Luthers Catechisms-4 SO Years Essays Commemorating the Small and Large Catechisms of 0[ Martin Luther Concordia Theological Seminary Fort W'!)'ne, Indiana 0[ David P Scaer, Editor Dr Robert D. Preus, Editor CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, IN DIANA 46825 Luther's Catechisms - 450 Years Essays Commemorating the Small and Large Catechisms of Dr. Martin Luther © 1979 Concordia Theological Seminary Press Fort Wayne, Indiana TABLE OF CONTENTS Notes on the Authors, Page ii Foreword, Page iii David P. Scaer Luther's Small Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism, Page 1 Ulrich Asendorf The Evangelical Character of Luther's Catechism, Page 8 Edward C. Fredrich The Layman's Bible: The Use of Luther's Catechisms in the German Late Reformation, Page 16 Robert Kolb Baptism and Faith according to Luther's Catechisms and other teachings, Page 27 Uuras Saarnivaara The New Translation of Luther's Small Catechism: Is it Faithful to Luther's Spirit?, Page 32 David P. Scaer The Large Catechism: A Pastoral Tool, Page 41 James L. Schaaf Forerunners of the Catechism: A view of Catechetical Instruction at the Dawn of the Reformation, Page 47 N. S. Tjernagel Luther's Use of Scripture in the Small Catechism, Page 55 James W. Voelz Early Christian Catechetics: An Historical and Theological Construction, Page 64 William C. Weinrich Notes, Page 74 NOTES ON THE AUTHORS Dr. Ulrich Asendorf is pastor in the Lutheran Church of Hannover and coordinator of the studies program at Ratzeburg. Professor E. C. Friedrich is professor of historical theology at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin. Dr. Robert A. Kolb is assistant professor of religion at Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Uuras Saarnivaara is dean of the Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary at Minneapolis, Minnesota and a lecturer in theology at Ryttyla, Finland. Dr. David P. Scaer is professor of systematic theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. James Schaff is associate professor of practical theology at Trinity Seminary, Columbus, Ohio. Dr. N. S. Tjernagel, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, serves as guest lecturer for Concordia Theological Seminary at its campus in St. Catherine, Ontario, Canada. Dr. James Voelz is assistant professor of Biblical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. William Weinrich is assistant professor of historical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. ii FOREWORD The years 1977, 1979, and 1980 are jubilee years the earliest writings among the historic Lutheran for Lutherans in which they can reflect on their Confessions though they were only fully confessional heritage in celebrating the anniver­ recognized as confessional after Luther's death. saries of the Formula of Concord (1577), the Since the Small Catechism is used chiefly in the Small and Large Catechisms (1529), the education of the youth, its theological depth and Augsburg Confession (1530), and the Book of profundity is not always fully appreciated. The Concord (1580). Of all of the specifically Lutheran essays offered at the symposium were given to Confessions none has been as influential as the highlight the theological importance of both Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther. Its words Catechisms and to awake a renewed interest in have been committed to memory by children in their theology and message. Participants in the preparation for confirmation and prayed by the symposium included clergymen from The dying. Its phrases have been recited from pulpits American Lutheran Church, The Lutheran to punctuate Biblical truth and incorporated in Church-Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Evangelical prayers and hymns as responses by worshipping Lutheran Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Christians. Luther's Small Catechism is the very Church of Finland (Lutheran) and the Church of material from which the devotional life of the Hannover (Lutheran). Concordia Theological Lutheran Church is constructed. Just as small Seminary, Fort Wayne, is grateful to all the children recite its words, theologians reflect upon participants for their essays and to Lutheran its concepts. In the history of western theological Brotherhood, a fraternal benefit society, for thought, it has earned its place as a milestone. In making their publication and distribution possible its articulation of the Lutheran faith it remains among a wider audience. unsurpassed in its 450-year history. David P. Scaer The Second Annual Symposium on the Editor Lutheran Confessions sponsored by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in January 1979 commemorated by its essays the 450th anniversary of both the Small and Large Catechisms of Dr. Luther. In point of time they are iii Luther's Small Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism - The Continuing Struggle: The Catechism's Role as a Confessional Document in Lutheranism by Ulrich Asendorf Before going into details, some fundamental Melanchthon to turn from Lutheranism to differences between the