Durham E-Theses Baptism in the theology of Martin Luther simper ES in Motu Et Initio Trigg, Jonathan D. How to cite: Trigg, Jonathan D. (1991) Baptism in the theology of Martin Luther simper ES in Motu Et Initio, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5878/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk BAPTISM IN THE THEOLOGY OF MARTIN LUTHER SEMPER ES IN MOTU ET INITIO Jonathan D. Trigg The thesis examines Luther's mature doctrine of baptism in the context of his wider thought. The study is centred upon the years after 1527 when, after the impact of the radical reformation had fully worked through, Luther's baptismal theology reached its final form, as regards content, balance of emphasis, and profile. A two-pronged approach to the material is adopted. Luther's formal baptismal doctrine is analysed according to the categories of the Greater Catechism (1529): baptism as word and water; what baptism accomplishes; baptism and faith; baptism's slgnificatia, and Klndertaufe. But it is argued that an examination of the formal baptismal theology needs to be complemented by an understanding of the dynamics of Luther's use of baptism and its place in his thought. This is supplied by an examination of Luther's handling of baptismal themes in a wide variety of contexts in the Lectures on Genesis (1535-45). The difficulties of relating the older Luther's sacramental theology of baptism to the central themes of his thought are posed. These problems are viewed from a number of angles: the continuity of Luther's baptismal doctrine over time is assessed, and the interplay between his view of baptism and a number of soteriological and ecclesiological themes discussed. Finally, Luther's baptismal doctrine is viewed against its sixteenth-century background. The 'present tense' of baptism emerges as crucial to Luther's understanding of it from 1520 onwards. This theme reflects Luther's theology of the means of grace; it is linked to his understanding of the shape of the Christian life, the nature of the Church, and the simul doctrine. When understood like this, Luther's baptismal theology, so far from being at odds with his doctrine of justification by faith, is a most powerful expression of it. - 1 - BAPTISM IN THE THEOLOGY OF" MARTIN LUTHER SEMPER ES IN NOTU ET INITIO JONATHAN DAVID TRIGG Submitted for the degree of Ph. D. UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM Department of Theology 1991 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. - 2 - 1 8 AUG 1992 TABLE OF COMTEMTS CHAPTER QME A CUCKOO IN THE WEST? Baptism in the Theology of Martin Luther 1. 1 INTRODUCTION 9 1. 1, 1 "A proper respect and a true appreciation" 9 1.1.2 Problems of Luther's baptismal theology in 11 its context 1.1.3 A twentieth-Century perspective 15 1.2 RECENT SCHOLARSHIP 18 1.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THE ARGUMENT 22 NOTES to Chapter 1 25 CHAPTER TWO BAPTISM AS THEOPHANY: The Lectures on Genesis (1535-1545) 2.1 INTRODUCTION 29 2.1. 1 A fertile source 29 2.1.2 A questionable source? 32 2. 1. 3 Method 36 2.2 SEEKING GOD WHERE HE WILLS TO BE FOUND: Baptism as Trysting Place 39 2.2. 1 The Means of Grace 40 2.2.2 Places where God is to be found 43 2.2.3 'Running to St. James' 45 2.2.4 The 'masks' of God 47 2.2.5 God concealed under his opposite 50 2.2.6 The struggle of faith 51 2.2.7 The 'Trysting Place' 53 2.3 GOD'S PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY IN BAPTISM 55 2.3.1 God, the Minister of Baptism 56 2.3.2 God's Speech: Baptism and Word 59 2. 3. 3 The Word of Promise 61 - 3 - CONTENTS 2.3.4 The Forgiveness of Sins 63 2.4 ENTERING THE COVENANT: Baptism and Circumcision 67 2.4.1 Baptism and Circumcision: Two 'Certain Places' 68 2.4.2 Circumcision and Baptism: Flesh and Spirit? 71 2. 4. 