kingdom. In this sense it is a sign of the eschatological new creation taking place here and now. God’s salvation comprehends not just the so-called spiritual dimension, but also human bodies and, even further, all the creatures in the world (salvation of all things). God’s salvation does not begin in the next world. It takes place here and now when evil powers are controlled, sins are forgiven, and resurrected life is testified. In this way the kingdom of God comes to the earth (1 Thess. 5:8; Rom. 8:24).

Keywords

Johann Christoph Blumhardt, Struggle in Moettlingen, Christoph Fr. Blumhardt, Eschatology, Juergen Moltmann Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 115

I. Introduction*

This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first publica- tion of Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Hope.1 As Moltmann himself mentioned, his “theology of hope has two roots: Christoph Blumhardt and Ernst Bloch.”2 He added that he was first influenced by Blumhardt before he read Bloch. In 1958 when Moltmann was teaching in the Kirchliche Hochschule at Wuppertal, his theology moved from Karl Karl Barth to Blumhardt. With this regard I myself was told by Moltmann. In November 1989 there was a symposium in Bad Boll, where Blumhardt devoted his entire ministry, that celebrated the 70th anniversary of his death.3 I participated in a session where Moltmann presided and later had din- ner with him. At that time Moltmann shared to us his academic experi- ences, one of which left an indelible impression on my heart. He said, “I was freed from Karl Barth with the help of Christoph Blumhardt.” This statement had great influence upon my own theological journey and,

* This article is supported b the Research Fund of the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, 2014. 1 Jürgen Moltmann, Theologie der Hoffnung, Untersuchungen zur Begründung und zu den Konzequenzen einer christlichen Eschatologie (München: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1964). 2 Jürgen Moltmann, “The Hope of the Kingdom of God and Signs of Hope in the World: The Relevance of Blumhardt’s Theology Today,” Pneuma 26-1 (Spring 2004), 4. 3 Christoph Fr. Blumhardt (1842-1919), often called B“ lumhardt the son,” was a pastor in Bad Ball, located at southwestern Germany, around the turn of the 20th century. Throughout his life he proclaimed that “in Jesus Christ God’s kingdom is coming to the earth,” and witnessed to it in his life and activities. At that time Germany was in the process of a great social transformation due to the industrialization that began in 1830s. Protestant (Lutheran) church leaders were not prepared for, and thus embarrassed by, the social transformation. Unlike them, however, Blumhardt entered the political world for the human rights of the poor and the oppressed—especially, the working class. His life and thought had a great influence on many theologians of the 20th century. Among those theologians directly influenced by him are: Swiss religious socialists Herman Kut- ter (1863-1931), Leonhard Ragaz (1868-1945), and R. Lejeune; dialectical theologians Eduard Thurneysen, Karl Barth (1886-1968), and Emil Brunner. Besides, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Arthur Rich, Jürgen Moltmann were also influenced by him. Cf. M. Mattmueller, “Der Einfluss Blumhardts auf schweizerische Theologen des 20. Jahrhun- derts,” in Religioeser Sozialismus, hg. Leonhard-Ragaz-Institut, o.J., 1-14. 116 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 finally, my study of Blumhardt resulted in the doctoral dissertation.4 With this personal experience of mine in background, in this article I focus on exploring Blumhardt’s kingdom-of-God movement and his eschatology which affected Moltmann’s theology of hope.5

II. Christoph Blumhardt’s Kingdom-of-God Movement

1. “Jesus is Victor!”: Inheriting His Father’s Legacy (1842-1888)

When Christoph Blumhardt was born in 1842, his father Johann Blumhardt (hereafter “the elder Blumhardt”) had been in great spiritual struggle for the past two years.6 He was almost exhausted by fighting against an evil spirit that had been attacking Gottliebin Dittus almost to death.7 The fight did not cease until Gottliebin was dramatically healed on the Christmas day of 1843. On her recovery her cousin Katharina, who was taking care of her, shouted, “Jesus is Victor!” In the following Sunday service the father Blumhardt preached on Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 2:46-55), where he proclaimed Jesus Christ’s victory over the evil

