Luther's Smalcald - Against Enthusiasm, II

Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles, VIII, Of Confession

5] All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. 6] Just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures? But of these matters there is not time now to dispute at greater length; we have elsewhere sufficiently urged this subject.

On the one hand - we have the Fuller disciples, with their notebooks, programs, books, and tapes from Pasadena and Willow Creek. On the other hand - we have the Romanists with their garments, incense, hardware (chalice), and choreography. Neither group can stop obsessing about their favorite topics, which are contrary to the revealed Word of God and yet so appealing to the emotions.

Rome is the not the antidote for the Church Growth Movement. Both represent the Enthusiasm condemned by Luther and by all who subscribe to the Book of Concord.