Contemporary Confessional Commitment: a Models-Based Approach with a Particular Focus on Global South Lutheranism
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Concordia Seminary - Saint Louis Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Concordia Seminary Scholarship 2-1-2020 Contemporary Confessional Commitment: A Models-Based Approach with a Particular Focus on Global South Lutheranism Roberto Bustamante Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.csl.edu/phd Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Bustamante, Roberto, "Contemporary Confessional Commitment: A Models-Based Approach with a Particular Focus on Global South Lutheranism" (2020). Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation. 78. https://scholar.csl.edu/phd/78 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Concordia Seminary Scholarship at Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CONTEMPORARY CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT: A MODELS-BASED APPROACH WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON GLOBAL SOUTH LUTHERANISM A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Department of Systematic Theology in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Roberto E. Bustamante February, 2020 Approved by: Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. Dissertation Advisor Dr. Charles P. Arand Reader Dr. Gerhard Bode Reader © 2020 by Roberto Enrique Bustamante. All rights reserved. ii I dedicate this work to my beloved wife and children, Eunice Amancay, Tobías, and Ana Selene. iii CONTENTS FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................... x TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... xii ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................... xiv ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ xvi CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND ..................................................................................... 2 Shifts in the Discussion Regarding the Lutheran Confessions .................................... 2 Current Lack of Clear Definitions ............................................................................... 9 The Lutheran Confessions in Latin America ............................................................. 11 THE THESIS ...................................................................................................................... 20 PURPOSE AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 20 The Notion of Confessional Commitment ................................................................. 21 The Strategy of a Models-Based Approach ............................................................... 27 Outline of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... 31 Expected Outcomes ................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................................... 34 THREE MODELS OF CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT ............................................ 34 INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS ..................................................................................... 34 MODEL ONE: CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT AS DIVINE CONVERSATION ... 37 Articulation of Model One......................................................................................... 38 iv First Dimension: Socialization and Alliance .................................................... 38 Second Dimension: Narrative and Belief ......................................................... 38 Third Dimension: Experience ........................................................................... 41 Forth Dimension: Action .................................................................................. 42 Main Source of the Root Metaphor: Robert Kolb’s Depiction of Martin Luther’s God as a Conversational Person ........................................................................................ 43 MODEL TWO: CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT AS A FORM OF LIFE IN THE WORLD .............................................................................................................................. 49 Articulation of Model Two ........................................................................................ 50 First Dimension: Socialization and Alliance .................................................... 50 Second Dimension: Narrative and Belief ......................................................... 50 Third Dimension: Experience ........................................................................... 54 Fourth Dimension: Action ................................................................................ 55 Main Source of the Root Metaphor: George A. Lindbeck’s Cultural-Linguistic ...... 55 Understanding of the Church ..................................................................................... 55 MODEL THREE: CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT AS ORTHODOX DYNAMICS 62 Articulation of Model Three ...................................................................................... 64 First Dimension: Socialization and Alliance .................................................... 64 Second Dimension: Narrative and Belief ......................................................... 64 Third Dimension: Experience ........................................................................... 68 Forth Dimension: Action .................................................................................. 68 Main Source of the Root Metaphor: Jaroslav Pelikan’s Articulation of the History of Christian Doctrine ...................................................................................................... 69 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 72 CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 73 v LATIN AMERICAN CASE STUDIES ............................................................................. 73 SOURCES OF LATIN AMERICAN LUTHERANISM ................................................... 73 Igreja Luterana .......................................................................................................... 74 Revista Teológica....................................................................................................... 80 LATIN AMERICAN CASE STUDIES ............................................................................. 87 Case Study One: Eclipse of Fides Quae? .................................................................. 88 Case Study Two: Contextual Demand of Translating the Faith ................................ 93 Case Study Three: How to Revitalize Pastoral Counseling..................................... 100 Case Study Four: In Search of the Proper Place of the Priesthood ......................... 105 Case Study Five: The Menace of Local Independentism ........................................ 111 Case Study Six: Theory and Praxis in Tension ....................................................... 116 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 122 CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................................... 123 TESTING MODEL ONE: CONFESSIONAL COMMITMENT AS DIVINE CONVERSATION ........................................................................................................... 123 GENERAL INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS ON CHAPTERS FOUR THROUGH SIX .......................................................................................................................................... 123 INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS ON CHAPTER FOUR.............................................. 124 Categorical Definition of the Discussion of Case Study Two ................................. 125 General Overview of Current Translation Theoretical Discussion ......................... 127 Some Further Theoretical Aspects........................................................................... 129 WHAT MODEL ONE DOES WITH THE CASE STUDY IN QUESTION................... 132 Relevance of the Discussion .................................................................................... 132 Boundaries of the Discussion .................................................................................. 133 vi Place and Role of the Lutheran Confessions ........................................................... 139 The Lutheran Confessions Illuminating the Discussion .........................................