The Complete Timotheus Verinus - Northwestern Publishing House:
The Complete Timotheus Verinus
Author: Valentin Ernst Loescher
Translated into English for the first time, this an essential work for those studying the orthodox Lutheran response to Pietism. Author, Valentin Ernst Loescher (1673-1749), the most capable opponent to the Pietists, was moderate and patient during the bitter conflict that divided German Lutheran. The two parts of this book are his defense of Orthodoxy against the violent attacks of the Halle theologian. Part one -- systematic presentation of pietistic theology and Loescher's evaluation of it. Part two -- response to a Pietist refutation of Part one, and makes a plea for honesty in the judgments of embroiled theologians. In sum, these volumes represent the only complete and mature analysis of Pietism by someone who experienced it firsthand. Part One (1718) is translated by James L. Langebartels and Part Two (1721) by Robert J. Koester. Hardcover. Size, 8 5/8 x 11 1/4 inches. 488 pages. Published 1998.
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Catalog Item Number: OL-150594
'via Blog this'
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GJ - A reader can find many excellent arguments for UOJ - all from Halle University, the center of Pietism in Europe, the launching point of most synods in America: from the Muhlenberg tradition of the LCA to the contagious evangelism of Bishop Martin Stephan, STD.
Rambach, Knapp, and Schleiermacher are Halle leaders. The first baptism hymn in The Lutheran Hymnal is by Rambach.
However, the arguments against UOJ came from Wittenberg: Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz. The next round was the repudiation of Samuel Huber by the Wittenberg theologians, including P. Leyser, an editor of the Book of Concord.
Valentin Loescher is considered the last in a long line of orthodox Lutheran theologians. He was especially brilliant in his repudiation of Pietism. This volume reveals all the problems that are so prevalent today in the Pietistic Synodical Conference (tm) and its slightly more Leftist counterpart, ELCA. All the Lutheran sects in America promote the use of Pietist cell groups, which also marked the beginning of the LCMS.
From Wikipedia:
Valentin Ernst Löscher (born at
Sondershausen December 29, 1673; died at
DresdenDecember 12, 1749) was a German orthodox
Lutheran theologian.
At the
University of Wittenberg, where his father was professor of theology, he gave his attention mainly to philology and history, but out of respect to his father's wish he selected a theological subject for his master's dissertation, in which he opposed the
Pietistic position. Subsequent study at
Jena aroused his interest in
church history. During travels undertaken at this time he formed the acquaintance of a number of influential anti-Pietistic theologians. In 1696 he began to lecture at Wittenberg on the origin of
Deism and
Pietism. After serving as
superintendent at
Jüterbog (1698-1701) and
Delitzsch (1701-07) and professor of theology at
Wittenberg (1707-09), he became
pastor of the Kreuzkirche and superintendent in
Dresden. Here he remained the rest of his life. His practical duties here turned his attention more particularly to the needs of the Church. His
orthodoxy did not prevent him from admitting the truth of the claims of the
Pietists concerning the prevailing perfunctoriness of religious life, which he ascribed to the negligence of orthodox pastors. He at once took earnest measures to encourage a deeper spiritual life in the Church. He had already begun the publication of his
Unschuldige Nachrichten von alten und neuen theologischen Sachen(Wittenberg and Leipzig, 1701 sqq.), the first theological periodical. The comprehensive scope and able management of the magazine gave it great importance. Through it Löscher became the leader of the
orthodox party, as opposed to the Pietistic and naturalistic factions in the Lutheran Church, and the representative of scientific Lutheran theology.
In opposition to the proposal that Pietism should be considered the best means of promoting the union of the
Lutheran and the
Reformed Churches (advocated at the time by the Prussian Government), Löscher published several works, including
Ausführliche Historia motuum zwischen den Evangelisch-Lutherischen und Reformierten (3 parts, Frankfort, 1707-08). In the course of a controversy with the Pietist
Joachim Lange, Löscher defended orthodoxy in his
Praenotiones et notiones theologicae (Wittenberg, 1708). However, his most comprehensive criticism of Pietism appeared in his magazine under the title
Timotheus Verinus, in which work he held that the Pietists had a false conception of the relation between
pietyand religion and that their zeal for piety placed them in opposition to the doctrine of
justification by faith. The work inspired a bitter reply from his Pietistic opponents, which called forth from Löscher his greatest work,
Vollständiger Timotheus Verinus (2 parts, Wittenberg, 1718-22. Eng. transl., The Complete Timotheus Verinus 1998, Northwestern Publishing House). In this he discusses the origin and rapid development of Pietism and elaborates upon its evils. Nevertheless he was unable to check the advance of Pietism or even to pass a true judgment upon the real significance of the movement. The importance of Löscher's part in the Pietistic controversy was not fully recognized until the
return to Evangelical doctrine in the nineteenth century.
Löscher took an active part also in the controversy which at that time was being waged against the
Roman Catholic Church in Dresden and contributed a number of studies to that cause, notably his
Vollständige Reformations-Akta und Documenta (3 vols., Leipzig, 1720-29). He also opposed
Wolff's system of philosophy, claiming that "philosophical indifferentism" portended a revolution in Christianity.
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GJ - Every Lutheran pastor should have this in his or her library. Every congregational library should have a worn copy.
If your pastor does not have a copy, buy him one. If the congregational library is long on cast-offs and short on good books, start beefing it up and promoting it.
Sure signs of Pietists in your midst:
- Drag a $100 bill on a string through a group of pastors. The ones that follow are Pietistic unionists: they always keep their eyes on the money. God cannot do this without lots and lots of money, which they pocket.
- Check out which congregations organize and promote cell groups, small groups, Bible babes, whatever they call cells at their particular hive. They are Pietists.
- Observe which congregations hide the Sacraments. Holy Communion may be observed mid-week, to keep the non-Lutherans from being miffed. The baptismal font just gets in the way of the pit band, so that is moved away too.
- Note which Lutheran denominations favor cell groups. They are Pietistic and unionistic.