4 lim Hee-Kuk, ‘Jesus ist Sieger!’ bei Christioph Fr. Blumhardt. Keim einer kosmischen Christologie (Bern: Peter Lang, 1996). 5 Blumhardt’s sermons were published in four volumes posthumously by R. Lejeune, Eine Auswahl aus seinen Predigten, Andachten und Schriften, hg. R. Lejeune, 4 Bde. (Erlenbach/ Zürich/ Leipzig: Rotapfel-Verlag, 1925-1937) (=PA I, II, III, IV). Around 1980 J. Harder edited and published Blumhardt’s posthumous manuscripts in three volumes: Ansprachen, Predigten, Reden, Briefe: 1865-1917, Bde. 3, hg. J. Harder, 2. Aufl. (Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1982) (=AB I, II, III). Today’s studies of Blumhardt’s life in general follow Lejeune’s division of four periods. 6 Johann Christoph Blumhardt, Der Kampf in Möttlingen, hg. G. Schaefer (Goet- tingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1979). 7 gottliebin Dittus was born on October 31, 1815. She grew up in an environ- ment susceptible to mental illness. In his 20s she suffered from a kidney disease. She had treatments of several doctors, but in vain. To make things worse, she caught women’s disease as well. From that time on she could urinate only with the help of the instrument prescribed by a doctor. Due to severe illness her right foot shrank, her back bone were bent, and suffered from a gastroenteric disorder. Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 117 spirit that had tortured Gottliebin for a long time.8 In Möttlingen healing events through forgiveness of sins continued to occur. The father Blumhardt adopted Gottliebin as his daughter, and she helped his healing ministry. At the same time Möttlingen witnessed to the rise of an awakening movement, whose core was forgiveness of sins and healing of the sick. The awakening movement developed into the so-called “Blumhardt movement.” Widespread news about the movement brought to Möttlingen a great number of people from different countries in Europe. In 1952 the elder Blumhardt moved from Möttlingen to Bad Boll, where the movement continued. When the father Blumhardt passed away in February 1880, his ministry was taken over by his son Christoph Blumhardt (hereafter “Blumhardt”). Blumhardt understood “Jesus is Victor!” as the essence of his father’s pastoral and theological legacy, and thus made it the mot- to of his own pastoral ministry. Just as his father prayed for and healed the sick, so did Blumhardt. Blumhardt’s preaching was as moving as his father’s. He was often invited to preach in neighboring churches and also in Strasbourg and other European cities. In his thirties he became a renowned preacher. He also preached in front of the emperor. None- theless, he was not so much concerned with his fame, as with upholding his father’s legacy. Blumhardt observed, however, that his father’s legacy was not being taken seriously enough. There were several obstacles, even within the church which had been under his father’s pastoral care. 1) The piety of the congregation was selfish and self-centered. They concerned themselves only with healing of their illnesses, rather than with the condition of their inner selves. 2) They were in general dualistic pietists. Driven by their spiritual aspiration, they looked only for the heavenly things, while disregarding the earthly. They prayed only for the oth- erworldly blessings, while ignoring the issue of peace in this world. 3) They were orthodox Christians adhering to the literal meaning of Lutheran doctrines and church tradition. It is in this context that Blum-

8 Theodor Bovet described Gottliebin’s illness and healing from a psychiatric perspective: “Zur Heilungsgeschichte der Gottliebin Dittus,” in Der Kampf in Möttlingen, 1-29. 118 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 hardt began to take seriously “the death of church” (or the church in death).

2. “Die, That Jesus May Live!”: Period of Resurrection (1888-1896)

Around 1886 several old members of the Blumhardt family passed away. They had been witnesses to Gottliebin’s healing and co-workers of the Blumhardt movement. While conducting funerals for them, Blumhardt had many thoughts of death. At the funeral of Emperor Wilhelm I in 1888 he summarized his idea of death in the following words: “Death as a result of sin! Now the power of death obstructs the succession of my father’s legacy, ‘Jesus is Victor!’.” In Blumhardt’s judgment, the power of death was swinging its arms at the Bad Boll Church under his pastoral care. The first symp- tom was this: the name of his father Johann Blumhardt was being more highly regarded than the name of Jesus. A shocking reality! He defined such a great respect for the elder Blumhardt as “heroism.” He also noted that Martin Luther became the hero of Lutheran churches. The fact that Lutheran confessions or doctrines were controlling the faith of the congregation meant that they became the heros of the congregation. He believed these and other heros, wittingly or unwittingly, denied that Jesus Christ is the Lord of the congregation. Because those heros dominated the church, Jesus Christ, the true Lord of the church, was set aside to a corner. Thus Blumhardt asked himself a very seri- ous question: “Who on earth is the Lord of the church?” In his view, those heros of the church drove the true Lord out of the church. Such a church would be “a dead church (eine tote Christenheit).” The solution was clear. Not until those heros were dead would Jesus live. “Die, that Jesus may live!” Blumhardt looked around the situation of the congregation’s faith. On the one hand, their faith was consistent, diligent, and well-formed by training; on the other, their piety was selfish and dominated by self-centeredness, self-satisfaction, and self-righteousness. Like the Pharisees in the New Testament the congregation members more often than not judged, despised, and rejected the faith of other members by Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 119 the standard of their own righteousness. Blumhardt compared such a Pharisaic piety to a whitewash tomb, for it was possessed by self-righteousness. It had a form of piety and yet lacked the power of genuine piety. Namely, it was a frozen piety only with nutshells. Definitely, it was a dead faith. Blumhardt insisted that such a Pharisaic piety needed to be renewed by “self-denial.” Given the congregation repressed by the power of death, Blum- hardt “hurried and waited” for the reality of Jesus’ life (Lebenswirklich- keit), which had overcome the power of death through resurrection. The resurrection, however, had been possible only through the suffering and death on the cross. That means, if the church, currently dead in heroism and Pharisaic piety, were to overcome the power of death, she would have to deny herself for renewal. Blumhardt saw his contempo- rary church under the judgment of God for renewal. Once awakened to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Blumhardt sought to develop his father’s legacy, “Jesus is Victor!” by proclaiming that “Jesus is risen!” or “Die, that Jesus may live!” With this conviction his ministry focus moved from the church to the world, because Jesus was crucified in Golgotha out of city gate and rose by overcoming the power of dead at the very center of the world. Hence, Blumhardt went out to the world, which he regarded as the place of Jesus’ resurrection. At the same time he emphasized “a twofold repentance”: the first repentance from the world to the church and the second from the church to the world.

