The Confessing Movement. Keynote address presented at the 2015 ACC Annual Conference, Adelaide.

Transcription

1 1 The Confessing Movement Keynote address presented at the 2015 ACC Annual Conference, Adelaide. * Understanding the historical context in which confessions take place is crucial to deciding if dissent is justified. In a church that now regards dissent from the dogma of 'unity in diversity' as heretical, intolerant and unloving, we need to be reminded of the importance of dissent in the life of our forbears. As Revd Dr Ian Breward says, 'Our dissenting and separatist heritage has faded in popular memory, so that those who speak of conscientious separation from the Uniting Church are seen as underminers of unity.' 1 It is generally agreed that Western societies are undergoing seismic shifts in the two traditions, Judeo-Christian and Pagan-Humanist, which until recently largely shaped our beliefs, morality, customs, laws and culture. As public dissent from these traditions has gathered pace, Christians who dissent from the new order, and are said to be on 'the wrong side of history,' are increasingly treated with contempt. The speed with which this has happened has created a severe crisis of hope and provoked the urgent question of what it means to exercise Christian vocation in a society that is post-modern, post- Christian, neo-pagan, nihilistic. Our world is post-modern because the ability of reason to establish universal principles of knowledge in science, morality and religion has been undermined by the dogma of relativism and the hermeneutics of suspicion whereby all claims to know the truth are treated as opinions or as a grab for power. Our world is post-christian in the sense that faith in the transcendent love of God has become inaccessible. The Christian categories of creation, salvation, redemption, are treated as curious museum pieces by one dimensional man who lives in a closed world where all that counts is what is immediately relevant. Our world is neo-pagan in the sense that faith is found in the self. Pagans believe that spiritual knowledge unfolds from within ourselves.' 2 As the new spirituality attests, It is achieving this connection with the deeper level of the Divine Self within us all which is the root of our Paganism. 3 Our world is nihilistic in the sense that 'no-thing' is ultimate, except the certainty that it is so. Unlike anarchic forms of nihilism which seek to destroy the social fabric through violent political action, we are experiencing 'nihilism with a happy face' 4 which nevertheless masks a totalitarian will to power. 1 'Unity and Dissent: An Historical Perspective', in The Other Side of 84: Homosexuality and the UCA, Proceedings of a Conference of The Reforming Alliance within the UCA, 2004, pp V. Crowley, Principles of Paganism p 7 3 Ibid p 9 4 M. Novak, The Templeton Address, 1994

2 2 In 1951 Jewish philosopher M. Buber wrote that Eclipse of the light of heaven, eclipse of God such indeed is the character of the historic hour through which the world is passing. 5 Pope JP II spoke of a culture of death 6 in which human life and dignity are sacrificed on the altar of moral relativism, self-indulgence and political opportunism. L. Newbigin noted that 'The result {of secularization} is not, as we once imagined, a secular society. It is a pagan society, and its paganism, having been born out of the rejection of Christianity, is far more resistant to the gospel than the pre-christian paganism with which cross-cultural missions have been familiar. Here, surely, is the most challenging missionary frontier of our time. 7 Unless a confessing movement discerns the 'principalities and powers' that underlie popular public issues, it will be side-tracked by less important ecclesial concerns. This is evident in the Theological Declaration of Barmen, 8 which opposed the Third Reich. * The reasons for the Barmen Declaration, and the form of its confession, are relevant for us. Note: On 23 July 1933 a new German Evangelical Church or 'German Christians' as they became known, was formed under the leadership of Bishop Muller and organised around the 'Fuhrer principle' and racial doctrines. In 1935 it advocated the inclusion of the Aryan, anti-jewish, requirement for church office and the abolition of the Old Testament. Early in 1934 Karl Barth, Prof of Systematic Theology at Bonn University, refused to open lectures with the newly instituted requirement by the Minister of Cultural Affairs to use the 'Hitler salute.' On 23 January Barth was 'a highly undesirable guest at an assembly of church leaders and theologians which was to make preparations for Hitler's reception of seven representatives from each of the two church camps two days later. He insisted that "We have different beliefs, different spirits and a different God." 9 As long as representatives of the German Christian cause 'continue to drown the Word of God by the voice of a stranger,' thus showing that it is 'false and rotten to the core,' one must say 'No!.' To the horror and anger of the other theologians, some of whom asked him to withdraw his remark and show 'some Christian love,' Barth emphatically rejected the proposed memorandum as 'heretical.' 'Anything else would not be love.' 10 5 Eclipse of God, p 23 6.Evangelium Vitae It is the enemy of the 'culture of life' which is dignified by the incarnation. 7 Foolishness to the Greeks, p 20 8 Joint confession of the Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church attended by representatives of Lutheran, Reformed and United churches at Barmen May The Synod of Berlin-Dahlem, 30 October 1934, declared itself the true evangelical church in Germany, a decision that later caused division in the confessing church, which refused the oath of allegiance to Hitler. 9 Gottes Wille und unser Wunsche in Theologische Existenz heute, 4 cited in E. Busch, Karl Barth: His life from letters and autobiographical texts, 1976, p 242. Note: Distinction between God's 'purpose' and our 'wishes/desires/wants' 10 Ibid p 243