3 Baptism as Covenant 74 2.5 THE PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT: Baptism and the Church 76 2.5.1 Ecclesia Adae 77 2.5.2 The Two Churches 79 2.5.3 Separating the Two Churches: a porous boundary 81 2.5.4 The Church and the two Testaments: Luther and Church History 84 2.5.5 Excursus: The Exegesis of the Lectures 86 2.5.6 Church and Nation: Baptism and the Boundary of the Church 90 2. 6 CONCLUSION 94 NOTES to Chapter 2 97 CHAPTER THREE WATER EMBRACED IW THE WORD: The Baptismal Theology of the Older Luther 3.1 INTRODUCTION 109 3.1.1 Defining *TKe Order LlJtherr 111 3.1.2 Method 117 3.2 BAPTISM AND THE WORD 119 3.2. 1 The word joined to the water 120 3.2.2 Sacrament and Word 122 3.3.3 Keeping word and water together 124 3. 3. 4 Baptism and word in the Geneslsvorlesung 127 3.3 WHAT BAPTISM ACCOMPLISHES 131 3.3.1 Salvation through Baptism 131 3.3.2 Qualifying Luther's 'Baptismal Regeneration' doctrine 134 - 4 - CONTENTS 3.3. 3 The Indivisibility of Grace 137 3. 3. 4 What Baptism accomplishes: the Genesisvorlesung 138 3. 4 BAPTISM AND FAITH 140 3. 4. 1 A double principle 141 3. 4. 2 Fides Aliens 145 3.4.3 The Unselfconsciousness of Faith 147 3.4.4 Faith and Baptism in the Genesisvorlesung 151 3. 5 SIGNIFICATIO: Baptism as Death and Resurrection 155 3. 5. 1 Baptism as Drowning: the double Significatlo 156 3.5.2 Signiflcatio and the shape of the Christian life 158 3.5.3 Baptism as teglich kleld: the character of the Christian life 161 3.5.4 The Significatlo of Baptism in the Genesisvorlesung 162 3. 6 KINDERTA UFE 165 3.6.1 Defence (i): The Existence of the Church 167 3.6.2 Defences (ii) and (iii): Baptism's independence of faith and Fides Allena 169 3.6.3 Defence (iv): Fides Infantium 170 3. 6. 4 Kindertaufe in the Genesisvorlesung and Defence (v): The Covenant 172 •-3-6T5- Kindertaufe. the~Fbundation of the Defences 174 3. 7 CONCLUSION 177 NOTES to Chapter 3 180 CHAPTER FOUR REBOARDING AM ABANDONED SHIP: Baptism and the Reformation Struggle 4. 1 INTRODUCTION 191 4.1.1 The 'Early Luther' 192 4.1. 2 Excursus: The Durchbruch and the Turmerlebnis 195 4.1.3 Selection of Sources 198 - 5 - CONTENTS 4.2 DICTATA SUPER PSALTERIUM 1513-1515 200 4.2.1 Baptism in the Dictate 201 4. 2. 2 The Sacraments in the Dictata: (i) The Means of Grace 203 4.2.3 The Sacraments in the Dictata: (ii) Hiddenness and Weakness 207 4.2.4 Excursus: Accounting for the early Luther's 'Baptismal Reticence' 211 4.2.5 The Dictata: Baptism marginalised? 218 4.3 AFTER THE BREAKTHROUGH: Baptism 1519-20 224 4.3.1 De captivitate Babylonica Ecclesiae 225 4. 3. 2 The Holy and Blessed Sacrament of Baptism 228 4.3.3 A comparison with the Grosse:" Katechlsmus 232 4.3.4 Baptism and the Reformation Breakthrough 238 4.4 CONCLUSION 241 4.4.1 Continuity or Discontinuity? 241 4.4.2 Baptism and the Heart of the Gospel 245 NOTES to Chapter 4 248 CHAPTER FIVE SEMPER ES IM MOTU ET INITIO Baptism and the Christian Life 5. 1 INTRODUCTION 258 5.1.1 Luther's Baptismal Theology and its Context 258 5. 1.2 Method 259 5. 1. 3 Baptism and the Individual: The Points of Tension 261 5. 2 BAPTISM AND CONVERSION 264 5. 2. 1 Conversion The Background 265 5. 2. 2 Converslo and the early Luther 269 5. 2. 3 One converslo or many? 272 5. 2. 4 Progress beyond converslo? 275 5. 2. 5 Baptism and conversio: conclusion 277 - 6 - CONTENTS 5.3 THE 'SHAPE' OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 280 5.3. 1 Problems with the linear model 280 5.3.2 An alternative model? 284 5.3.3 Baptism and the shape of the Christian Life 286 5.4 CONCLUSION: 'Baptisatus sum' 288 NOTES to Chapter 5 290 CHAPTER SIX A CHURCH WITH WO BOUNDARIES? Baptism and Ecclesiology 6. 1 INTRODUCTION: Defining the Church 295 6. 1. 1 The marks of the Church: The Christological centre 297 6. 1.2 The marks of the Church: The undefined boundary 298 6.1.3 The hidden Church 302 6. 2 REDRAWING THE BOUNDARY? The Invisible Church and Its Alternatives 305 6.2.1 Eccleslola: A Church of the true fideles? 306 6.2.2 Excursus: The fideles, the medieval tradition and the Dictata 308 6.2.3 Separating the True Church from the False? 315 6.2.4 A Church without boundaries? 320 6.