3. “Everyone is God’s Child!”: Period of Incarnation (1896-1906)

In his pursuit of renewal through self-denial, Blumhardt called all that needed self-denial, including greed, desire, and ambition, “flesh.” According to him, flesh was preventing God’s kingdom from growing in the world. At the same time, Blumhardt argued, Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead is the Word of God who became flesh (John 1:14). This twofold meaning of flesh led him to a dialectical understanding of it. The Word of God who became flesh in the world would purify or renew 120 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 the flesh of those who are dead in their sins. The essence of purification is forgiveness of sins. Those who are polluted by sins and suppressed by the power of death will be purified by forgiveness of sins and transformed into a new being. Hence, Blumhardt reinterpreted his father’s legacy (“Jesus is the Victor!”) in terms of incarnation. Christ, the one and only Son of God the Father in heaven, came to the world; this event of incarnation fill in the chasm between heaven and earth. Hence, he believed, we needed to proclaim “Jesus is Victor!” in the world of our everyday life in which Christ was incarnated. With this understanding of incarnation Blumhardt could overcome the dualistic pietism more effectively. Instead, he pursued “piety open to the world” and “piety in the world.” The latter did not mean piety coming out of the world, but one coming into the world from heaven. That is, piety should be practiced at the very center of the world. Thus Blumhardt’s ministry shifted drastically to the world. He searched for a form of ministry reflecting the Lord’s Prayer that “God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” As God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so looked Blumhardt into the social world with the same heart of God. At the same time he was convinced that Jesus’ victory (“Jesus is Victor!”) should be proclaimed not only within the church, but also in the social world at whose center Jesus rose again. At the end of the 19th century the German society was in the process of a great transformation related to industrialization. New social infrastructure—such as railroads, canals, and harbors—was construct- ed. A great population of agriculture moved to industrial cities where factories were built up. Compulsory education system was introduced in order to bring up industrial workers. The individualistic life style spread out in urban areas. Most industrial workers suffered from severe poverty. Their houses were shabby. In the face of an accident or illness they were helpless. Nothing was prepared for their old age. There was no labor union to which they could appeal their hardship. Not until 1870s began the discussion of their predicament among themselves. Indus- trial workers organized a union to speak out their own voices. Around this time a radical labor movement group, named Social Democratic Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 121

(Sozialdemokratie), was formed. (In 1891 it turned into a political party, SPD.) In this context social issue was identified with labor issue. In 1895 the average working hours of a factory worker were 9 hours 15 minutes to 11 hours. The average annual income of a worker belonging to labor union was DM (Deutsche Mark) 555.03. (At that time 1 kg beef costed DM 1.46.) Those workers with an average income suffered from severe economic difficulty. Industrialization brought about not only the social transformation, but also the transformation of people’s thought pattern and self- consciousness. The spread of individualism provoked suspicion of traditional customs of which church was an integral part. An increas- ing number of people felt uneasy with authoritarianism represented by church tradition. While enjoying the comfortable life enabled by the scientific and technological development, people expected further advancement of science and technology. Such expectation led to an optimistic hope for the future, which then turned to an ideology of development, which turned, at last, to a pseudo-religion displacing the traditional Christianity. Those living in urban areas became increasingly suspicious of the engagement between the church and the state, which had for a long time constituted the infrastructure of rule in the German society. They became suspicious of the state church tradition. As a consequent, the influence of the church within the German society gradually decreased. During this period a considerable number of registered members had left church (“the phenomenon of empty churches”). The number of Christians attending Sunday services had rapidly decreased. In a local church in Bayern, for example, the rate of participants in the Eucharist had decreased to 77% in 1967, to 62% in 1880, and to 43% in 1913. Similar trends were observed in most other congregations, if not in the same speed. The phenomenon was much more evident in urban areas than in rural areas. When the social transformation through industrialization and the subsequent phenomenon of empty churches came up to the discussion table in the Protestant (Lutheran) churches, the main issue was how to bring back to the church those living in urban areas. From 1870s Ger- man churches embarked on social service (diakonia) or social mission 122 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 in the name of “inner mission.”9 In Blumhardt’s view, social service (diakonia) was helpful but in- sufficient, for it could not provide the final solution to the fundamen- tal problems of the German society. The church’s relief work brought only a shallow satisfaction, lacking sincerity toward poor neighbors. At the same time Blumhardt criticized the government’s fiscal policy. The government was generous for military buildup, arts, scholarship, and church repairs, but very stingy toward the poor. Blumhardt insisted that the government’s financial investment should be urgently read- justed in order to make a peaceful community for all classes. He was also critical of the society’s ruling structure in which the church and the state were joined together as if they were one body. Blumhardt was particularly concerned with the labor union’s ac- cusation of the government for its one-sided social welfare policy and the unjust social reality. Representatives of the labor union cried out: “Where on earth is God? Was God put into prison by unjust rulers?” While reading Psalms 22 and 137, Blumhardt heard Jesus’ voice in their outcries. It was hard to find awakened believers within the church. Meanwhile, those workers belonging to the allegedly atheistic labor union cried out for human rights and justice. At that time church leaders were displeased with their collective actions and condemned them for their atheism. Blumhardt, however, believed that those workers were under the guidance of God, even though they were unaware of it. Now Blumhardt’s understanding of incarnation led him to action. In his desire to follow Jesus he crossed over the boundary of the church and entered the world which was glowing like a furnace. He came close to the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which was then accused by church leaders for its atheistic ideology. SPD criticized the state church system for its traditional customs, but affirmed Christians’ personal faith. Also, SPD criticized the German government’s diplomatic polity for combining both nationalism and imperialism; instead, it proposed to establish a global community for all nations. In June 1899 Blumhardt attended a workers’s rally in Göppingen.

