Concordia Theological Monthly

CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Heirs of the Reformation in the Pulpit GRAE:ME M. ROSENAU Bedeutung und Eigenart der Lutherbibel HEINZ BLUHM Theology as Habitus Practicus Theosdotos: a Lutheran Emphasis HENRY J. EGGOLD Brief Studies Homiletics Theological Observer Book Review VOL. xxxm Oaober 1962 No. 10 I THEOLOGICAAL OBSERVER RUDOLF BULTMANN'S CONCEPT mann actually do when he reduces the Chris OF REVELATION tian fact to a mere inner acceptance of the Under this heading the Catholic Biblical kerygma . .? He performs toward Christ Quarterly (July 1962) presents what seems an inner movement of an essentially mythical character, transforming into terms, which to us a keen and correct analysis of Bult mann's doctrine of revelation. In his criticism are outwardly Christian, a spiritual attitude of Bultmann's teaching Father Cahill writes which is more Hindu and archaic than inter alia: "What appears as the primary Christian. He makes the inner presence of problem posed by Bultmann's concept of the Christian message in human conscious" a Word encountering man and offering him ness a substitute for the objective love of the actual possibility of a new 'existential' God for man in Christ. .. It is all a Chris self-understanding is that Christ, his cross tianized myth." The whole article deserves and resurrection seem thereby to become only careful reading, but the few quoted state a symbol. Though Bultmann does not deny ments stress the salient characteristics of the historical reality of Christ's life and Bultmann's basic aberration from the Chris- death ( the resurrection is quite another ti~1!1 !fl'th. JOHN THEODORE MUELLER matter), divine significance is achieved only ' f h COMPARISON AND CONTP~'\.ST t hroug h man s acceptance 0 t e preached Word. At best, events of the past are linked Under this heading H. H. Rowley, emeri with the present preached Word in a very tus professor of Hebrew, University of heterogeneous external alliance. The Manchester, England, gives in Interpretcttion object of faith for Bultmann is a challenging, (July 1962) his verdict on the Qumran demanding Word proclaiming birth, death, scrolls. After a careful examination of d~e and resurrection. This birth, death, and scrolls he sums up his findings as follo~s resurrection is not a series of historical (quoted in part): "All in all, therefore, 'the events which have a reality independent of debt of th~ church to Qumran was not man's inner acceptance. Rather, inner accept- a great one. To say this is not in any way ance constitutes Eschatological Occurrence to depreciate the Qumran sect .... But an [the revelation of God]. What constitutes the links between the sect and the church the birth of Christ? The new life of man. that can survive examination are superficial What constitutes the cross of Christ? Man's and riot fundamental, and in particular the actual death to the standards of this world. theology of the sect is poles asunder ftom What constitutes the resurrection? Man's Christian theology. In its teaching there' is resurrection from his unauthentic exist- nothing comparable with the place of Jesus ence. That Christ's life, death, and in Christian thought. It has been supposed resurrection are reduced to symbols . .. that the Teacher of Righteousness was cruci becomes clearer when we turn to the resur- fied and that he was expected to rise again rection which, in Bultmann's system, is not as the Messiah. The crucifixion of the a real theological and historical event, but Teacher is nowhere mentioned in any of simply a projection of the Christian com- the scrolls. There is a reference to the 'lion munity to interpret the cross ... a preached of wrath' who crucified men, and it is as resurrection symbolizes the resurrection de- sumed that this means the crucifixion, of manded of man. What then does Bult- eight hundred Pharisees by Alexander Jane 617 618 THEOLOGICAL OBSERVER naeus. By a curious stretch of imagination June 12 the opinion that "the opportunities it is then assumed without the slightest evi for Christian renewal in the Evangelical dence that Janneaus went to Qumran and churches are greater in northern Europe crucified the Teacher of Righteousness. Of than anywhere else in the world. The re the expected resurrection of the Teacher there sources are tremendous - economic prosper is once more no clear evidence, though more ity, a great theological tradition, a favorable than half a century ago it was claimed that attitude on the part of the state, a nearby an obscure text in the Zadokite Work ex threat from atheist Communism, and a fun pressed this expectation.... In the New damentally religious people," the 47-year Testament the crucifixion of Jesus does not old Congregationalist minister said. have to be imaginatively created by a twen Nevertheless, "the dominating cultural tieth-century author, and his