Required Reading from Northwestern Publishing House

The Complete Timotheus Verinus is still being sold. Pastor Langebartels translated this volume and the one below. This book is called the last one of the period of Lutheran Orthodoxy. The accounts show how divisive Pietism was. NPH and Langebartels both deserve great credit for their work.

I hope this is the same Schmid who published a collection of the Lutheran dogmaticians, once standard reading in WELS and in The ALC. If you want to study Pietism, this would be the first volume to get. If you want a black belt in Pietism, buy both books, about $40 each.

Our favorite Jewish physician was amused by the term Orthodox Lutheran. He said with a smile, "Do you eat kosher?" I said, "No, I read kosher."

If you want to separate the sheep from the goats in the Lutheran church, ask the individual what books are being read on a regular basis. Lutherans will say, besides the Bible, Luther, the Book of Concord, Chemnitz.

The Church and Change leaders never read those books. They always read Sweet, Stetzer, and the rest of the Enthusiasts. One WELS pastor gave Barna's The Frog in the Kettle to a member to read. The theme of that book is - how to change the congregation without anyone noticing it, like boiling a frog slowly, step by step.

***


Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant is being sold again by Northwestern Publishing House. I ran into that looking for Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure, which seems to be out of print.

CLP is available free as a PDF download from Lulu.com.

Hoenecke's UOJ Section - Dogmatics

Adolph Hoenecke was trained at Halle, under Tholuck, and became the theologian of the Wisconsin Synod. Wisconsin began as a Pietistic, unionistic sect with Reformed members catered to in various congregations.
The Reformed never really left. Now they control The Love Shack through Church and Change.

Mrs. Ichabod, who is well trained in German literature, has pointed out that the German word General in General Justification means "each and every one." That harmonizes with those quotations from the Synodical Conference where every single person on earth--and those in Hell--have the status of guilt-free saints. WELS apologists like to say that some go too far in their UOJ statements, but that is a poor defense for false doctrine.

My fellow students, now that we have studied the progress of Pietism at Halle, where Hoenecke studied under Tholuck, and having stared in wonder at Bengel's concept of the blood of Christ, let us turn to Hoenecke himself. For clarity I have put the quotations he has cited in bold print:

Translation - Adolph Hoenecke, Dogmatik, III, p. 354-5

“Justification is an activity of God, which takes place in a different time and manner for each individual sinner. But there is also a general justification which came upon all men, in the time of—and indeed, in—Christ’s passion and resurrection (Romans 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 4:25). Our dogmaticians have not written much in particular about this general justification, but have made only occasional mention of it. For example Gerhard (Loci, l.c. XXXIII, p. 31):

‘It must be noted that Christ concurred most capably with our justification under three headings:
1) meritoriously, he himself obtained the grace of justification with his own most holy and perfect merit.
2) effectively, not only did he free us from sin, death and the Devil, and acquire for us the righteousness which avails before God, but he also offers that good, precious grace acquired so dearly in the word of the Gospel and applies it through faith.
3) Formally, in its application, for we are justified by no other thing before God than by the righteousness acquired by Christ and imputed to us through faith:’

Gerhard again (Annotations on the Epistle to the Romans, Jena Edition, 1666, p. 156):

‘By His resurrection [God] absolved Him, since our sins had been imputed to Him, and also in the same manner absolved us in Him, so that in this way the resurrection of Christ may be both the cause and the complete guarantee of our justification.’

Gerhard again (Theological Disputations, Jena Edition, 1655, XX, p. 1450.):

‘Because we have been absolved from our sins in the resurrection of Christ, so they cannot condemn us any more in judgment before God.’

And Ph. D. Burk* (Rechtfertigung und Versicherung, p. 41) rightly said:

‘The difference between general justification and the more common usage of the term justification can be expressed as follows. The latter takes place precisely upon the appropriation of the former.’

An emphasis upon general justification is necessary in order to safeguard the material content of the Gospel.

We need furnish no extraordinary proof in regard to the justification of the individual sinner; let us suffice with the story of the publican. Justification takes place in the one who appeals to the grace of God, but it does not take place in the Pharisee. And the entirety of Scripture demonstrates that he who believes is always justified; this applies to every individual, the moment that faith is kindled in him.”