9 The representative figures in diakonia were J. H. Wichern (1808-1881), H. Wag- ner (1815-1889), R. Todt (1839-1887), and A. Stoecker (1835-1919). Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 123

Workers were protesting against the Emperor Wilhelm II, because he denied them the right of collective actions. In this rally Blumhardt gave a speech, asking for a just social order of God’s kingdom. From then on he often gave speeches at workers’ gatherings, and later joined SPD. His membership in SPD was not for his political ambition, nor because of his full agreement to the party’s policy; it was only for the human rights of those outcrying workers. In this way he was following Christ, he believed. Yet, church authorities (Royal Ministry of Religions) were embarrassed by the fact that a pastor of the state church joined the party condemned as an atheistic, anti-church, and radical labor movement group. In November 1899 Blumhardt laid down his pastorship. When he joined SPD, Blumhardt hoped to transform the unjust social structure to a just one. His political vision was oriented toward “a world where everybody, with no exception, enjoys equal rights.” He spent most of his political life for the human rights and the peaceful community consisting of equal human beings. He was primarily concerned with improving workers’ economic condition and building a healthy social order. Blumhardt, nominated by SPD, became a candidate for the municipal election of Württemberg and was elected. He became a member of the municipal assembly in December 1900. From then on he began to proclaim “Jesus is Victor!” in the political realm. His political activities were broad enough to tackle with both local and international issues. For instance, he involved himself in such issues as railroad construc- tion, local agricultural policy, crop distribution system, and education system; moreover, while objecting to the German government’s protec- tive trade policy, he proposed an alternative international trade policy for a global community. His political goal was to witness to God’s kingdom that was coming to the earth. In this regard his political position often collided with that of his party colleagues. They expected him to represent the party’s interests. But Blumhardt had no idea of them, but pursued only the interests of God’s kingdom. Thus, his colleagues were often embarrassed by his unexpected actions that betrayed the party’s interests. Blumhardt experienced the same selfishness as among his congregation. As a member of the municipal assembly he worked for six years 124 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 and then retired from political life. His political goal which he envi- sioned at the beginning of his political life was left unaccomplished. Yet, his conviction that “Jesus is Victor!” was never shaken. Once retir- ing from political life he came back to Bad Boll.

4. “ God’s Kingdom Comes!”: The Period of Mature Eschatology (1906-1917)

Recalling his political activities for the past six years, Blumhardt told that he had been disturbed by his colleagues’ claim to fulfill their political goals even by employing violent means. He could not agree with them. He thought that violence comes out of hatred. Therefore, he insisted that a “revolution of God,” rather than a violent revolution, was in urgent need. According to him, the revolution of God would come from God; through it God would renew and set free the heart of men and women, and bring about a peaceful society. Thus, he asked his colleagues to imitate the mind of Christ who considered others better than himself (Phil. 2:3). Among them, however, he could not find any one who had the mind of Christ. Nonetheless, he did not give up his hope for the SPD. Even after his retirement Blumhardt retained his membership of the party. Even though he retired from party politics, Blumhardt kept his solidarity with the poor and the marginalized. He opened a kindergar- ten and looked after children of female factory workers. Appealing to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount—especially the Lord’s Prayer—he asked for a just social order renewed through forgiveness of sins. In his conviction that God’s kingdom would come from heaven into the world, he claimed that “God is in heaven, and humankind is on earth.” His understanding of God’s kingdom became increasingly eschatological, and his father’s legacy—“Jesus is Victor!”— was reinterpreted in terms of “God’s kingdom comes!.” On August 2, 1919, Blumhardt passed away. Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 125

III. Blumhardt’s Eschatology

1. “Jesus is Victor!” as the Sign of God’s Kingdom

Blumhardt’s eschatology derived from the idea that “Jesus is Vic- tor!,” which his father had realized at the end of his Möttlingen fight. In the fight the elderB lumhardt witnessed to a sign of God’s kingdom coming to the earth. The sign was an event of salvation that took place at the center of the world and revealed by forgiveness of sins and healing of the sick. 1) In the event of healing through prayer he experienced “the real approaching” of Jesus Christ, the Lord of God’s kingdom. Healing, often described as a miracle (Wunder), is not something strange and dubious, but “a natural event” enabled by the coming of Christ. 2) The gift of healing is grounded upon Jesus’ own healing as testified in the Gospels of the New Testament. The elder Blumhardt witnessed to the same healing event as Jesus’ at the Möttlingen community. This experience convinced him from an eschatological perspective that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). But many people around him refused to acknowledge the event, saying that such healing stories could be found only in the New Testament. Nonetheless, the elder Blumhardt believed the biblical events were still taking place even in his day, and emphasized that the God of the Bible is “a living God” who heals and sets free from diseases patients like Gottliebin. As regards the event of Gottliebin’s healing Karl Barth attempted several times to make theological interpretations of it.10 According to him, the so-called good fight at Möttlingen disclosed the reality of suffering, pain, and predicament of human beings living in the world, as well as God’s comfort, healing, and promise given to that reality. The most important thing was that at the Möttlingen fight the elder Blum- hardt was awakened to reality—at first the reality of God and then the reality of human suffering. Prior to recognizing the reality of human

10 Karl Barth, Die protestantische Theologie im 19. Jh., 4. Aufl., 588-97; Karl Barth, Kirchliche Dogmatik (hereafter KD) IV, 3/1 (Zürich: Theologischer Verlag, 1959), 188- 316. 126 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 suffering he was first awakened to the reality of Jesus who saves human beings. Even when faced with the reality of human suffering, he was first awakened to the promise and revelation of God who refuses such a reality and is filled with holy anger. Barth interpreted Gottliebin’s (in fact, Kathrina’s) outcry, “Jesus is Victor!,” as a revelatory event disclos- ing that God strongly rejects people’s resignation to accept their suffering as their fate. Moltmann too understood the outcry at Möttlingen—“Jesus is Vic- tor!”—as an event of God’s eschatological kingdom.11 He emphasized that Gottliebin’s healing had nothing to do with exorcism, magnetism, or magic. Healing refers to the coming of God’s whole salvation. In this sense it is a sign of the eschatological new creation taking place here and now. God’s salvation comprehends not just the so-called spiritual dimension, but also the human bodies and, even further, all the creatures in the world (salvation of all things). God’s salvation does not begin in the next world. It takes place here and now when evil powers are controlled, sins are forgiven, and resurrection lives are testified. In this way the kingdom of God comes to the earth (1 Thes. 5:8; Rom. 8:24).

