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What Is Lutheran? What Is Lutheran? In the 21st century, Lutheran theology takes place on a Florian Hübner | Henrike Müller (Eds.) global level. Just as the Lutheran communion has spread into all parts of the world, so also theology is now practised in a variety of linguistic and cultural contexts. For this reason, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), in cooperation with the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation, is starting a series of English translations of current VELKD publications. What is Lutheran? What is Lutheran? The fi rst volume contains fi ve texts by well-known German theologians on core topics of the Lutheran Introductions to Theology, Worship, Church: Theology (Michael Roth), Worship (Christian Congregation, Ecumenism and Church Law Lehnert), Congregations (Martin Kumlehn), Ecumenism (Bernd Oberdorfer) and Church Law (Hendrik Munsonius). ISBN 978-3-374-05913-3 Lutheran Theology: German Perspectives and Positions EUR 20,00 [D] Lutheran_Theology_Bd-1-Umschlag.indd 1 13.09.19 14:42 What is Lutheran? Lutheran Theology German Perspectives and Positions Vol.1 What is Lutheran? Lutheran Theology, Worship, Church Law, Congregations, Ecumenism in brief Published on behalf of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD) with the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF) by Henrike Müller und Florian Hübner Translated by Neville Williamson Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 by Evangelische Verlagsanstalt GmbH · Leipzig Printed in Germany This work, including all of its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use beyond the strict limits of copyright law without the permisson of the publishing house is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming, and storage or processing of the entire content or parts thereof in electronic systems. This book is printed on ageing resistant paper. Cover: Kai-Michael Gustmann, Leipzig Typesetting: Steffi Glauche, Leipzig Printing and Binding: Hubert & Co., Göttingen ISBN 978-3-374-05913-3 www.eva-leipzig.de Foreword In the 21st century, Lutheran theology is globalised theology. Just as the Lutheran communion has spread into all parts of the world, so too is theology now practised in a variety of lin- guistic and cultural contexts. International theological ex- change and transcultural learning are therefore of decisive sig- nificance for a worldwide church. For this reason, after the Reformation anniversary in 2017, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), together with the German National Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (GNC/LWF), has initiated a new series of books in English, the first volume of which you are holding in your hand. These texts were originally published in German and have now been translated into English. The texts and opin- ions originating from the German-speaking context are in- tended to be a contribution to theological exchange and the re- flection of Lutheran theology beyond national and language boundaries. In this way, the articles do not claim universal va- lidity, but represent one voice among many in the concert of world Christianity. The series begins with a collection of five texts published in 2017/2018 by the VELKD in German as booklets in connection with the 500th anniversary and commemoration of the Refor- mation. Five core themes of Protestant theology and the church are presented from a Lutheran perspective and published to- gether here for the first time in one volume: »Given for You. Lutheran Theology« (Michael Roth), »Descent and Ascent. On Lutheran Worship« (Christian Lehnert), »Church for the Peo- 5 ple. Guidelines for Protestant Parish Work« (Martin Kumlehn), »Fellowship in Practice. Ecumenism from a Lutheran Perspec- tive« (Bernd Oberdorfer) and »The Church and Its Law« (Hen- drik Munsonius). The texts are short and compact, as were the original VELKD booklets in a handy pocket format, combining theological reflection with easy-to-understand information. They are suitable not only for theologians from university, church and parish background, but also for interested lay peo- ple. Since the individual booklets were written by different au- thors, they each have a particular style and approach to the topic concerned. We hope that these texts will offer an international reader- ship interesting, stimulating and theologically well-founded in- sights into these central subjects. For the Lutheran churches in Germany, this book also indicates how important it is that they are embedded in the worldwide context of ecumenism, and particularly Lutheranism. Hanover/Schwerin, October 2018 Gerhard Ulrich, Presiding Bishop of the VELKD and Chairperson of the GNC/LWF 6 Table of Contents Michael Roth Given for you: Lutheran Theology 1. Introduction: A booklet on accounting for faith . 11 2. Faith in practice . 15 3. The object of faith: sinful humans and the justifying God. 30 4. Freed into the present – life and action in faith. 