***

*Burk was Bengel's son-in-law. Burk worked closed with Bengel, edited and expanded his work, and published extensively on his own.

WELS-ELS-LCMS Will Complete the Journey to Rationalism, Thanks to Pietism

Babtist Ed Stetzer left congregational work and is no longer a pastor, so the conservative Lutherans pay him for his wisdom.


The journey began with Pietism and ended with bad spelling - dicipleship (sic). I am glad Stetzer copyrighted his chart. Does he mention the efficacious Word? Buehler, Buehler, anyone?


Becoming Missional, the new rage, means designing church for those who hate church and find real worship boring. In other words, we need more members who are just like the pastors.

The Wisconsin and Missouri sects, with the Little Sect on the Prairie, would have to repudiate Pietism in order to escape their doom as organizations.

Pietism removes the emphasis on the objective Word of God, making the focus individual and subjective.

Pietism makes everyone feel superior. All three synods regard joining the other (almost identical) synods as a ghastly sin, second only to criticizing Holy Mother Synod. All three synods make DNA the only requirement for leadership.


"Zee cabbage does not run away from zee corn-beef."

Pietism eases the road to pan-denominational unionism and total doctrinal apathy. The old Synodical Conference was born in Pietism, flirted with Lutheran doctrine, and now pursues every denomination with the energy and persistence of Pepe Le'Pew.

First they sought out ELCA apostate Martin Marty and sat at his feet. Then Roman Catholic priests of various lifestyles, from straight to gayer-than-lavender-hose. Next, Leonard Sweet, recently beamed down from the Starship Enterprise. Andy Stanley - loved him in Drive 08. Finally, in the fulness of time, Missouri and WELS have each booked Ed Stetzer for 2009.

Pietism teaches that everyone in the world has already been declared righteous. Yes, even the residents of Hell are guilt-free saints.

The Little Sect, Wisconsin, and Missouri will never repudiate the substance of Pietism because the pastors and members are weaned on it, even if some critical remarks are made from time to time. Pietism makes it easy to work with ELCA, the Church of Rome, and the Babtist-Pentecostals.

J. A. Bengel's Pivotal Connection with UOJ - His Daughter

Johann Albrecht Bengel, 1687-1752, second only to Spener in Pietism's influence, laid the groundwork for Semler's rejection of God's Word.

Anyone interested in Universal Objective Justification (God declaring, in His grace, without the Means of Grace, that the entire world is forgiven but not really forgiven) needs to know about J. A. Bengel, the radical Pietist.

Bengel's daughter married Philip David Burk, who worked closely with his father-in-law on the Gnomon. Burk also published extensively, his works in German still available in various libraries. As far as I can tell, Burk is the first theologian to support justification without faith (UOJ).

Hoenecke:
And Ph. D. Burk (Rechtfertigung und Versicherung, p. 41) rightly said:

"The difference between general justification and the more common usage of the term justification can be expressed as follows. The latter takes place precisely upon the appropriation of the former." Adolph Hoenecke, Dogmatik, III, p. 354-5


Burk, Philip David, a Protestant theologian of Germany, was born July 26, 1714, at Neu Ren. He studied at Tubingen, was in 1742 pastor nt Bolheitn, and in 1750 at Hcdelfingen, near Stuttgard. In 1758 he was appointed superintendent at Markt-Groningen, and in 1766 he was called for the same position to Kirchheim, where he died, March 22, 1770. He is the author of fïnowmn in Dundecini Prophetus Minores (Heilbronn, 1753), with a Preface by his father-in-law, the famous J. A. Dengcl: — Gnomon Psalinorum (Stuttgard, 1760): — Knuigelischer Fingerzeig auf den wahren Verstand und heilsamen Gebrauch der geirohnlichen Sonn-Fest-itml Feiertäglichen Kvangflien, etc. (Leipsic and Tübingen, 1760-67, 7 vols.) -.—Die Lehre rnn der Reehljerttyiiiig und decen GeiciJtshfit im Jlerzen und Geirissen des Sünden, etc. (Stuttgard, 1763-65, 7 pts.). Sec Winer, Handbuch der then!. Lit. i, 99; During, Die gelehrten Theologen Deutschlands, i, 208 sq. (Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature by John McClintock)

Otto Heick has an interesting paragraph in his History of Christian Thought, volume II. (Heick was my Christology professor at Waterloo Seminary. He often took Mrs. Ichabod and me to supper.)