3 In 1936, amid the clash between the German Christians and the Confessing Church, Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on 'The Nature of the True Church.' 11 In words that jar our sensibilities, which are accustomed to diverse forms of spirituality within and beyond Christian denominations, he said 'Outside the church there is no salvation' (extra ecclesiam nulla salus) 'The question of church membership is the question of salvation. The boundaries of the church are the boundaries of salvation. Whoever knowingly cuts himself off from the Confessing Church in Germany cuts himself off from salvation. That is the recognition which has always forced itself upon the true church. That is its humble confession. Whoever separates the question of the Confessing Church from the question of his own salvation does not understand that the struggle of the Confessing Church is the struggle for his own salvation.' 13 Noting that the issue is 'tear(ing) the Confessing Church apart from within at this moment,' because passing judgment on 'the good Christians on the other side' is 'intolerably pharisaic,' he points out that recognising the boundaries of the church is 'the work of love towards men by honouring the truth.' 14 In contrast, the German Lutheran scholar H. Sasse, who was opposed to Hitler and later taught at Luther Seminary in Adelaide, nevertheless insisted that neither Barmen nor the Confessing Church had binding authority because they weren't specifically approved by a Lutheran Synod. He described the Confessing Church shaped by Barth, Bonhoeffer et al as 'a sect, the worst sect in fact ever to have set foot on the soil of German Protestantism.' 15 According to A. Cochrane, Sasse's overriding concern to preserve the 'formal allegiance' to the Lutheran Confession and institution blinded him to the 'urgency of the hour.' Since orthodox belief is no guarantee against heresy, '(h)is attitude to a confession was literalistic and legalistic, wooden and unimaginative.' 16 * What can we learn from the German Confessing Church struggle against 'principalities and powers'? The Barmen Declaration 17 is a re-affirmation of faith in the Word of God revealed through the Holy Spirit and a repudiation of idolatry and false doctrine. It rejects the charge of being unpatriotic or schismatic. It calls on congregations to test the spirits according to Scripture and the historic confessions; to resist temptation and fear; and to be encouraged in faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Bound together in unity by 'the confession of the one Lord of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church,' the signatories identified the 'threat' posed by the 'German Christians' through the intrusion of 'alien principles.' 11 The Way to Freedom, pp Ibid, pp Ibid, pp In 1936 he insists that 'Whoever separates himself from the Confessing Church in Germany, separates himself from salvation' (GS II, p 238 trans. Eberhard Bethge, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography London: Collins 1967/1970, p 430) H. Gollwitzer underlines the volitional aspect of Bonhoeffer's critique on p Ibid p Others called Bonhoeffer a legalist, an enthusiast and a Romanist. Ibid p A.C. Cochrane, The Church's Confession Under Hitler, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1962, p See A.C. Cochrane, Ibid pp