resurrection is and economic pattern seems to be the quest not something that is referred to in a single for creature comforts. In the modern wel obscure text. In all the discussion of the fare state, the means of life have become scrolls there has been too much reading of the goals." the New Testament into the Qumran texts, The NCCC official advocated "an active thus creating an illusory similarity where program of stewardship and evangelism" to none appears, while at the same time eyes overcome the weakness in congregational have been closed to patent differences. life which he saw in the Lutheran churches A more objective study of the scrolls and of northern Europe. He cited four evidences the New Testament ... recognizes the gulf of such weakness: that separates the thought and practice of The gap between the proportion of the the New Testament church from that of population that is baptized, confirmed, mar Qumran." JOHN THEODORE MUELLER ried and buried by the church and that which regularly attends congregational worship. BRIEF ITEMS FROM THE The tax system of church support, by which "the citizen gets as much as he wants NATIONAL LUTHERAN COUNCIL from the church, and for little cost - he is Vienna. - A non-Lutheran stewardship satisfied to have the church there when he expert told a Lutheran Wodd Federation needs it, like the fire department." "The congregation as the Christian com commission here that the churches of north munity where ethical ideals are shared, dis ern Europe were failing to make the best ciplines enforced, and wayward people helped use of the resources at their disposal. For seems to have disappeared." this reason, "it seems by no means certain An "easy-going and condescending" anti clericalism by which "the pastor is often that there will be a Christian renewal in thought of as an educated museum-keeper, northern Europe in our time," said Dr. T. K. learned but not expected to contribute much Thompson of New York, a staff officer of to present-day problems." the National Council of the Churches of Dr. Thompson contended that "many per Christ. sons and organizations (in the north Euro Dr. Thompson, director of the NCCC De pean churches) do not want a renewal of partment of Stewardship and Benevolence, the congregation, at least in its present form." is completing a nine-month department Among them he named: assigned study of the European churches' Pastors who, not being dependent on their stewardship attitudes and theology, as well congregations for support, "are satisfied with as their financial practices. their present situation," which calls for read ing, preaching, performing ministerial acts, . He expressed to the LWF Commission visiting the sick and bereaved, but otherwise on Stewardship and Congregational Life on no personal attention to their parishioners. THEOLOGICAL OBSERVER 619 Mission society executives who "see their gested "for the purpose of stimulating dis-. position threatened" and "are by no means cuss ion" that children be permitted to receive willing to join a stewardship movement communion at the age of ten years. The which would put some 'super-church' organ ization between them and their constituents." commission further proposed that confirma Government officials who "take pride in tion should no longer be regarded as neces the fact that some portion of the tax monies sary for admission to holy communion, go to support the church" and take "a sort a radical departure from the present Lu of whimsical delight" in exercising "some theran requirement that members must be element of control" over it. Lay academy leaders, whose movement confirmed before receiving the Lord's "must be regarded as partly a protest against Supper. clerical domination of the formal church." The commission also urged that the age Leaders of various kinds of religious for confirmation be raised to the completion groups, such as mission societies, prayer of grade eleven, the equivalent of the junior groups, and fund-raising efforts, which "are reluctant to surrender any of their organ year in high school. This would mean that izational strength or functions to a more children would be confirmed at from 14 to dynamic central church." 16 years rather than from 12 to 14. The Lay people who, remembering "the spectre most common practice in Lutheran churches of the Roman Catholic Church with its in is to confirm at the end of grade eight or quisitions and pretensions to all temporal and spiritual power, ... would rather see a dis nine after a IT/O-y<:,,;: course of catecheti..:a! organized church with a multiplicity of instruction. church and religious g.roups than a well In its 3,OOO-word report, the commission organized church with an integrated system of missions and benevolences." pointed out that the practice of the Christian church concerning holy communion has been Detroit, Mich.

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