2. Eschatology Based upon Cosmic Christology

In his theological interpretation of the outcry at Gottliebin’s healing—“Jesus is Victor!”—Christoph Blumhardt defined God’s kingdom as the reign of Christ who would renew all humankind as well as all things in the created world, including human body and the physical world.12 In this way Blumhardt’s eschatology is grounded upon cosmic

11 J. Moltmann, Der Weg Jesu Christi. Christologie in Messianischen Dimensionen (München: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1989), 127. cf. Kim Do-Hoon, “Sangtaehagjeog changjoron” (Ecological View of Creation), Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology 27 (2006), 105-134 (in Korean). 12 based upon these theological insights, Blumhardt pointed out the environmental pollution and ecological crisis caused by the industrialization of the 19th century German society: for instance, hailstorm, acid rain, etc. He discussed this issue in his exposition of the first three chapters of Genesis: Erbauliche Blicke in die ersten Blaetter der heiligen Schrift (1885). Here he compared God’s first creation with today’s ecological crisis and then emphasized that God’s reign would come to all the created world. Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 127

Christology. Blumhardt’s cosmic Christology derived from the reality of Jesus who destroyed the power of death and was resurrected from the dead. Since Christ was “bodily resurrected at the center of this world,” he believed, both the dualistic pietism and idealism of the nineteenth century, which disregarded the bodily realm, were too restricted in scope. He did not think of the resurrected body as an ordinary flesh, but as “a body of eternal life” grounded upon the resurrection of Christ (leib- liche Lebenswirklichkeit). For him, this world was not a valley filled with tears as pietists believed, but the place where the kingdom of God would come and the dead were raised (diesseitige Lebenswirklichke- ity). With the resurrection of Christ the history of resurrection began at the center of the world. Blumhardt identified that history with the reality of God’s kingdom coming to the earth. With this regard Blumhardt described the resurrected Christ as “the seed of life,” alluding to Jesus’ parable of the mustard seeds (Mat- thew 13). The kingdom of God began to bud with the resurrection of Christ and keeps growing in the world until it attains perfection. In the kingdom of God the resurrected Christ governs the hearts of men and women so that they may be born again to new humanity. The novelties of God’s kingdom, however, are not restrained in the realm of ideas and thoughts, but penetrate the concrete reality of history. In this sense God’s kingdom is always “in becoming” until its eschatological fulfillment. The foundation stone of this kingdom (“the living stone”) is Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead and is now living. Blumhardt described Jesus Christ as “the one who sows the seeds” (Säemann) of God’s kingdom. In his doctrine of reconciliation Barth affirmed what Blumhardt had witnessed to resurrection of Christ. The former developed his cosmic Christology by employing the latter’s phrase, “the one who sows the seeds” (Säemann).13 Describing Jesus as “the light of life,” Barth argued that the light, once shone through Christ’s resurrection, continues to shine until the final consummation of reconciliation.14 Reconciliation

13 PA IV, 150; K. Barth, KD IV, 3/1, 243. 14 K. Barth, KD IV, 3/1, 322f, 336, 340. 128 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 refers to an eschatological event at the end. Already in Jesus’ cross the end was proclaimed. From that time the history keeps moving toward the consummation. In the process Jesus’ resurrection is repeated as an eschatological event of reconciliation, now within the cosmic horizon. Blumhardt’s cosmic eschatology was both deepened and broad- ened by his understanding of incarnation. As “a man of God” (Got- tesmensch) the incarnate Jesus Christ was different from other human beings. Jesus was born to the world through Mary the Virgin by the power of the Spirit. In contrast to other people Jesus was sinless. How- ever, he came in the form of flesh which had committed sin, took upon himself humans’ sin and death, and was crucified. But Jesus did not succumb to the power of sin and death. Rather, he rose again from the dead, by which he demonstrated his victory over them. Jesus was among people, and yet different from them. Jesus is our brother, and yet different from us. Blumhardt understood Jesus of history in terms of his cosmic eschatology. “Jesus was born among Jews in Judea, but he was not a Jew. Jesus grew up within the tradition of Moses’ Law, but he was not a follower of the tradition.”15 That is, Jesus did not belong to a particular nation or religion, but to God. “I (Jesus) am free from my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters, the Temple, and my nation... I (Jesus) am neither a Jew, nor a Greek, nor a Roman.”16 On the ground of the Gospel of John, Blumhardt understood Jesus primarily as the Word become flesh. On the one hand, Jesus became a flesh and was born a Jew. On the other hand, Jesus became the same flesh as those of all other human beings. In this sense he was born a man of cosmic flesh. In brief, Jesus was a man of both a Jewish and a cosmic flesh. In other words, the incarnate Word of God is “the human form of God’s Word” (Menschheitswort Gottes). Jesus Christ has a organic relationship with all other human beings (Organismus der Menschheit). This understanding of incarnation encouraged Blumhardt to develop a cosmic Christology open to all humankind.17

15 PA III, 144. 16 Ibid. 17 blumhardt’s cosmic Christology contradicted the German anti-Semitic national- Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 129

