Concerning Emil Brunner Paul H. Jewett Among those few theological thinkers the debate when he published an article on that dominate the contemporary scene, the fall of Adam which appeared in a re probably none commands a wider hearing ligious paper sponsored by the Reformed than Emil Brunner. Dr. Brunner lectures church of German Switzerland.* An old to crowded halls of students in Switzer school liberal, Kohler argued the story of land's largest university, the University of the fall has as its purpose the explanation Zurich. Of medium stature, with silver of phenomena of experience naturally in gray hair and a brisk step, he enters the triguing to the primitive mind, as, why the room clad in the inevitable dark suit, notes snakes have no legs, why thistles grow, in hand. As the door slams behind him, the why women have pain at childbirth, why babel of languages�the Swiss themselves people wear clothes, etc. The myth of the speak fifty languages when their dialects fall never played any significant role in are counted, and Brunner's classes are in the religion of the Old Testament or in ternational gatherings�ceases and the Judaism even down to the time of Jesus. little professor mounts to the podium amid It came into its own with Paul, for whom the stomping of approving feet and the lec it is not only history, but along with the ture begins. death of Christ, the most important event in The fall is no mere A great deal has been written not only history. speculation for Paul. Adam is not a of hu by Brunner, but also about him. For all simply type Rather, for him, the fall of Adam that, for many American students of theo manity. is one of two foci of the of the sal logy, there still attaches confusion to the ellipse vation event. If one cancel it Paul's en question of just what Brunner believes. out, tire structure falls to the This situation may no doubt be attributed ground. (Kohler is thinking of course of Paul's federal the in part to the fact that many of the sources ology in Romans The same are in German. A much more significant 5.) applies, mutatis mutandis, to the Reformers. He is factor, however, is the very complexity of therefore thankful that he can see in Paul- the new theology. In this article we shall inism one of in the illustrate what we mean, concerning our only many attempts New Testament to the work selves with a special problem, the fall of bring saving of Jesus to him who is eager for salvation. man, as this problem took shape in a con Brunner to troversy between Ludwig Kohler, a pro replied this article in a sub fessor of Old Testament, and Emil Brun sequent number of the same paper.' He ner. complained of the irreverent manner in Though this discussion transpired in which Kohler had handled the Genesis narrative as it were 1926, only two years after Brunner had though a fairy tale. stepped into the front ranks of theological Kohler, he affirmed, was virtually joking controversy with the firing of his first big away a thought-entity that had had a fun ma damental in the of the faith gun. Die Mystik und das Wort,' the place thought terial is harmonious with his latest of the greatest spiritual leaders of the from thoughts on this very crucial matter. West, Augustine to Pascal and Prof. Brunner's on the Kohler, colleague *Ludwig Kohler, "Die Geschichte vom Siinden- theological faculty of Zurich, precipitated fall," Kirchenblatt fur die reformierte Sckweie. (July 8, 1926), 105 ff. 'Tiibingen, 1924. Translated as Mysticism and �Emil Brunner, "Die Erde Dreht Sich, Eine the Word. Erwiderung," op. cii.. (July 22, 1926), 113 ff. 48 PAUL H. JEWETT Soren Kierkegaard. As for his part, Brun this, but on the contrary, the most extra ner was happy to take the lowest seat with ordinary blindness not to see it." (114) the novices around the large table, at the Brunner catches up Kohler's statement head of which sat Paul, the great teacher, that no Old Testament scholar of repute who instructed mankind this concerning would today defend the history of the fall, of the Fall as history concerning something and rejoins that in the "region in which which involves all in a most urgent way. Genesis 3 and Romans 5 move, the pro But then comes the remarkable sidestepp fessional Old Testament scholar as such ing. Brunner to read the account proceeds has nothing to seek." "Precisely because in Genesis 3 and even existentially, goes the narrative clearly has the character of on to say that was the way Paul and the a myth, therefore it is not in the area in Reformers read it. "They (viz., Paul and which the historian as such is competent." the Reformers) speak of the status inte- "If the believer meant by the fall some griatis, where death and sin were not, and thing which took place on the plane of salvation where death and sin will no more time-space events which are accessible to be .... It is this condition so completely the historian, he would, to be sure, as has other than what we know" with which they often been the case, fall into a conflict with are concerned" "Hence are (p. 115). they science." (pp. 115-116) speaking of that which lies before the his Kohler to to Brunner torical world begins this side of the primal proceeded reply but that all of Brunner s state as the result of the fall. �" (115). Like briefly,* pointedly, acute dialectic did not wise the revelation in Christ and the second alter the simple fact that for Paul the fall as well as the sub coming of Christ are the suspension of that sequent of man were his which followed upon the fall (p. 114). history straight tory. Paul knew nothing of the dimension This is held to be the meaning with al difference between primal history and Paul, as well as with the Reformers, of this time-space history. A pastor, P. Marti, "myth." Hence it is not a matter of "some threw his hat into the ring with the ob thing historical," but of the fatal beginn servation that it would take gnostic illu ing and the glorious overcoming of his mination not to see that for Paul, creation, tory through the mercy and power of God. fall, the reign of sin and death, the law, The writer of Genesis, then, is answering Christ and the restoration all occur on the a truly existential question, the question of same time-space plane." the origin of our present historical exis This forced tence in distinction to the primeval state Brunner in a final rebuttal to face a bit more which was created good by God. The an squarely." All this swer which the writer of the fall narrative harangue, said he, about the fact that the fall was for Paul historical was gives to the question of our present his beside the torical existence is entirely different from point. That objection was valid only a- the anything found in philosophy or religion. gainst verbal-inspij-ation view. Un for the as It is because man disobeyed God, wished doubtedly Jehovist, well as for Paul and the to be as God to know good and evil, that Reformers, the fall was we now sustain all the miseries of this life something which really happened 4000 and death itself. An historical event is not years ago. That is to say, the form given reported here (Genesis 3) but here the the idea of the fall is that of an "histori "event" which first caused history, ,viz. cal occurrence." No doubt Paul when he of heaven and the heavenlies our sinful history, laden with the curse spoke thought in terms of the and death, to begin before the gates of three-story structure of is of in a childlike and paradise, spoken *L. Kohler, "Replik," op. cit., (Aug. 5, 1926), simple way. This says Brunner, is by far 121 ff. "P. "Und Sie Sich the profoundest insight we have into the Marti, bewegt Doch, Eine Antwort," op. cit., (Aug. 12, 1926), 125 flF. ground riddle of our existence. "It re �E. Brunner, "Duplik," op. cii., (Sept. 9, 1926), quires no allegorical exegetical art to see 141 ff. CONCERNING EMIL BRUNNER 49 Babylonian cosmology, as did everyone in if he conceived of the fall as an event antiquity. Must we then abandon the idea within time-space history? But what could of heaven? Brunner even waxes prophetic. be worse than not thinking at all times By the year 3000 our present world view existentially ? will be as outmoded as that of the ancients For another thing, one cannot but admire now is. in a way, the facile movement of Brunner's Yet no one can give expression to the thought, by which he moves from the thoughts of his faith without involvement time-space framework to that which lies in his view of the universe. What can be beyond. It would help if we all could have said of Paul and his Babylonian astronomy this mental dexterity. Then we could avoid such as what kind of an event will prove true of Copernicus and Darwin.' questions it be that does not occur in time and The tension of Brunner's yes-no dialectic might comes to focus when he proclaims. space. Paul's doctrine is: At a given time and in a given place, the first man com Just as it is vital to me that a heaven exists� mitted a sinful act of transgression against the heaven of which Paul in of the speaks, spite the will of God.