4 4 Much more is at stake than 'agreeing to disagree' on orthodox points of theology. If these alien principles are held to be 'valid,' then 'the Church ceases to be the Church.' It is apostate. It is not enough, however, to write a confession. A confessing movement cannot remain 'silent' but must speak the truth and expose falsehood. Inevitably, it will divide the Church and the community. Thus: As Jesus Christ is the one Word of God attested in Holy Scripture, the claim that 'other events and powers, figures and truths are also sources of God's revelation' must be rejected. As he is 'God's assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins' and 'God's mighty claim on our whole life,' the claim that other areas of life belong to other 'lords/leaders' or 'prevailing ideologies and political convictions,' must be rejected. The structure of the declaration is instructive. Every 'Yes' entails a 'No.' As Cochrane points out, 'Hitler had no objections to Christians who confessed that Jesus is Lord; but he was enraged when they confessed that Jesus is Lord and Hitler is not. To spare them the anathema would be neither loving nor truthful. Obviously the anathema ought not to be exercised rashly or self-righteously. But if we do not have the confidence to say, 'We condemn,' if we still want to indulge in innocuous, sweet-sounding affirmations that can neither give offence nor engender strong loyalties then it is a sure sign that we are not ready to confess at all.' 18 Whilst Barmen acknowledges the divinely-appointed purposes of Church and State, it condemns both the totalitarian State (which assumes the Church's vocation) and the compliant Church (which becomes an 'organ of the State'). Neither are proper objects of Christian faith. 19 It is wrong, therefore, as Cochrane notes, for us to think that their Church struggle was a struggle for religious liberty in a totalitarian State. 20 The Barmen Declaration was a summons to the Church to be the Church, to fulfil her calling as servants of the One Lord, and to resist the tyranny of an idolatrous and inhuman State.... * Before trying to discern the relevance of Barmen and the Confessing Church to our situation, we must face critics who fiercely reject the comparison of confessing movements which have arisen around sexuality with opposition to political oppression in Nazi Germany (1930s), Civil Rights movement in the USA (1960s), Apartheid n South Africa (1970s) and other liberation movements Ibid p Barmen has in mind Luther's so-called 'two-kingdoms doctrine' which was so expertly misconstrued. 20 Ibid p At the heart of the disagreement is the conviction that 'liberals' are concerned with social justice and 'conservatives' with personal morality; a difference between two incommensurable forms of 'righteousness' and 'freedom.'

5 5 Dr J. de Gruchy, a fine translator and interpreter of Bonhoeffer's Works and a steadfast opponent of Apartheid, is typical. He is aghast when they invoke Bonhoeffer's name to protest against homosexual practice. He rightly sees a parallel between the Confessing movements in Nazi Germany and Afrikaans' South Africa. The Third Reich and National Party both repressed ethnic minorities (Jews // Blacks etc) who are victims of idolatrous regimes. But he totally rejects the parallel with issues of sexuality on the grounds that LGBTIQ people, like Jews et al, are victims of abuse. Homophobia is akin to anti-semitism and racism. 'Biblical texts have been used to sanction slavery, racism, the oppression of women and today, to support sexual discrimination, homophobia, xenophobia and global expansionism. 22 In line with increasingly shrill voices in the church and community, he further charges opponents of Gay Rights with idolatrous 'de-facing' of the 'image of God,' stereotyping 'the other' and 'symbolic genocide.' 23 This now familiar accusation ignores sexual forms of idolatry and inhumanity which deny the unique beauty and purposefulness of the relation between man and woman (as DB says in Creation and Fall, Discipleship and Ethics) affirmed in Scripture. De Gruchy's dependence on an alien form of social justice blinds him to the enslaving character of misguided sexual activity which, unlike ethnicity/race, involves choice. 24 * Such strident opposition has forced new confessing movements to ask if there is an affinity between their concerns and earlier confessing church struggles. Dr Thomas Oden identifies similarities and differences. 25 Both insisted that church leaders exercise theological accountability by refusing to accept a unity that is alien to the Gospel. 26 That is why the North American movement concluded that, like the Confessing Church in Germany, it was called to unambiguously declare a status confessionis when 'a confession of faith is absolutely and unequivocally required by the idolatries of the present order. 27 The current situation is not so different from that faced by them. We do not face Fascist power but an even more subtle ideological conceit; namely, a massive secular cultural totalitarianism that intends to engulf all believers, all vestiges of classical Christianity, and especially the church s institutions, schools and mission endowments J. de Gruchy, Confessions of a Christian Humanist (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2006), p Ibid, pp A thorough analysis of his false doctrine of humanity is found in M. Champion, Nihilism and Nature: Bonhoeffer's 'Theology of the Body' and the Homosexuality Debate' in Bonhoeffer Down Under, ed. G. Preece & I. Packer, Adelaide: ATF 2012, pp Thomas C. Oden, Turning around the Mainline: How Renewal Movements are Changing the Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2006, p 71 and pp In the 1990s, says Oden, 'The mainline elite has become so fixated on friendly sentiment, hypertoleration, and superficial unity that it has tended to brush under the rug all norms except egalitarian political correctness' Ibid p Ibid p 199. See, too, GAFCON 28 Ibid p 198 The connection is to be found in the neo-pagan world-view of both Nazism and Libertarianism. In the 1930s the world suffered because of the deification of natural community, race, blood and people; in the latter, Western societies experience the deification of the individual s natural reason, feelings or desires. Both are based on the claim to have a special biological dignity which is distinct from humanity per se. See J. Ellul, 'Nihilism and Christianity' in The Subversion of Christianity pp His observation that 'Such nihilism is the same in Nazis, liberals and communists' (p 139) highlights the gravity of our situation!