Blumhardt’s cosmic Christology was extended not only to all humankind, but also to all creatures, including grass, trees, insects, animals, rocks, water, etc. This explains why he was so concerned with ecological and environmental issues. He conceived Jesus as the origin and fountain of every creaturely life. The order of life originates from Jesus’ person, through whom God restores the order created in the beginning. In this vein the incarnation of Jesus Christ refers to “the new creation.” When the first Adam belonged to God, the world was still a paradise. But ever since Adam’s sin and fall the world was no longer a paradise. With the incarnation of Jesus Christ who is the Son of God, however, the lost paradise was restored.18 Now in the person of Jesus Christ the created order began to transform into the new order of the new creation. According to Blumhardt, the power of life originates from Jesus as the origin and fountain of life and reaches all creatures, for the entire creation yearns for salvation, or eternal life, through him. He believed that every creature derives its respective form from the life of Jesus, which then marks the beginning of the new creation. With the new creation, in other words, the image of God is restored. “When Jesus’ life comes to a human being, that life manifests itself in the human form; when it comes to an animal, it manifests itself in the form of that animal; when it comes to a plant, it manifests itself in the form of that ism which was emerging in Germany at the end of the 19th century. It conflicted with “pastor patriotism” of many German Protestant pastors, as well as Stoecker’s nationalism and anti-Semitism. Meanwhile, Blumhardt’s theology of incarnation resonated with workers’ labor movement that were anti-Christian, anti-state, and oriented to a global community. L. Ragaz, deeply impressed by Blumhardt’s Christology, began the religious socialist movement in Swiss and in 1930s involved in rescuing Jews. In addition, Blum- hardt noted the limitation of the narrow, nationalistic, racist, Christianity-centered, Eu- ro-centered worldview of his time. Instead, he developed his eschatology on the basis of the cosmic universalism of the Bible. His cosmic Christology were broad enough to reach all humanity far beyond the Christian boundary. He proclaimed, “Lord Jesus approaches all human beings, beyond any particular religion or nation.” (PA III, 414). At the time he read classics and scriptures of other religions. For example, he read Schopenhauer and Hartmann’s studies of Buddhism and talked with a Buddhist monk who visited Bad Boll. Also, he read Mencius: The Chinese Socialism, translated in German by Chinese missionary E. Faber. 18 PA III, 35. 130 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 plant... In this way each creature attains the power of God’s life in its respective flesh.”19 This results in our belief in G“ od who is all in all.”20 Blumhardt saw the culmination of the new creation in the resurrection of Jesus Christ which put to an end the history of human sin and death (or the power of death). Ever since Adam’s fall no creature could avoid death. Every creature dies: this is a strict law. Every living creature in the world inevitably dies once it comes to its term. To repeat, no creature could avoid death. The law of death, however, was transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Christ transformed the flesh that could never avoid death to “a new body of life.” With the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ the history of death was put to an end and the new history of life started. The new history of life does not include only humanity but also the entire creation. The new history of resurrection now began and transformed the destiny of all things including humanity. Thus far human beings has been so repressed by the power of death that they have betrayed God’s will. With the resurrection of Christ, however, their bodies are born again and become the instruments (or vessels) of God. Those who are regenerated in this way understand and bring to practice God’s words. They endeavor to liberate nature, understood as God’s creation, from the power of death and move it to the new order of resurrection. Blumhardt stated, “Jesus’ resurrection transformed the history of death to that of life.”21 But the history of resurrection begins among passion and suffering at the moment which Blumhardt called “the time of birth” (Geburtszeit).22 Blumhardt was convinced that on the day when the history of resurrection is completed God’s created order will also reach its fulfillment. This is the time whenG od’s kingdom comes to the earth as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer. On the day of the completion of the resurrection history all people and all creatures—that is, God’s created community as a whole—will praise God with joy and thanksgiving. Until the day

19 PA III, 221. 20 AB I, 127. 21 PA III, 287. Cf. Karl Barth, KD IV, 3/1, 317-424, esp. 346. 22 PA IV, 153, 394ff. Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 131 the kingdom of God “continues to grow” (im Zustand des Werdens).

3. Revolution of God and the Eucharistic Community

Implied in Blumhardt’s motto “Jesus is Victor!,” Moltmann thought, is the hope for “reconciliation and restoration.”23 As Revelation 21:5 says (“Behold, I make all things anew!”), Blumhardt hoped that the final consummation of the world would result in the reconciliation of all human beings and the restoration of all things. In this light Blumhardt witnessed to the revolution of God in the turbulent period of the early twentieth century. The revolution of God is grounded upon and derived from God’s love, in contrast to the revolution of the world that overthrows the current world through hatred, violence, and war. According to Blumhardt, God’s revolution began with the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Through him God’s love was proclaimed to the world. In Jesus Christ God’s revolution took place as an event of restoration. Jesus healed the sick, strengthened the weak, and set free the suppressed. Jesus’ aim to restore life was fulfilled by his resurrection. Through resurrection from the dead Jesus Christ conquered the power of death and, as a consequent, “the reality of life” (Leben- swirklichkeit) began on earth. This reality of life became the seed for the subsequent history of life. Out of the reality of life all the living creatures are born again to the new life. The restoration of life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ brings peace to the world. The “Pax Romana,” often mistakenly identified with the world peace, was an alleged “peace” enabled by an oppres- sive power. The peace that the power of resurrection brings is different from one that is maintained by compulsion and oppression. The former lead us to a community of justice and peace grounded upon God’s love. Love does not come from humanity, but from God. Hence, our love of neighbors is our witness to God’s love that comes from above. Love of neighbors is not a charity or benevolent act out of human good will. As