"Johann Albrecht Bengel spent much time and effort to unlock the mystery of the Book of Revelation. He toyed with the idea of a 'restoration of all.' He also developed in detail a doctrine of the blood of Christ. The body of Christ, he taught, was totally drained of blood on the cross. In the resurrection it was not reunited with the body , but is retained in heaven as the precious ransom of man's sin. In the act of justification the believer is sprinkled in a mysterious manner with the blood of Christ and thus cleansed from his sin. This emphasis on the blood of the Savior played a very important part in the theology of Zinzendorf." (Heick, II, p. 25)

Bengel is pivotal because his creative approach to theology opened the doors to inventing additional theories of justification and a rationalistic approach to the Scriptures. (Read more about Semler below.)

I am only speculating at the moment, but I can see a direct connection between Bengel's blood theory, which is pure Enthusiasm, and his son-in-law's quoted statement in Hoenecke, which is also Enthusiasm. Bengel's version seems to be an allegory of OJ (blood in heaven) and SJ (given to believers). I can only find advocates for UOJ among the Pietists, Universalists, and Methodists (English Pietists).

Here is a description of Bengel from a doctoral student at Trinity Divinity School in Deerfield. The student's words carry great weight because WELS is in fellowship with Trinity.

To have Bengel on your side as a critic of inerrancy is to have a "heavy hitter" in the history of the Christian church. Although he is now largely confined to a passing comment in discussions of the history of textual criticism, Bengel has been described as a leading figure in the history of Lutheran theology-comparable to Martin Luther, J. C. K. von Hofmann, and Adolf Schlatter.7 he has been described as "the exegete of pietism"8 and even "the most important exegete since Calvin."9 In fact, although he is readily recognized as the father of modern textual criticism,10 Helmbold claims that he is also the father of modern scientific exegesis, modern eschatological study, and even the father of those seeking unity among Evangelicals.11

Whether or not one agrees with these estimations (Helmbold's claims, in particular, seem rather generous), Bengel can hardly be dismissed as an "uncritical" pietist with a simplistic faith and little intellectual ability. In addition to a master's degree in philosophy and an honorary doctorate from the University of Tubingen, he published work on the accents of the Hebrew Bible, Spinoza, new editions of classical and patristic texts, the history and methods of textual criticism, a harmony of the Gospels, a history of interpretation and commentary on the book of Revelation, and a study of biblical chronology and salvation history (Ordo Temporum). Bengel also spent twenty-eight years in leadership of the preparatory school at Denkendorf preparing students for the University of Tübingen and ordination for the Lutheran ministry.12

* Alan Thompson is a Ph.D. candidate at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2065 Half Day Road, Deerfield, IL 60015.

Also:

"Burk, 1763. Philip David Burk, Joannis Alberti Bengelii Apparatus Criticus ad Novum Testamentum, criseos sacrae compendium, limam, supplementum, ac fructum exhibens. Cura Philippi Davidis Burkii. Tubingae, 1763.

This is a greatly enlarged and corrected edition of Bengel's Apparatus Criticus (see Bengel 1734). Burk, who was the son-in-law of Bengel, reprints in a lengthy appendix (329 pages) fourteen short works written by Bengel to introduce, explain and defend his method."

---


Johann Salamo Semler, 1725-1791, Halle Professor, rejected the inspiration of the Scriptures

Semler founded the historical-critical method of studying the Scriptures. He produced 171 works during his lifetime (according to Tholuck). Controversy only made him more famous. He is a footnote in history now, but he continued the work of Bengel and remains a hero to the apostates of today.

Halle quickly changed from being a center of Pietism to being the womb of Rationalism. The second wave of Pietists, Knapp and Tholuck, were in the minority at the school. Knapp and Tholuck owed more to Rationalism than to Spener's Pietism, but they were respected for believing something rather than nothing.