6 6 The essential point made by Oden brings us back to the start of the paper. Current confessing movements, like the ACC, arise because it is necessary to identify and critique post-modern, post-christian, neo-pagan, nihilistic ideologies that automatically shape the beliefs, values, opinions and life-style choices of citizens and church members alike. In this regard, their Gnostic underpinnings need to be more fully explored. 29 * Where, then, does this place the ACC as a dissenting movement? 1. Be Steadfast: A Letter to Confessing Christians from the Confessing Theologians Commission (4/9/2003) 30 in which Christians are urged to remain in their churches as long as preaching the Gospel is not explicitly forbidden. Until then, they are encouraged to provide sound theological teaching and work towards reforming their institutions so that society may be humanized. 2. Don't be dismayed by the weakness of the Global Confessing Movement It seems that the North American Confessing Movement was already losing momentum at the time of Oden s book in The Confessing Church in Germany also had a discouraging decline in support and influence. In 1938 the Confessing Synod of the Old Prussian Union gave permission for pastors to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler and the Third Reich. In 6 districts of the Union the take-up was between 60%-89% Resist temptation to soft-pedal our critique of the UCA's false theology as expressed in a raft of decisions about sexuality. We must re-affirm the ACC's founding statement that the UCA is 'apostate' in this regard and do so by deepening our positive theology of marriage as of the 'substance' of the faith. "We have different beliefs, different spirits and a different God." 4. We mustn't let concern for the declining influence of Christianity in Australia (and the West) force us into a false detour to argue for freedom of religion for Christians in civil affairs. Might it not be our calling to stand against the law in both federal and ecclesial courts? 29 See M. Champion, 'How Gnostics mimic marriage' in ACCatalyst T. Oden, Op Cit pp E. Bethge, Op Cit p 505. For discussion of 'the darkest moment of the Church Struggle' see pp

7 7 * Conclusion As Ian Breward says, 'To move from dissent to separation is a very serious step. Here are some of the reasons our forbears found compelling. They included conviction that the Scriptures had been misheard, the mission of the Church weakened, worship corrupted, key doctrines subverted and disregarded, constitutional procedures not honoured and leaders captured by the spirit of the age. Schism led to further schism, and we need to the Reformers' insistence that the Church can have grave defects, but must be honoured so long as the Word is faithfully preached and the Sacraments rightly administered. They are the marks of the Church.' 32 Rev. Dr Max Champion is a member of the ACC National Council and Past ACC Chair. 15 th October I. Breward, Op Cit p 5