23 J. Moltmann, “The Hope for the Kingdom of God and Signs of Hope in the World,” 15. 132 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3 the essence of Christian ethics it is “a response to God’s love.” Blumhardt described the new society emerging from God’s revolution metaphorically as “an eucharistic community.” According to him, the eucharistic community is the model of the new social order. “The bread and wine of the Eucharist,” Blumhardt thought, “is the symbol of the presence of Jesus Christ’s body.” Bread refers to Jesus’ flesh. “Just like” the bread we eat everyday, his flesh is torn to pieces. Wine refers to Jesus’ blood; “Just like” the wine we drink everyday, his blood is poured out. The bread we eat everyday is a food (material) produced from the earth (nature). We can sustain our bodily life by eating bread. However, bread cannot ensure our eternal life. Bread sustains our life only within a given period of time. Jesus’ saying that “I am the bread of life” (John 6:47-48) makes us think over the relation between time and eternity. The bread produced from the earth sustains our life, but only until the day of our death; the bread of life that Jesus gives us—that is, his person—ensures our eternal life. As Jesus himself declared, he is “the living bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:51). This bread is the source of human life as well as the foundation of the eucharistic community. When people sit around one table, eat the bread, and drink the wine, they communicate with God and take part in the eternal life. Those who participate in theE ucharist foretaste God’s life, which em- powers them to live in the world. As “the living bread that came from heaven,” in short, Jesus’ bread is different from the ordinary bread. Based on his conviction that Jesus Christ was bodily resurrected, Blumhardt understood the Eucharist from an eschatological perspective. Jesus Christ was bodily resurrected, and through the Spirit his body is present in the bread of the Eucharist. Therefore, those who eat the bread in the Eucharist take part in the resurrected body of Jesus Christ: this is an eschatological event. The life (person) of Jesus who was raised from the dead and is today living enables those who participate in the Eucharist to be born again to a new life (person). In this sense the event of Jesus’ cross and resurrection should not remain a past event only to be “remembered” and “celebrated,” for such an understanding of it may deny the divine power working in the Eucharist today. Since the life of Jesus who is still living is present in the bread and the wine of the Eucharist, those participants in the Eucharist may Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 133 experience his presence in it. Therefore, the Eucharist should not be repeated mechanically and meaninglessly, just as a water mill turns round and round The Eucharist is not something that can be communi- cated through doctrines or theories. The event of the living Jesus Christ should take place in the celebration of every Eucharist.24 Whenever we eat the bread and drink the wine in the Eucharist, the Spirit, as the Spirit of Jesus, works. Though the life (person) of Jesus Christ who was bodily resurrected is invisible and untouchable, one can recognize his body through the work of the Spirit. Those participants in the Eucharist die with the crucified Jesus and are raised with the resurrected Jesus. If an Eucharist lacked such a reality, it would degenerate into a liturgy only with an empty form. In order to make an eucharistic community we need an ethical decision and subsequent actions. While participating in the Eucharist, we decide to follow Jesus Christ who was crucified and bodily resurrected. It is a decision to witness to the life of resurrection experienced in the Eucharist. Then ethical practice is followed in everyday life. That is, we show our mercy on those who are hungry and thirsty. The ul- timate goal is “for all human beings to sit and eat around one table without any discrimination” (an einem Tisch in einer Klasse).25 This is what is meant by “the eucharistic community.” It is “a carefree community” (Sorgelosegesellschaft) in which everybody shares food, drink, anxiety, and grief, and takes care of one another. In this community the meaning of life lies in living and working together, rather than in money, possession, or material enjoyment. In such a world of peace and life grounded upon just distribution God’s love will blossom out like a flower. This is the eucharistic community Blumhardt proposed. He was convinced that such a community is made possible through the work of the Spirit.26

24 Chr. Blumhardt, Vertrauliche Blaetter aus Bad Boll (=BB, 1882-1888) Karwoche 1887, 37. 25 PA III, 388. 26 blumhardt was very critical of the capitalism of his days, because it led human beings to self-centered selfishness by making use of human greed. In the capitalist society dominated by Mammon people are always tempted to exploit others. For this rea- son Blumhardt argued that capitalism is “a dictator that dehumanizes human beings to 134 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3

IV. Conclusion

Thus far I have explored Blumhardt’s kingdom-of-God movement and his eschatology that influenced the theologian of hope, Jürgen Moltmann. I reconstructed his eschatology from my own viewpoint. The kingdom-of-God movement, which began with the healing of Got- tliebin, was God’s promise to renew the church and to transform the society. The promise testified by the outcry “Jesus is Victor!” was already fulfilled in the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With that fulfillment the reality of the life of resurrection, or the new creation of the new life, began. The reality of resurrection is still working and will continue to work until the reconciliation of all humankind and the restoration of all things. Inheriting his father’s awakening movement at Möttlingen, which had focused on forgiveness of sins and healing of the sick, Christoph Blumhardt further developed the kingdom-of-God movement at Bad Ball. He pursued a new social order of life, justice, and peace through labor movements and political activities. The reality of resurrection, demonstrated by “Jesus is Victor!,” is a precious legacy of the two Blum- hardts. Even today people confess “the possibility of impossibilities” and witness to the reality “in waiting and hurrying.”

slaves” to the most degree throughout the human history, and that capitalism is thus “an enemy of God as well as incompatible with the spirit of Jesus.” Christoph Blumhardt’s Eschatology and Kingdom-of-God Movement: Blumhardt’s Influence on Jürgen Moltmann, ‘the Theologian of Hope’ 135