Book of Concord and the Calvinism. But he did this in his own way, Calvinistic Confessions should be mentioned. therefore the Heidelberg Catechism lacks certain There are two definite differences. First, the Book characteristics of Calvinism. This can be shown of Concord is the basis for Lutherans all over the on three points: a) the covenant is not mentioned; world, whereas the Calvinistic Confessions have b) its teaching of law is similar to the Lutheran their validity in certain regions. The other conception, as according to Questions 3 and 4, difference is the tendency of Calvinism to address the knowledge of man's misery comes from the confessions to new situations as they occur. law; and c) double predestination is not men­ Therefore there is a tendency in Calvinism tioned. Therefore to some extent the Heidelberg constantly to formulate new confessions, similar Catechism is nearer to the Lutheran traditions to the Barmen Confession of 1934, which than the normal type of Calvinistic confessions. nowadays is published as an appendix to the Nevertheless the Canons of Dort explicitly Heidelberg Catechism in some Calvinistic areas. approved the Heidelberg Catechism. Therefore An example is the small Calvinistic church in the Heidelberg Catechism is to be understood as Lippe. In Calvinism there is a tendency especially part of Melanchthonian tradition as a document of in unionistic German churches also to include the a German Calvinism, not of Geneva. It is a link Barmen Confession within the list of confessions. between Wittenberg and Geneva. Later on we shall have to discuss what that means especially Some other remarks concerning the history of in the modern situation. the Heidelberg Catechism should be mentioned. First, some information about its author. The Heidelberg Catechism was officially Zacharias Ursinus (1534-1583), born as a published in 1563 for the former electoral Lutheran in Breslau, was a Wittenberg student, principality of the Palatinate. The catechism was the first among the disciples of Philip taken over by the Dutch parishes on the lower Rhine and was later accepted by Calvinists in well as are the sections on the commandments Prussia, Moravia, Hungaria, Transylvania, Poland and conversion (Question 88). Here the com­ and South Africa. This was untypical of Calvinism mandments relate to death and resurrection of the which usually develops a special confession for old and new man. This seems to be similar to each region. The Heidelberg Catechism was also Luther's statement in the Small Catechism IV (4), accepted in the United States, and the 300th the drowning of the old Adam. In fact Luther anniversary of this occasion has been recently knows quite well that God's law has the function celebrated. The United Church of Christ, which to kill the old man until we attain the full was formed in 1957, also saw this catechism as righteousness on the day of judgment. important. 3. At first it seems that there is hardly a Here some remarks should be made in difference between the catechisms. But if you respect to unionism in the nineteenth century and look more carefully there are different presup­ the role played by the Calvinists. Calvin himself positions. Luther begins with the revelation of subscribed to the Augsburg Confession. God according to the First Commandment, Documents establishing unionism during the including both Law and Gospel. Luther's view is nineteenth century, as a rule, also referred to the theocentric. The Heidelberg Catechism on the Augsburg Confession, i.e. the Variata. The contrary is anthropocentric, as the first question Heidelberg Catechism presented dangers for the deals with man's misery. Lutherans as it in some respects deviates from the ordinary Calvinistic traditions and therefore This leads to another fundamental difference could subtly promote the tendency towards between Luther's Small Catechism and the unionism between Lutherans and the Reformed. Heidelberg Catechism. Luther combines the The Heidelberg Catechism represents the powers of destruction as law, conscience and Melanchthonian version of Calvinism and thus death on the one hand and Christ, Gospel and bears a Lutheran imprint. From here it was quite eternal life on the other. Luther deals with law in easy for Calvinists to offer themselves as true an extremely negative way. It destroys, leads to ecumenical Christians of the modern type. In their death and reveals sin. Luther teaches the wake come all sorts of confessional troubles. On predominant use of the Law as a mirror. For the other hand, it is understandable for strict Calvin the Third Use of the Law is the pre-eminent Calvinists to feel uneasy about losing their unique one, resulting in a tendency to legalism in confessional identity. At least in Europe the Calvinism as a whole. This is responsible for the Calvinists are more frequently in the minority than Puritan way of life. Stemming from this is are the Lutherans except in the Netherlands, Calvinism's inability to distinguish Law and Switzerland and Scotland. Gospel. The consequence is that the Gospel is falsified and turned to a new law.