46 Christian Lehnert Descent and Ascent: On Lutheran Worship 1. An exotic metaphor to start with. 63 2. »The former ascends, and the latter descends«. 64 3. The form of the Mass. 65 4. The opening . 66 5. Kyrie eleison. 68 6. Glory to God in the highest . 69 7. The Collect of the Day . 70 8. The readings . 73 9. The creed spoken together . 77 10. Intercessions and collections. 80 11. Holy Communion. 82 12. The river and the banks: the sermon . 90 13. The blessing . 92 14. The language of a church service . 93 15. Music in worship . 97 7 16. »A moment now here and then gone« . 98 17. In conclusion: Luther’s ribald language. 100 Martin Kumlehn Church for the People: Guidelines for Protestant Parish Work 1. Welcome! . 101 2. How it all began – on the road with Jesus . 102 3. Community of the baptised . 106 4. Plurality of local church forms. 109 5. Institution of freedom – turning points of the Reformation . 111 6. Religion in practice. 115 7. Lively diversity – diverse participation. 116 8. Occasional church . 119 9. Church as a resource for the religious interpretation of life . 123 10. Church as a companion . 127 11. Church and social media . 129 12. Free – and free of charge . 130 Bernd Oberdorfer Fellowship in Practice: Ecumenism from a Lutheran Perspective 1. Introduction . 132 2. Unity and diversity – a historical overview . 134 3. The ecumenical movement . 140 4. The search for doctrinal consensus . 144 5. What is ecumenism? . 150 8 6. Denominational perspectives on church unity . 153 7. Ecumenical models for the unity of the church. 157 8. Aspects of the cultivation of ecumenical connections . 159 9. Outlook: A post-ecumenical age?. 169 10. Literature . 170 Hendrik Munsonius The Church and Its Law: An Introduction 1. Why is law necessary? . 172 2. Church activity. 173 3. Law . 174 4. Church law . 177 5. Persons . 183 6. Structures. 190 7. Procedures . 199 8. Literature . 203 9 Michael Roth Given for You Lutheran Theology 1. Introduction: A booklet on accounting for faith A comeback for religion? To some contemporaries, religion seems to be a relic of old, pre-scientific and pre-enlightened times, something that should by rights have no place in the modern world. Therefore, even a few years ago, the so-called theory of secularisation was the centre of heated debate, claiming that religion will disap- pear from the modern, secular world. It forecast that it was only a question of time before religion would disappear com- pletely from the modern world. This picture has changed significantly in the last few years. From a range of different perspectives it has been pointed out that the resurgence of religion in modern culture clearly shows that religion also has its legitimate place there. »Comeback of religion« is the slogan often employed. In his world-famous book »The Clash of Civilizations« the Harvard political scientist Samuel P.Huntington wrote: »In the modern world, religion plays a central, perhaps even the central role that motivates and mobilizes people.« In the meanwhile, terms used are »respiritualisation« (Matthias Horx), »de-secularisation« (Peter L. Berger) or a »post-secular society« (Jürgen Habermas). 11 But what is religion? Now it is possible to be sceptical in welcoming the renaissance of religion, or at least be cautious about measuring all such phenomena prematurely with the same yardstick. Even if we agree that a there is real evidence of a renaissance of religion, that does not necessarily mean that religion and modernity are compatible. It could be that anti-modern forces are rearing their heads for the last time before disappearing completely, in a last major offensive before surrendering. Religion could also be the shadow of reason, the monster produced by the »Sleep of Reason« in the painting by Francisco de Goya. And there is another question. What about other trends which are also de- scribed by sociologists, the ones that relativize the renaissance of religion, such as the progressively increasing secularisation and a habitual atheism that is no longer militant, but lives a life without God as a matter of course without feeling that any- thing is missing? Above all, when speaking of the »comeback of religion«, one should look closely into the phenomena which are all subsumed under the label of »religion«. What ex- actly is enjoying a comeback? Does it warrant the title of »reli- gion« or should it be classified as diffuse religiosity in distinc- tion to religion as such? Can one say that lighting a joss stick is really equivalent to a trusting confidence which lasts a life- time? To speak of transcendental energies or a cosmic spirit, or to take part in a religious event like the »Kirchentag« or World Youth Day, can that already be the foundation of daily religious practice? 12 Educated religion? The phenomenon of »resurgence of religion« leads to another issue, namely the resurgence of fundamentalist forms of reli- gion.
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