Bibliography

Barth, Karl. Die protestantische Theologie im 19. Jh. 4. Aufl. Zürich: Theologischer Verlag, 1981. . Kirchliche Dogmatik(=KD) IV, 3/1. Zürich: Theologischer Verlag, 1959. Blumhardt, Fr. Christoph. Eine Auswahl aus seinen Predigten, Andachten und Schriften. Herausgegeben von R. Lejeune. 4 Bde. Erlenbach/ Zürich/ Leipzig: Rotapfel-Verlag, 1925-1937 (=PA). . Ansprachen, Predigten, Reden, Briefe: 1865-1917. 3 Bde. Heraus- gegeben von Harder, J. 2. Aufl. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukircher Verlag, 1982 (=AB). . Briefblaetter aus Bad Boll 1882-1888 (=BB, 1882-1888). Blumhardt, Johann Christoph. Der Kampf in Moettlingen. Herausgegeben von G. Schaefer. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1979. Bovet, Theodor. “Zur Heilungsgeschichte der Gottliebin Dittus,” in Der Kampf in Moet- tlingen, 1-29. Kim, Do-Hoon. “Sangtaehagjeog changjoron” [Ecological View of Creation]. Korea Presby- terian Journal of Theology 27 (2006), 105-34 (in Korean). Lejeune, Robert. “Die Erwartung des Reiches Gottes mit besonderer Beziehung auf den Sozialismus.” Die Botschaft vom Reiche Gottes. Ein religioes-soziales Bekenntnis. Zürich: Religiös-Soziale Vereinigung der Schweiz, 1933, 5-64. Lim, Hee-Kuk. ‘Jesus ist Sieger!’ bei Christioph Fr. Blumhardt. Keim einer kosmischen Chris- tologie. Bern: Peter Lang, 1996. Mattmueller, M. “Der EinflussB lumhardts auf schweizerische Theologen des 20. Jahrhun- derts.” In Religioeser Sozialismus, herausgegeben von Leonhard-Ragaz-Institut, O. J., 1-14. Darmstadt: Leonhard-Ragaz-Institut, 1986. Moltmann, Jürgen. Theologie der Hoffnung, Untersuchungen zur Begründung und zu den Konzequenzen einer christlichen Eschatologie. München: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1964. . Der Weg Jesu Christi. Christologie in messianischen Dimensionen. München: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1989. . “The Hope of the Kingdom of God and Signs of Hope in the World: The Relevance of Blumhartd°s Theology Today.” Pneuma 26-1 (Spring 2004), 4-16. 136 Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology Vol. 46 No. 3

한글 초록

‘희망의 신학자’ 몰트만에게 영향을 끼친 블룸하르트의 하나님 나라 운동과 종말론

임희국 장로회신학대학교 교수, 역사신학

이 글은 블룸하르트(Christoph Fr. Blumhardt)의 종말론과 그의 하나님나라 운동 을 살펴보는데 집중했다. 그의 신학사상은 몰트만(J. Moltmann)의 ‘희망의 신학’에 영 향을 끼쳤고, 또 그의 종말론은 아버지(Johann Chr. Blumhardt)의 “뫼틀링엔 선한 싸 움”으로 싹이 텄다. 이 선한 싸움에서 블룸하르트는 땅에 임하는 하나님 나라의 징표 (Zeichen)를 체험했다. 그 징표는 세상 한 복판에서 죄 용서와 질병 치유를 통해 드러난 구원사건이었다. 아버지와 아들 블룸하르트는 성경의 역사(사건)가 ‘오늘도 여전히’ 일 어나고 있음을 체험했기에, 성경의 하나님은 ‘살아 계신 하나님’이시며 환자를 질병에 서 치유하시고 자유케 하신다고 강조했다. 아들 블룸하르트는 치유사건을 신학적으로 파악하여 하나님 나라는 인간의 몸을 비롯한 모든 피조세계의 영역에서 만인과 만유가 갱신되는 예수 그리스도의 통치(Regiment)를 이룬다고 보았다. 이것이 우주적(cosmic) 그리스도론에 기초한 종말론이다. 그는 생명의 근원이자 원천인 예수에게서 발현하는 생명력이 모든 피조물에게 두루 미치고, 또 피조 세계가 그를 통해 생명의 구원에 이른 다고 선포했다. 이것이 새로운 창조의 시작이라고 그는 확신했다. 몰트만 또한 뫼틀링엔의 ‘예수 이겼네!’를 종말론적 하나님 나라의 사건으로 파악 했다. 질병 치유는 하나님의 구원이 통전적으로(ganzheitlich) 임하는 사건인바, 질병 치유는 지금 여기에서 이루어지는 ‘새로운 창조’의 종말론적 징표로 보았다. 하나님의 구원은 그러므로 소위 영적인 차원에서만 일어나는 것이 아니라 몸의 영역에서도 역사 하고, 한 걸음 더 나아가서 그 구원은 피조 세계의 모든 생명체에서 일어난다. 하나님 의 구원은 미래의 저 세상에서 비로소 시작된 것이 아니고 지금 여기에서 악의 세력을 제어하고, 죄용서의 사건이 일어나며, 부활 생명의 역사가 삶의 현장에서 일어나는 것 이며, 이를 통해서 하나님나라가 이루어져 가는 것이다(살전 5:8, 롬 8:24).

주제어

아버지 블룸하르트, 뫼틀링엔 선한 싸움, 아들 블룸하르트, 종말론, 희망의 신학자 몰트만

Date submitted: June 24, 2014; date evaluated: July 27, 2014; date confirmed: August 5, 2014.